Innovative – Simulation Pedagogy for Academic Development Erasmus Project

Project Title

Innovative – Simulation Pedagogy for Academic Development

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for higher education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2016

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Pedagogy and didactics; Quality and Relevance of Higher Education in Partner Countries; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

The use of simulation in teaching and learning in nurse education is gaining momentum, as a result of a growing body of evidence which notes its efficiency and effectiveness. The objectives of this project were to address the lack of universal simulation resources particularly in relation to community care. This project sought to develop a simulation kit – comprising three simulation resources- which could be used across different countries. All the ten partners listed in section 2.1 below, participated in the planning, development, and evaluation of a simulation kit named NURSKit, which is now freely accessible for the next two years through the University of Malta website: https://www.um.edu.mt/projects/ispad/about-us-2/.

The NURSKit includes three different scenarios. Each scenario comes with a kit for the facilitator who will be guiding the students during this scenario, pre-scenario resources to prepare the students for the activity and post-scenario resources to enable the carrying out of the student debriefing session.

Scenario 1 focuses on a person living in the community without established chronic disease, but with multiple risk factors. This scenario was developed by Lahti University of Applied Sciences, SAMK University , University College Dublin ( leader) Scenario 2 includes a person living with diabetes and experiencing psychosocial issues as a consequence of his chronic condition. This scenario was developed by Molise University, Turku University, Cardiff University ( Leader). Scenario 3 focuses on end of life care. This scenario was developed by Middlesex University, Oslomet University , JAMK ( Leader). The University of Malta was responsible for overseeing the development of all three scenarios.

Three experts, all authorities in the field of nurse education, from three different continents – Australia (Professor Simon Cooper from the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Healthcare, Federation University Australia), Africa (Professor Abeer Saad Eswi, Cairo University, Egypt), Asia- (Professor Cho Eun-Jung, Yeungnam University College, South Korea) contributed to the project as consultant/ advisors, thus enabling a wide comprehensive universal relevance of the simulation kit.

The second objective of the project was to develop and deliver an innovative training programme to two individuals from each of the ten participating universities, with the aim of them becoming “Simulation Champions”, at their own respective partner institution and championing the development of simulation. This training programme was developed by the University of Lahti and the University of Malta. The programme was delivered jointly by the two universities in 2017. Twenty participants successfully completed the training programme. These participants were academics from each of the 10 participating orgnisations (section 2.1). Two academics from each of the universities were trained in the use of simulation. This training programme entitled “Simulation In Nurse Education” (SINE) Champion Award Certificate” included 5 ECTS at EQF level 6.

The training programme and simulation kit were both evaluated. The training programme was evaluated through the use of focus groups with the participation of the trainers who delivered the programme and the students who took part in the programme. The feedback on the training programme was very positive and this programme is now available for delivery by other institutions who may wish to run this programme within their own entity.

The NURSKit was evaluated through the use of an online survey which was designed to measure students’ knowledge and self-reported competence before and after following the simulation exercise. The students were also included in a number of focus groups to identify their experience in participating in the project. The feedback on the NURSkit was also very positive. The research study indicated that students improved in terms of knowledge and perceived competence with the use of all three scenarios. This suggests that this NURSkit is a useful tool for the teaching and learning of community related nursing.

The long term benefits are that both the NURSKit and the training programme which have been developed are available for the use of other Universities via the University of Malta website and can be applied on a universal scale.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 325139,73 Eur

Project Coordinator

UNIVERSITA TA MALTA & Country: MT

Project Partners

• MIDDLESEX UNIVERSITY HIGHER EDUCATION CORPORATION
• TURUN AMMATTIKORKEAKOULU OY
• LAHDEN AMMATTIKORKEAKOULU OY
• CARDIFF UNIVERSITY
• UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DEL MOLISE
• JYVASKYLAN AMMATTIKORKEAKOULU
• SATAKUNNAN AMMATTIKORKEAKOULU OY