1.The impact of stressors on the learning outcome of highfidelity patient simulation in undergraduate medical students
Nachiappan Murugavadigal ; Bikramjit Pal ; Aung Win Thein ; Htoo Htoo Kyaw Soe ; Sudipta Pal
The Medical Journal of Malaysia 2020;75(3):209-215
Introduction: Simulation of the clinical setting incorporates
an educational approach connecting a learner to a particular
environment of learning. Undergraduate students in the
health sector experience anxiety during simulation that
influences their performance which ultimately affects their
learning outcome. This study attempts to correlate the
impact of stressors on learning outcome of high-fidelity
patient simulation (HFPS) in undergraduate medical
education.
Objective: This research is to analyze the impact of
stressors and its relevance on the learning outcome of HFPS
as a teaching-learning tool for the management of
emergency surgical conditions including trauma.
Materials and Methods: This study is a Quasi-experimental
time series design. A total number of 347 final-year
undergraduate (MBBS) students of Melaka-Manipal Medical
College, Malaysia. They were grouped and assessed
individually by pre-test and post-tests on their knowledge,
performance and associated stressor scores. The one-way
repeated measure of Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was
used to determine the statistically significant differences in
total score at pre-test simulation and post-test-simulation
sessions. Friedman test was used for assessment of
individual components of stressors. Pre-test and post-tests
scores were compared to note progress in confidence and
stress reduction. P value <0.001 was considered statistically
significant.
Results: ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc analysis showed
a statistically significant (p <0.001) difference in stressor
score over time. The drop-in stress was significant initially
but flattened out later.
Conclusion: Stress significantly decreased as the students
were exposed to more sessions of HFPS which ultimately
translated into better learning outcome.