Exploring nursing students' decision-making skills whilst in a Second Life clinical simulation laboratory.
OBJECTIVE
To explore nursing students' decision-making skills through the use of a 3D virtual environment such as Second Life.


METHODS
An exploratory qualitative evaluation of the students' experience of learning decision-making skills whilst in a Second Life clinical simulation laboratory. A convenience sample of five third year student nurses entered a simulated world environment where they cared for six patients over 1h. The written communication text from the Second Life scenario was saved into a Microsoft Word document. Additionally a semi-structured tape-recorded one to one interview was conducted immediately after the Second Life simulation in order to explore the students' decision-making skills.


RESULTS
The communication text illustrated that the majority of decisions (n=21) were made in response to a situation or a patient request, therefore 'reactive' rather than proactive (n=9). Only one student carried out a vital signs assessment on a newly admitted patient (Willie). The interviews produced two themes, performing decision-making and improving learning. The absence of 'visual cues' such as pre-operative checklists, vital sign observation charts and 'Nil by Mouth' signs may offer a rationale for why students were more reactive.


CONCLUSIONS
Further work is required for students to practice decision-making skills. With further development the innovative 3D virtual worlds such as Second Life could provide this experience.
McCallum
Jacqueline
J
School of Nursing Midwifery & Community Health, Govan Mbeki Building, Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow, G4 0BA, United Kingdom. jacqueline.mccallum@gcal.ac.uk
Ness
Valerie
V
Price
Theresa
T
D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction; D003657:Decision Making; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D016544:Patient Simulation; D014584:User-Computer Interface