How simulated patients contribute to student learning in an authentic way, an interview study

Abstract Introduction Simulated patients (SPs) play an instrumental role in teaching communication skills and enhancing learning outcomes. Prior research mostly focused on the SP’s contribution to students’ learning outcomes by providing feedback afterwards. A detailed understanding of the contribut...

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Main Authors: Annelies Lovink, Marleen Groenier, Anneke van der Niet, Heleen Miedema, Jan-Joost Rethans
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2024-01-01
Series:Advances in Simulation
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s41077-023-00277-w
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author Annelies Lovink
Marleen Groenier
Anneke van der Niet
Heleen Miedema
Jan-Joost Rethans
author_facet Annelies Lovink
Marleen Groenier
Anneke van der Niet
Heleen Miedema
Jan-Joost Rethans
author_sort Annelies Lovink
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Introduction Simulated patients (SPs) play an instrumental role in teaching communication skills and enhancing learning outcomes. Prior research mostly focused on the SP’s contribution to students’ learning outcomes by providing feedback afterwards. A detailed understanding of the contribution of the SP during SP-student encounters is currently lacking although the majority of the interaction between SPs and students occurs during the SP-student encounter. Therefore, this study focuses on how SPs see their contribution to meaningful student learning experiences during SP-student encounters. Methods We interviewed fifteen simulated patients from one institution. We explored their perspectives on meaningful learning experiences during SP-student encounters through in-depth, semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results SPs view their contribution to meaningful student learning during SP-student encounters from two perspectives. A collective perspective as a member of the community of SPs and an individual perspective. From the collective perspective, SPs believe that the fact that students deal with multiple varied SP-student encounters over time is of value for meaningful learning. From the individual perspective, we noticed that SPs think, act, and react from three different positions. First, as the patient in the role description, second, as a teaching aid and third, as an individual with personal experiences, beliefs, and values. SPs mentioned that the ratio between these different positions can vary within and between encounters. Conclusions According to SPs, we should value the variation between SPs, thereby creating meaningful variation in authentic interactions in SP-student encounters. SPs should be allowed to act and react from different positions during SP-student encounters, including their role description, as teaching aid, and based on their own experiences. In this way, SP-student encounters are optimized to contribute to meaningful student learning through authenticity.
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spelling doaj.art-0c72be885b864acb9e9652015224e1dd2024-01-14T12:16:08ZengBMCAdvances in Simulation2059-06282024-01-019111010.1186/s41077-023-00277-wHow simulated patients contribute to student learning in an authentic way, an interview studyAnnelies Lovink0Marleen Groenier1Anneke van der Niet2Heleen Miedema3Jan-Joost Rethans4Department of Technical Medicine, University of Twente, UtwenteDepartment of Technical Medicine, University of Twente, UtwenteDepartment IQ Healthcare, Radboud University Medical Center NijmegenDepartment of Technical Medicine, University of Twente, UtwenteSkillslab, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht UniversityAbstract Introduction Simulated patients (SPs) play an instrumental role in teaching communication skills and enhancing learning outcomes. Prior research mostly focused on the SP’s contribution to students’ learning outcomes by providing feedback afterwards. A detailed understanding of the contribution of the SP during SP-student encounters is currently lacking although the majority of the interaction between SPs and students occurs during the SP-student encounter. Therefore, this study focuses on how SPs see their contribution to meaningful student learning experiences during SP-student encounters. Methods We interviewed fifteen simulated patients from one institution. We explored their perspectives on meaningful learning experiences during SP-student encounters through in-depth, semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results SPs view their contribution to meaningful student learning during SP-student encounters from two perspectives. A collective perspective as a member of the community of SPs and an individual perspective. From the collective perspective, SPs believe that the fact that students deal with multiple varied SP-student encounters over time is of value for meaningful learning. From the individual perspective, we noticed that SPs think, act, and react from three different positions. First, as the patient in the role description, second, as a teaching aid and third, as an individual with personal experiences, beliefs, and values. SPs mentioned that the ratio between these different positions can vary within and between encounters. Conclusions According to SPs, we should value the variation between SPs, thereby creating meaningful variation in authentic interactions in SP-student encounters. SPs should be allowed to act and react from different positions during SP-student encounters, including their role description, as teaching aid, and based on their own experiences. In this way, SP-student encounters are optimized to contribute to meaningful student learning through authenticity.https://doi.org/10.1186/s41077-023-00277-wSimulated patients (SPs)Medical communicationStudent learningMeaningful learningPositioning theory
spellingShingle Annelies Lovink
Marleen Groenier
Anneke van der Niet
Heleen Miedema
Jan-Joost Rethans
How simulated patients contribute to student learning in an authentic way, an interview study
Advances in Simulation
Simulated patients (SPs)
Medical communication
Student learning
Meaningful learning
Positioning theory
title How simulated patients contribute to student learning in an authentic way, an interview study
title_full How simulated patients contribute to student learning in an authentic way, an interview study
title_fullStr How simulated patients contribute to student learning in an authentic way, an interview study
title_full_unstemmed How simulated patients contribute to student learning in an authentic way, an interview study
title_short How simulated patients contribute to student learning in an authentic way, an interview study
title_sort how simulated patients contribute to student learning in an authentic way an interview study
topic Simulated patients (SPs)
Medical communication
Student learning
Meaningful learning
Positioning theory
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s41077-023-00277-w
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