Abstract:

Aim and objectives:
Simulation-based education is barely introduced in pre-service education programs in low-resource settings. Thus, this study aims to explore, develop and implement simulation-based education as a pedagogic method in one nurse education program in Tanzania and one in Madagascar.

Specific objectives:
• To strengthen nurse teachers’ knowledge and skills in simulation as a pedagogic method.
• To explore nurse students’ and nurse teachers’ experiences with simulation as a pedagogic method.
• To implement simulation as a pedagogic method in two nurse education programs, one in Tanzania and one in Madagascar.

Intervention:
Teaching, supervision and a workshop in simulation-based education as a pedagogic method have been carried out among nurse teachers from the two nurse education programs. Moreover, simulation sessions with 3rd year nurse students in Tanzania and 1st/2nd year nurse students in Madagascar have been conducted. Contact with the nursing schools to encourage the use of simulation-based education has been followed up regularly.

Methodology:
The study has a qualitative and quantitative design. The data were collected from November 2017 – December 2019 by means of
1) questionnaire,
2) pre-post multiple choice test,
3) individual interviews and focus group interviews with nurse students and teachers and
4) observation of the intervention.

Results:
The results show that the students and nurse teachers from Tanzania and Madagascar consider simulation to be a valuable pedagogic method for learning. The students describe how the teaching method improve their competence and strengthen their confidence as nurse students through corrections as well as encouragements. However, the nurse teachers also highlight challenges – mainly linked to the high number of students, as well as the challenge of incorporating the method in an already tight timetable and curriculum.

Conclusion:
Overall, the results describe that the students and nurse teachers are very satisfied with simulation as a pedagogic method. Preliminary results indicate enabling aspects and barriers related to the implementation of simulation as pedagogic method in the two nurse education programs. These aspects will be further outlined in the presentation.

Keywords:

Simulation based education, Sub-Saharan Africa, nurse educational program.