Experiential Learning: An Evaluation of Simulations in Health Professions Education

Abstract

Abstract The landscape of health professions education, including medical and nursing schools, has witnessed a revolutionary transformation with the developments in medical simulations, which bridge theoretical knowledge and real-world clinical scenarios. The purpose of this thesis is to evaluate simulations in the field of health professions education and chart how the advancements in simulations, such as the development of virtual reality, may affect students' learning outcomes. This thesis comprehensively reviews current research evaluating simulations in health professions education, ranging from basic manikin models to immersive virtual reality environments. These simulations could provide learners the opportunities to gain hands-on experience and practice clinical skills prior to engaging with actual patients, resulting in a more ethical training practice. The research hypothesis is that the more accurate and immersive the simulation is at representing the real-world situation, the more effective the tool is at teaching concepts and retaining learners' skills long-term. The complexity and accuracy of representation of 24 simulations were rated according to a rubric used by the researcher. The results suggest that while complexity and realism may have had an impact on learning outcomes, pedagogy may have the greatest influence. There was not a significant difference between virtual reality and other types of simulators. In the studies that included learner assessment of simulations, most learners reported positive feedback on the simulations. The future of healthcare professions educational simulations may become further accessible, personalized, and effective.