Background:

Prior psychiatric simulation experiences required our nursing students to role-play in an unknown area of nursing. Students confidence, clinical satisfaction, and use of clinical skills were negatively impacted leading to unmet course objectives.

Objective:

The aim of this pilot study was to strengthen our baccalaureate senior nursing students’ simulation experience in their psychiatric nursing course with the use of standardized patients (SPs) instead of student role-play and measure the impact of this strategy on students’ learning, satisfaction, and confidence in an unfamiliar area of nursing.

Methods:

A mixed method explanatory sequential design was used. Participants consisted of a convenience sample of senior nursing students enrolled in their psychiatric nursing course. A quantitative simulation tool and a four-item questionnaire were analyzed after completion of the simulations (n = 47).

Results:

Findings of this study identified greater than 80% of students had increased level of learning, confidence, and satisfaction with the SP simulation experience. Nurse faculty were able to overcome simulation barriers, that is, a patient hearing voices, non-verbal signs of depression, and evaluate students meeting course learning outcomes.

Conclusions:

Findings from this study highlight students’ positive simulation experiences. Using SPs as an educational strategy can be effective for students to reach competency, achieve higher knowledge, and improve confidence. It is believed the use of SPs as a simulation strategy in psychiatric nursing will assist students with clinical judgment and better prepare them to meet the needs of vulnerable persons with psychiatric conditions.