Effects of a Standardized Patient Simulation Program for Nursing Students on Nursing Competence, Communication Skill, Self-efficacy and Critical Thinking Ability for Blood Transfusion*

Purpose: This study was conducted to identify the effects of a standardized patients (SP) simulation program for nursing students on nursing competence, communication skill, self-efficacy and critical thinking ability for blood transfusion. Methods: A nonequivalent control group non-synchronized design study was used and included as participants 96 junior nursing students at C University. The SP group (n=48) participated in the teaching class using a SP, while the control group (n=48) received conventional practice education. The outcome measurements were nursing competence, communication skill, self-efficacy, and critical thinking ability for transfusion. Results: Nursing competence, communication skill, self-efficacy, and critical thinking ability improved for students in both groups after training (2.01≤t≤13.03, p<.05). Self-efficacy showed greater improvement in students in the SP group compared to the control group (t=3.36, p<.001). Conclusion: SP simulation practice may be more effective in enhancing self-efficacy than that of conventional practice education. Whether self-efficacy will contribute t