Undergraduate student nurses’ experience of using standardized patient simulation in mental health course: A qualitative study

Objectives: The aim of this research was to explore the perceptions of Lebanese student nurses on use of standardized patient simulations in the undergraduate mental health course. Design: A qualitative descriptive research design informed by descriptive phenomenology was employed. Method: Semi-structed interviews were carried out among 19 student nurses at one major private university in Beirut. Inductive thematic analysis was conducted over the period of 2 months. Results: The inductive thematic analysis generated five themes, namely, “Practicing therapeutic communication and mental state examination”, “Readiness for clinical placement”, “Realistic and safe environment to practice”, “Obtaining real-time feedback”, and “Enhancing confidence and reducing anxiety”. Conclusion: The findings of this study emphasizes the significance of incorporating standardized patient simulations in mental health courses to enhance student learning outcomes. Standardized patient simulations can provide nursing students with a supportive learning environment that reduces their challenges in transitioning to practice by equipping them with both needed technical and soft skills.