Date of Award

Spring 2009

Project Type

Thesis

Program or Major

Nursing

Degree Name

Master of Science

First Advisor

Susan Fetzer

Abstract

New graduate nurses enter practice with basic critical thinking skills and have minimal experience applying learned concepts into clinical practice. Hiring institutions aim orientation programs at developing new graduate nurses' skills so that they are better prepared to meet patient needs. Human Patient Simulation is one tool employers have recently begun using. A qualitative study was conducted to gain insight into seven new graduate nurses' perceptions of utilizing simulated mock code training during the orientation process. Analysis of the focus group discussion identified four emerging themes: Developing Confidence, Developing Knowledge Base, Developing Critical Thinking, and Developing a Sense of Realism. Each of the four emerging themes contained sub-themes. This research showed that simulation can be a beneficial tool to assist with the new graduate nurse transition into the workforce with the right facilitator and proper safeguards to ensure a sense of realism in the HPS and simulation environment.

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