Abstract

Research literature provides evidence that new graduate nurses are often deficient in clinical judgment (CJ). One way to increase CJ is by using simulations. However, the literature is replete with descriptions of the high anxiety that simulation triggers. It is not currently known how anxiety in simulation affects clinical judgment for undergraduate nursing students. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the effect of different types of anxiety on the clinical judgment of undergraduate nursing students in simulation.

This research project used a one-group repeated measures quantitative design to answer the research questions using the conceptual framework of Tanner's (2006) model of clinical judgment. A convenience sample of 45 sophomore-level undergraduate nursing students participated in a study to explore how state and trait anxiety impacted their clinical judgment within an introductory simulation.

The results indicated that anxiety did not have a significant impact on clinical judgment. When controlling for baseline state and trait anxiety, pre-simulation anxiety level did not significantly predict scores on the Lasater Clinical Judgment Rubric (LCJR) within the simulation. State anxiety did change significantly between the three time measurements, going up to significantly high levels at pre-simulation. These anxiety levels remained high at postsimulation. The findings imply a changed focus to reframe how anxiety is thought about and its effects. Some anxiety is good and facilitative, and therefore, faculty should not be so worried about reducing anxiety for all students. Rather, nursing educators should help students function despite anxiety, in order to prepare them for real world nursing practice.

Description

This dissertation has also been disseminated through the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. Dissertation/thesis number: 29221783; ProQuest document ID: 2658846484. The author still retains copyright.

Author Details

Janet M. Reed, PhD, RN, CMSRN

Sigma Membership

Non-member

Type

Dissertation

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

N/A

Research Approach

Quantitative Research

Keywords:

Nursing Education, Clinical Judgment, Simulation Learning, Student Anxiety

Advisor

Richard E. Ferdig

Second Advisor

Debra Shelestak

Third Advisor

Aryn Karpinski

Degree

PhD

Degree Grantor

Kent State University

Degree Year

2022

Rights Holder

All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.

All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository.

All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.

Review Type

None: Degree-based Submission

Acquisition

Proxy-submission

Date of Issue

2022-07-27

Full Text of Presentation

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