The effect of simulation-based training on problem-solving skills, critical thinking skills, and self-efficacy among nursing students in Vietnam: a before-and-after study

Purpose: This study investigated the effect of simulation-based training on nursing students’ problem-solving skills, critical thinking skills, and self-efficacy.

Methods: A single-group pretest and posttest study was conducted among 173 second-year nursing students at a public university in Vietnam from May 2021 to July 2022. Each student participated in the adult nursing preclinical practice course, which utilized a moderate-fidelity simulation teaching approach. Instruments including the Personal Problem-Solving Inventory Scale, Critical Thinking Skills Questionnaire, and General Self-Efficacy Questionnaire were employed to measure participants’ problem-solving skills, critical thinking skills, and self-efficacy. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the paired-sample t-test with the significance level set at P<0.05.

Results: The mean score of the Personal Problem-Solving Inventory posttest (127.24±12.11) was lower than the pretest score (131.42±16.95), suggesting an improvement in the problem-solving skills of the participants (t172 =2.55, P=0.011). There was no statistically significant difference in critical thinking skills between the pretest and posttest (P=0.854). Self-efficacy among nursing students showed a substantial increase from the pretest (27.91±5.26) to the posttest (28.71±3.81), with t172 =-2.26 and P=0.025.

Conclusion: The results suggest that simulation-based training can improve problem-solving skills and increase self-efficacy among nursing students. Therefore, the integration of simulation-based training in nursing education is recommended.