The Effectiveness of Simulation-based Learning in Clinical Education

Health professional education methods are changing steadily, and teachers should reevaluate their teaching methods with the needs of the world. Simulation-based learning is a widely practised teaching method where learning takes place in a risk-free environment. Students learn skills using manikins, standardised patients and role-playing with peers. The objective of this narrative review was to study the effectiveness of simulation-based learning (SBL) in clinical education and the challenges of creating a simulation lab. Publications from 2015 to 2023 were searched in PubMed and Google Scholar using the search terms ‘Simulation-based learning’ and ‘clinical education’. Eight articles matching the objective were studied. Simulation-based learning has many advantages that can be incorporated into the curriculum of health professional education. It was evident that simulation has been stated to improve knowledge, skills, and attitudes among medical and nursing students. It increases students’ confidence as well as critical thinking and reasoning abilities. It helps the students develop teamwork, leadership, and interpersonal skills. Using Standardized Patients in simulation-based learning has many benefits. When SPs are used, systematic ways of education will be practiced. Interaction with SPs develops a holistic way of approaching patients, and students can learn about patient-centred care, which is essential for practice. There are administrative difficulties in creating a simulation lab. Simulation-based learning supports the new trends in learning, as we see nowadays. Many programmes have incorporated simulation into their training. SBL creates an opportunity to practice before applying it in real-life situations, where the learners can improve their skills and knowledge, which may lead to deeper understanding and greater achievement. Though simulation has benefits, there are challenges to creating a simulation lab.