The effect of simulation-based advanced cardiac life support training on nursing students’ self-efficacy, attitudes, and anxiety in Palestine: a quasi-experimental study

BACKGROUND: Cardiac Arrest (CA) is one of the leading causes of death, either inside or outside hospitals. Recently, the use of creative teaching strategies, such as simulation, has gained popularity in Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) instruction. This study aimed to assess the effect of High-Fidelity Simulation (HFS) training on nursing students’ self-efficacy, attitude, and anxiety in the context of Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS). METHODOLOGY: The study design is quasi-experimental employing a pre-test and post-test approach during April and May 2023. A convenient sample of 60 undergraduate nursing students in a 4-year class from a nursing college at the Arab American University/ Palestine (AAUP) participated in this study. The data were analyzed using a paired sample t-test in SPSS program version 26. Three data collection tools were used pre- and post-intervention; the Resuscitation Self-Efficacy Scale (RSES), The Attitudinal instrument, and the State Anxiety Inventory (SAI). RESULTS: The total number of nursing students was 60, out of them (56.7%) were female, while the mean age was (22.2) years. Improvements were seen in all four domains of self-efficacy following HFS training: recognition, debriefing, recording, responding and rescuing, and reporting. (t (59) = 26.80, p < 0.001, confidence interval [29.32, 34.05]). After receiving HFS training on ACLS, the post-intervention for the same group attitude scores significantly increased from 32.83 (SD = 15.35) to 54.58 (SD = 8.540) for emotion, from 6.72 (SD = 2.44) to 10.40 (SD = 1.40) for behavior, and from 7.03 (SD = 2.03) to 10.33 (SD = 1.42) for cognitive. The anxiety level decreased post-simulation from 3.53 (SD = 0.3) to 2.14 (SD = 0.65), which was found to be statistically significant (t(59) = 16.68, p < 0.001, 95% CI [1.22 to 1.55]). Female students (M = 73.18), students who observed a real resuscitation (M = 71.16), and who were satisfied with their nursing major (M = 72.17) had significantly higher self-efficacy scores post-simulation. CONCLUSION: The HFS can be recommended as an effective training strategy among nursing students. The ACLS training-based HFS was effective in improving the students’ self-efficacy and attitudes and decreasing their anxiety.