How to Reduce Biological Risk Among Nursing Students: A Research Project.

The risk derived by the transmission of biological agents (especially blood-borne pathogens) responsible for infectious diseases in human beings is called biological risk (or hazard). Biological risk is the most diffused occupational hazard in the hospital, and it represents a threat to nursing students particularly. This project aims to provide evidence of the efficacy of simulation laboratory in preventing (reducing) accidental exposure to potentially infected biological material among nursing students. Nursing students of the first, second and third years attending an Italian Nursing Degree Course, after they give their informed consent, will be enrolled in a longitudinal observational study to investigate the experience of nursing students about accidental exposures to biological materials before and after attending simulation training sessions with part task trainers, according to the “mastery learning” methodology. The mastery learning will be facilitated by audio-video recording during the students’ performance in the high fidelity simulation laboratory. The study is expected to provide scientific evidence of the effectiveness of simulation training carried out by “mastery learning strategy” to prevent (reduce) accidental exposure to potentially infected biological material in a population of undergraduate nursing students.