Integrating quality and safety competencies into undergraduate nursing using student-designed simulation

The purpose of this study was to determine whether an innovative teaching approach, a student-led simulation, was effective in increasing students' quality and safety knowledge, skills, and attitudes in the six Quality and Safety Education for Nurses competency areas. The sample included students (N = 141) enrolled in a traditional and accelerated leadership course in the baccalaureate-nursing program at a midwestern public university during the fall 2009 semester. A quasi-experimental pretest and posttest design was used. Paired-samples t tests were used to analyze the data. Overall scores on the self-inventory in the traditional (p< 0.001) and accelerated (p = 0.011) groups significantly increased. Knowledge and safety test scores in both the traditional (knowledge: p<.001; safety: p = 0.028) and accelerated (knowledge: p = 0.027; safety: p = 0.03) groups increased significantly. The innovation significantly improved students' self-efficacy and knowledge related to the quality and safety competencies.