Does Simulation Affect the Medication Administration Math Exam Scores in First Semester Associate Degree Nursing Students?

Abstract

Medications and math calculation difficulties has an effect on students each semester regardless of the student population. Nursing education programs must include additional learning tools such as simulation. The inclusion of simulation will help enhance student knowledge skill, promote safe nursing care and improve student success on the mediation administration math exam. The purpose of this retrospective comparison project is to determine if the first semester Associate degree nursing (ADN) program students who participate in a simulation have a greater success rate on passing their first medication administration math exam (MAE) as compared to the students who do not participate in simulation during their first semester. The project design was quantitative non-experimental design, utilizing retrospective data from the 2013 and 2015 semesters at an associate degree nursing program in Texas. Data was obtained on 129 student records through a convenience sample for this project. A non-parametric Mann Whitney U test was performed and the results showed a statistical significance between the students who participated in simulation and those who did not participate in simulation. The results have a positive significance on the benefit of including simulation as an additional learning tool in the first semester of the ADN program. This project will add to the body of knowledge and encourage nursing programs to increase the use of simulation into student centered learning for positive outcomes and student success.