'Putting it together': Unfolding case studies and high-fidelity simulation in the first-year of an undergraduate nursing curriculum

The use of simulation as a teaching strategy in undergraduate nursing education is gaining increasing credibility and popularity. This article describes a study undertaken to evaluate first-year undergraduate nursing students' level of satisfaction with a new model of teaching clinical skills using unfolding case studies in a high-fidelity simulated clinical setting. The design incorporated a case study design conducted over 4 x 6 h simulation sessions. Participants included 47 first year Bachelor of Nursing Science students, three academic staff and two standardised patients. Findings from the study provide qualitative and quantitative evidence to support a high fidelity simulated model of teaching clinical skills development for first year undergraduate nursing students. High positive scores in all sections of the student survey provide quantitative evidence of student's satisfaction with all elements of the teaching model and qualitative data from interviews supporting this claim. Additionally, analysis of interview data provides qualitative evidence to support the value of the learning experience for students and academics, and students desire to participate more frequently in simulation sessions.