'Putting words into action' project: using role play in skills training.

Research highlights the need to use experienced role-players with skilled facilitation to deliver effective communication skills training (CST) but this is challenging in a large faculty of health. In this pilot project, students from Birmingham City University's School of Acting and role-players from the Learning Disability nursing programme received role-player training (Phase I) before delivering 26 CST sessions to 520 first year BSc nursing students (Phase II), using role-plays based on clinical scenarios in adult, mental health, learning disability and children's nursing. A pre- and post-session survey assessed student confidence, with feedback gathered from role-players, and facilitators. Pre-session confidence levels in students who participated and observed the role-play were similar, and using Wilcoxon and Mann Whitney non-parametric tests, a statistically significant increase in post-session confidence levels was demonstrated across all four fields of nursing. This increase in confidence applied to role-play participating students and observers, although role-playing students gained the largest confidence increase. A Higher Education Academy Collaborative Grant extended the project in 2012/13.

Effectiveness of live simulation of patients with intellectual disabilities.

This study investigated the use of live simulation using simulated patients portraying people with intellectual disabilities. The study sample consisted of 173 health students. Using the simulation framework of Jeffries, students worked in groups of three; each student participated in at least one interaction with a simulated patient while the facilitator and other students in the group provided peer reflections. Students were given a specific task to complete with the patient simulator (e.g., obtaining a blood pressure reading). Student self-confidence and satisfaction with the simulation was measured using a questionnaire followed by students' personal reflections and focus group feedback. Results indicate that students highly valued the simulation and thought it positively influenced direct care to patients with learning disabilities.