Low Fidelity Simulation on Sensory Impairments in Older Adults: Undergraduate Nursing Students’ Self-Reported Perceptions on Learning

Abstract

Globally, the population is living longer and by 2050, it is predicted to reach 2.1 billion people. Sensory and cognitive impairments are common long-term conditions among older Europeans and have considerable functional, social, emotional and economic impacts on the individual and those caring for them. Nurses have frequent encounters with patients with these impairments and are expected to prioritise people, assess their needs and accommodate practice to meet these needs. In order to develop the requisite knowledge and understanding to support people living with these impairments, student nurses require an immersive and experiential approach to learning as opposed to just information transfer. This study reports on a cross-sectional analysis of a low fidelity simulation on sensory impairments as part of a wider dementia curriculum in semester one of the undergraduate nursing programme at the University of Highlands and Islands. Findings from an online questionnaire-based survey and content analysis of free text responses revealed that students found the simulation activities critical for gaining subject knowledge, understanding and insight. This study concluded that low-fidelity simulation of sensory/cognitive impairments, within the context of a broader curriculum of supportive activities, can be effective at developing relevant knowledge, understanding and gaining insights in this subject area among undergraduate nursing students.