Evaluation of a simulation-based interprofessional education program using a high-fidelity simulator: a quasi-experimental study

BACKGROUND: Interprofessional education (IPE) has been increasingly recognized as an essential approach for improving collaboration among healthcare professionals. Simulation-based learning offers an authentic and safe environment for implementing IPE. However, evidence regarding structured integration of high-fidelity simulation and interprofessional training in cardiovascular nursing education remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a simulation-based IPE model on clinical competence, collaborative attitudes, and critical thinking among nursing trainees. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the application effect of an interprofessional education model utilizing a high-fidelity simulation in the clinical teaching of cardiovascular nursing training. METHODS: A quasi-experimental study using a non-equivalent cohort design was conducted in a tertiary teaching hospital. Nursing trainees from two consecutive training cycles were allocated to either a traditional single-profession high-fidelity simulation group (control, n = 45) or a simulation-based interprofessional education group involving collaboration with medical trainees (intervention, n = 45). The intervention was implemented in a structured three-stage format comprising scenario introduction, simulation practice, and facilitated debriefing. Outcomes were assessed using theoretical and operational examinations, the Jefferson Scale of Attitudes Toward Physician-Nurse Collaboration, the Chinese version of the Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CTDI-SCV). Independent-sample t tests and χ² tests were applied for group comparisons. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, nursing trainees in the interprofessional simulation group achieved significantly higher post-intervention theoretical scores (82.65 ± 4.32 vs. 71.23 ± 5.87, p < 0.01) and operational performance scores (90.36 ± 3.89 vs. 78.45 ± 4.63, p < 0.01). Significant improvements were also observed in collaborative attitudes, particularly in the domains of shared education and teamwork, nurse autonomy, and overall collaboration scores (all p < 0.001). Additionally, critical thinking scores across cognitive, rational, and systematic domains were significantly higher in the intervention group following training (all p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Interprofessional simulation-based training was associated with improvements in critical thinking and collaborative attitudes among nursing trainees. These findings suggest that incorporating interprofessional simulation into training programs may support the development of competencies required for team-based clinical practice.