Efficacy of High-Fidelity Simulation on Learning Outcomes: Immediate Results for a Postgraduate Intensive Care Nursing Course

High-Fidelity Simulation (HFS) founded on critical care scenarios requires nursing students to perform clinical interventions to effectively face life-threatening conditions. Since little evidence is available on the effectiveness of HFS on knowledge, self-confidence, self-efficacy, performance, and satisfaction of postgraduate nursing students attending an intensive care course, a before-and-after study was conducted on 28 students to document any change of learning outcomes in a respiratory failure scenario. After the HFS session, a significant improvement for self-confidence was revealed. Beyond the statistical significance, the HFS demonstrated to be a valuable complement to traditional education for many students, determining an improvement of their knowledge and self-efficacy. High level in performance and satisfaction during and after HFS session were also documented, confirming HFS as a valid teaching method in the achievement of learning goals, especially when associated with the traditional work placement models, in nursing students attending a postgraduate academic course on intensive and emergency care.