Enhancing Learning Through Role-Play in a Low-Fidelity Disaster Simulation

Authors

Susan S. Braithwaite, Western Carolina UniversityFollow
Susan J. Barcinas, North Carolina State University at RaleighFollow
Colleen A. Hayes, Western Carolina University- retiredFollow

ORCID (Optional)

Braithwaite https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3392-300X

Barcinas https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8921-3840

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Background: This report shares a best practice approach to low-fidelity simulation as a pedagogical method in disaster triage training for undergraduate nursing students.

Methods: This study utilized multi-year quantitative data such as student age, gender, GPA, prior simulation experience, and self-reported confidence in the START Triage application. It also utilized a secondary qualitative analysis of the debriefing process.

Results: Students who participated in a simulation event playing the role of a disaster victim scored significantly higher on subsequent performance as TRIAGE practitioners than students without roleplay experience. Perhaps even more compelling, these learning outcomes were demonstrated 18 months after the role-play experience.

Conclusion: Planned, coordinated low-fidelity simulation learning experiences are beneficial in nursing student instruction. This report proposes a cost-effective teaching strategy that utilizes low-fidelity simulation by incorporating role-play to enhance student learning.

KEYWORDS: simulation learning, triage, disaster response, health professions, experiential learning

Key Messages and Terms

• Students who experience triage as a simulated patient, perform exponentially better on subsequent experience as a practitioner.
• Patient simulation using students is an inexpensive, safe teaching methodology with impressive knowledge retention (18 months) results in keeping with experiential learning theory.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Braithwaite, Susan S.; Barcinas, Susan J.; and Hayes, Colleen A. (2025) "Enhancing Learning Through Role-Play in a Low-Fidelity Disaster Simulation," Innovations in Health Sciences Education Journal: Vol. 2 : Iss. 2 , Article 2.
Available at: https://doi.org/10.32873/unmc.dc.ihsej.0062