Simulation Education Incorporating Academic Electronic Medical Records for Undergraduate Nursing Students: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Objectives: Academic electronic medical records (AEMRs) can be utilized for a variety of educational programs that can enhance nursing students' nursing informatics and clinical reasoning competencies. This study aimed to identify the applicability and effectiveness of simulation education incorporating AEMRs.

Methods: We developed simulation education scenarios incorporating AEMRs and evaluated them with 76 third- and fourth-year nursing students from five nursing schools using a mixed-methods design. We incorporated three simulation case scenarios involving preeclampsia, diabetes mellitus, and myocardial infarction into the AEMRs. After the simulation education, participants' feedback on the usability of the AEMR system and their self-efficacy for AEMR utilization were collected via self-reported surveys. Subsequently, the simulation education incorporating AEMRs was evaluated through a focus group interview. The survey data were examined using descriptive statistics, and thematic analysis was done for the focus group interview data.

Results: The average mean scores for the AEMR system's usability and participants' self-efficacy for AEMR utilization were 5.36 of 7 and 3.96 of 5, respectively. According to the focus group interviews, the participants were satisfied with the simulation education incorporating AEMRs and recognized their confidence in AEMR utilization. In addition, participants addressed challenges to simulation education incorporating AEMRs, including the need for pre-education and AEMR utilization difficulties.

Conclusions: Nursing students were satisfied with and recognized the value of simulation education incorporating AEMRs. Although the actual application of simulation education incorporating AEMRs remains challenging, further research can help develop and implement this approach for nursing students.