The Impact of High-Fidelity Simulation on Nurse Anesthesia Students' Knowledge, Self-Confidence, and Psychomotor Skills

The utilization of simulation has proved to be a valuable tool to train students in the academic setting in preparation for the clinical environment. Student registered nurse anesthetists (SRNAs) receive limited education and training on the use of powered air-purifying respirators when caring for patients with highly infectious diseases (i.e., COVID-19). The purpose of this pilot study was to assess SRNAs' knowledge, self-confidence, and psychomotor skills for the safe performance of donning and doffing of powered air-purifying respirators while managing the airway. A single group pretest and posttest descriptive study was conducted over 7 months which included 45 SRNAs. There was a statistically significant increase in knowledge (P = < .001) and self-confidence (P = < .001) on safe donning and doffing of powered air-purifying respirators for emergent intubation. Descriptive statistics on the psychomotor skills revealed that the SRNAs were able to demonstrate donning and doffing of powered air-purifying respirators for emergent intubation during simulation. Findings suggest that simulation is an appropriate strategy and is relevant for nurse anesthesia educators to consider when training SRNAs to don and doff while managing the airway for patients with COVID-19.