Linking Preclinical Lessons with Simulated Patient Participation and Clinical Training-students Looking back on Their Clinical Training Experiences

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to clarify how preclinical lessons with Simulated Patient (SP) participation link with clinical training. The subjects were five A Nursing University second year students who agreed to participate in this study. Using the qualitative reductive method, we made tape recordings of the subjects talking freely about their activities and emotional responses, from prior to the commencement of clinical training until after its completion. Transcriptions of the recordings were categorized and encoded. Seven categories were identified according to the passage of time and learning methods : "Through the SP participation I experienced something close to clinical practice," "From the classroom role-playing, I could envisage patient types before the clinical training," "Through the SP participation classes I could imagine myself interacting with patients," "Putting into action techniques I derived from the SP participation classes, I felt that patients accepted me," "In my own way, I tried to do my best for the patients, providing care (assistance) to patients through trial and error," "Through a process of repeated practice, failures and corrections, I worked out a way of providing care (assistance) suited to each patient," and "I gained understanding of real patients through clinical training." These results suggest that students put their experiences with SP participation classes to good use, and soon developed good relationships with their patients when they commenced clinical training.