The Physician Is on Campus

The purpose of this project was to determine if physician participation in simulation affects students’ perceptions of nurse/physician communication and collaboration. Fifty-five students participated in six groups. Three groups had a physician present and involved during their eight-hour pediatric simulation; the others continued with current practice, which involved phone contact with an individual posing as a physician. There was a statistically significant difference in two items on the Nurse Attitudes About Communicating and Collaborating With Physicians tool when pre- and post-simulation means were compared. Findings are consistent with previous research, indicating simulation-based learning can improve students’ perceptions of nurse-physician collaboration.