The Effect of High-Fidelity Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Simulation on Athletic Training Student Knowledge, Confidence, Emotions, and Experiences

Context High-fidelity simulation is widely used in healthcare for the training and professional education of students though literature of its application to athletic training education remains sparse. Objective This research attempts to address a wide-range of data. This includes athletic training student knowledge acquisition from high-fidelity simulation, effects on student confidence, emotional responses, and reports of lived experiences in different phases of simulation. Design and Setting A mixed methods study design was employed with pre- and postintervention evaluations of students' cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) knowledge, confidence, emotions, and lived experiences via the Presimulation CPR Survey, the Postsimulation CPR Survey, and the Reactions to the Simulation Experience Postsimulation Reflection assignment. The study was conducted in the University's high-fidelity simulation center. Patients or Other Participants Twenty undergraduate athletic training students enrolled in a junior-level clinical practicum class. Results We identified a significant difference in athletic training student knowledge acquisition (pretest: x̄ = 3.75, SD = .546; posttest: x̄ = 4.60, SD = .394) and identified a significant increase through a paired sample t test (t19 = −5.640, P < .001). We demonstrated a significant difference in athletic training student confidence (pretest: x̄ = 4.18, SD = .524; posttest: x̄ = 4.68, SD = .295). The findings of this paired sample t test (t19 = −4.485, P < .001) identify a significant increase in confidence related to CPR skills. Students reported a mean score of 4.5 out of 5.0 (SD = .761) of experiencing emotional reactions to the simulation including anxiety, fear, and nervousness. Students reported on a scale of 5.0, (x̄ = 4.63, SD = .34) the simulation was overall a positive and valued learning experience. Conclusions High-fidelity simulation is highly effective in athletic training education and has similar outcomes in knowledge acquisition, confidence, and emotional responses to other healthcare professional education.