How entry-level facilitator training shapes master’s students’ reflective practice beyond simulation — a qualitative study

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Background Simulation-based training is a widely used and effective learning method in healthcare education. Expanding access to high-quality simulation requires a greater number of competent facilitators. Peer-facilitated simulation has demonstrated effectiveness and acceptability within healthcare education and represents one strategy to increase facilitation capacity. Master’s students are increasingly engaged in facilitator training; however, limited evidence exists regarding how they experience the facilitator role and how facilitation competencies are developed and implemented across educational and clinical contexts. Methods This qualitative study explored master’s students’ experiences of completing the entry-level facilitator course SimBegin ® Level 1 and their perceptions of how facilitator competencies were applied across their studies and clinical placements. Master’s students in midwifery and Prehospital Critical Care participated in focus group interviews eight months after course completion. Seventeen participants were interviewed in four focus groups lasting 45–60 min. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis to enable an inductive and interpretive exploration of participants’ experiences. Results Three themes were developed: (1) Growing facilitator confidence; (2) Developing a reflective mindset beyond simulation; and (3) Motivated but constrained. Participants described increased confidence and facilitation competencies following the course and reported applying these competencies in both educational and clinical settings. The training also appeared to foster a reflective mindset, with an emphasis on learning from successes contributing to safe learning environments. However, organisational and contextual factors influenced their ability to enact facilitator competencies in practice. Conclusion This study suggests that formal entry-level facilitator training may support master’s students in developing confidence and readiness to facilitate simulation. Participants described applying facilitation principles beyond simulation, particularly to support reflective conversations, including clinical debriefings. However, despite their motivation, organisational and contextual factors constrained their ability to enact facilitator competencies in practice.