Impact of Bedside Laparotomy Simulation and Microlearning on Trauma Nurse Role Clarity, Knowledge, and Confidence.

Background: The care of patients undergoing low-volume, high-risk emergency procedures such as bedside laparotomy (BSL) remains a challenge for surgical trauma critical care nurses.

Objectives: This study evaluates simulation and microlearning on trauma nurse role ambiguity, knowledge, and confidence in caring for patients during emergency BSL.

Methods: The study is a single-center, prospective pretest-posttest design conducted from September to November 2022 at a Level I trauma center in the Mid-Atlantic United States using simulation and microlearning to evaluate role clarity, knowledge, and confidence among surgical trauma intensive care unit (STICU) nurses. Participants, nurses from a voluntary convenience sample within a STICU, attended a simulation and received three weekly microlearning modules. Instruments measuring role ambiguity, knowledge, and confidence were administered before the simulation, after, and again at 30 days.

Results: From the pretest to the initial posttest, the median (interquartile range [IQR]) Role Ambiguity scores increased by 1.0 (1.13) (p < .001), and at the 30-day posttest, improved by 1.33 (1.5) (p < .001). The median (IQR) knowledge scores at initial posttest improved by 4.0 (2.0) (p < .001) and at the 30-day posttest improved by 3.0 (1.75) (p< .001). The median (IQR) confidence scores at initial posttest increased by 0.08 (0.33) (p = .009) and at the 30-day posttest improved by 0.33 (0.54) (p = .01).

Conclusions: We found that simulation and microlearning improved trauma nurse role clarity, knowledge, and confidence in caring for patients undergoing emergency BSL.