Simulation in Nursing Education: iPod As a Teaching Tool for Undergraduate Nurses

Abstract

Most people with psychosis and schizophrenia experience auditory hallucinations, particularly the hearing of voices. A common cause of frustration and alienation for consumers is the lack of understanding by therapists, family members and caregivers, who find it difficult to relate to the consumers’ experiences. The purpose of this study is to examine and evaluate whether students’ participation in a simulated auditory hallucination will increase their understanding and knowledge about psychosis and auditory hallucinations. The design method consisted of a lecture on psychosis and schizophrenia disorders, followed by a simulation of auditory hallucinations using iPods. Students’ knowledge and perceptions of psychosis and hallucinations was assessed using quasi-experimental pre-post matched-design questionnaires. The questionnaire was divided into two parts, the first comprised closed questions to assess students’ knowledge, and the second part consisted of open-ended questions to collect information about students’ perceptions of auditory hallucinations. The results confirmed that students’ knowledge of psychosis and hallucination increased following the teaching session and simulation is a useful tool to prepare students for clinical placements in mental health practice.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This project was fully funded and supported by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing and the Janssen-Cilag Pharmaceutical Drug Company. The authors thank Professor I. Lambert for adapting the sound to a suitable format for iPods. We also wish to extend our thanks to Dr Jennifer Hardy for her contribution to the project and to our students who participated in the project.

FUNDING

This project was fully funded and supported by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing and the Janssen-Cilag Pharmaceutical Drug Company.

Declaration of Interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.