Manikins Mediate Lifelong Learning Skills in Nursing Education
- Trial lecture starts at 10.15
- Public defence starts at 12.30
Title of trial lecture: What future role may simulation with manikins play in the evaluation and examination process in nursing education? What can we learn from the international research literature?
Read the thesis in AURA!
Disputation chair: Associate Professor and Head of Department Dag Tomas Sagen Johannesen, Department of Health and Nursing Science
Assessment committee
- First opponent: Associate Professor Dagrunn Nåden Dyrstad, Department for quality and health technology, University of Stavanger
- Second opponent: Professor Maria Jirwe, Department of Health Science, Red Cross University College, Sweden
- Chair of assessment committee: Associate Professor Jan Georg Friesinger, Department of Psychosocial Health, University of Agder
Supervisors in the doctoral work
Main supervisor:
- Professor Mariann Fossum, Department of Health and Nursing Science, University of Agder
Co-supervisors:
- Associate Professor emerita Else Mari Ruberg Ekra, Department of Health and Nursing Science, University of Agder
- Professor Andreas Prinz, Depmartment of Information and Communication Technology, University of Agder
Summary of thesis
Playing with dolls in nursing education
In today's nursing education, using various human-like simulation manikins in teaching has become common. However, we lack knowledge about the significance of such manikins for nursing students' learning. In the thesis, I have explored what it means for nursing students' learning to use manikins as learning tools. The purpose was to contribute with knowledge about how we can use the manikins to promote learning relevant to students' future as nurses.
First, I studied existing research on nursing students' experiences with manikins to understand what role they play in the students' learning. Then, I conducted a field study where I observed and interviewed students to learn how they experience and use the manikins in different teaching settings. Finally, together with students and a teacher, I planned a learning activity with manikins to investigate what the students learned from this.
My findings show that the manikins are both an inanimate object and, at the same time, they represent a patient. As an object, they were used to training technical skills, such as taking blood pressure, and then it mattered little that it resembled a human. As a representation, the manikin reminded students of a patient, which helped them practice technical skills and communication and care abilities simultaneously. Then, the human appearance had a central meaning.
The manikins sparked students' interest just by being present in the room. They helped students focus on the common goal of caring for the patient. Students often started to simulate spontaneously without the teacher instructing them to do so. The manikins stimulated discussion, reflection, and collaboration. I also found that giving nursing students the freedom to plan learning activities with manikins provided valuable experience and training in planning, problem-solving, and decision-making.
The thesis shows that simulation manikins are more complex than they appear at first glance. Their human resemblance can create a sense of patient presence and invite students to experiment with the nursing role. Working with manikins provides insight and training in discussion, reflection, and collaboration, which are essential skills for a nurse's professional practice and development. The manikins provide a meeting point for creativity, experimentation, and experiential learning. This lays the ground for further learning and can help newly graduated nurses master the transition from being a student to being a nurse.
In this thesis, I argue that nursing students should be introduced to various simulation manikins early in their education. Programs should facilitate self-guided training with manikins and use them to support the teaching of theory. Students can greatly benefit from using manikins in self-directed and student-active learning activities.
What to do as an online audience member
The disputation is open to the public. To follow the trial lecture and the public defence online, register on Zoom.
We ask online audience members to join no earlier than 10 minutes in advance. After these times, you can leave and rejoin the meeting at any time.
Opponent ex auditorio:
Deadline for the public to pose questions is during the break between the two opponents. Questions ex auditorio can be submitted to Associate Professor Dag Tomas Sagen Johannesen with a copy to Eli Andås.