Comparison of two simulation methods for teaching nursing students how to care for children with an External Ventricular Drain

INTERVENTION: This is a two‐arm randomized clinical trial, embedded in a sequential explanatory mixed‐methods study, involving 102 undergraduate nursing students, with 51 participants in the intervention group and 51 participants in the control group, allocated by simple randomization using a random sequence generated in R‐Project software by a member external to the research team, with allocation concealment using opaque, sequentially numbered, sealed envelopes, opened only at the time of scenario implementation, blinding of participants and researchers responsible for conducting the simulations will not be possible, whereas the statistician responsible for inferential analyses will remain blinded to participants’ group allocation, all participants will initially undergo the same activities, including, before the intervention, completion of a sociodemographic and educational background questionnaire, a cognitive knowledge assessment instrument, the Academic Self‐Efficacy Scale for Higher Education Students, and the Learning Motivation Assessment Scale, followed by a previously validated theoretical video lecture lasting approximately 30 minutes on neuroanatomy and neurophysiology, fundamental concepts of external ventricular drainage, reference values for intracranial pressure in pediatrics, and nursing care for the safe management of the system, after seven consecutive days, a practical laboratory session lasting a maximum of 30 minutes will be conducted to familiarize participants with the devices, materials, and equipment related to external ventricular drainage, subsequently, participants will be allocated to one of the two groups and will participate in a simulated scenario involving the management of external ventricular drainage in a pediatric patient admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit, with the same clinical case, learning objectives, and material resources for both groups, addressing the recognition of clinical changes, assessment of the drainage system, identification of complications, and implementation of appropriate nursing care, with an expected duration of 15 to 40 minutes depending on the simulation modality and achievement of the objectives, the intervention group, comprising 51 participants, will undergo the simulation using the Rapid Cycle Deliberate Practice strategy, characterized by successive cycles of action, timely interruption, targeted feedback, and deliberate repetition, allowing immediate correction of actions and their repetition until the learning objectives are achieved, the control group, comprising 51 participants, will undergo the same simulation using the traditional simulation strategy, with continuous execution of the scenario without interruptions during its performance, followed by a structured debriefing conducted by the facilitator, immediately after the simulation, the cognitive knowledge assessment instrument and the satisfaction, self‐confidence, and simulation effectiveness scales will be administered, with academic self‐efficacy and learning motivation assessed before and immediately after the interven CONDITION: F02.463.425; F02.784.629.529 Pediatric external ventricular drain ; Learning PRIMARY OUTCOME: It is expected to assess the acquisition and retention of cognitive knowledge among nursing students regarding the management of external ventricular drainage in pediatrics after participation in rapid cycle deliberate practice or traditional simulation. The outcome will be assessed using the cognitive knowledge assessment instrument on external ventricular drainage, consisting of self‐assessment questions and objective knowledge questions, administered before the intervention, immediately after the intervention, seven days after the intervention, and 30 days after the intervention. The scores obtained by participants at each assessment time point will be analyzed, as well as differences between the groups regarding knowledge acquisition and retention SECONDARY OUTCOME: It is expected to assess academic self‐efficacy among nursing students after participation in rapid cycle deliberate practice or traditional simulation. The outcome will be assessed using the Academic Self‐Efficacy Scale for Higher Education Students, administered before the intervention and immediately after the intervention. The scores obtained on the scale and the differences between the groups across the assessment time points will be analyzed It is expected to assess learning motivation among nursing students after participation in rapid cycle deliberate practice or traditional simulation. The outcome will be assessed using the Learning Motivation Assessment Scale, administered before the intervention and immediately after the intervention. The scores obtained in the scale domains and the differences between the groups across the assessment time points will be analyzed It is expected to assess nursing students’ satisfaction and self‐confidence with learning after participation in rapid cycle deliberate practice or traditional simulation. The outcome will be assessed using the Student Satisfaction and Self‐Confidence in Learning Scale, administered immediately after the intervention. The scores obtained for the satisfaction and self‐confidence components and the differences between the groups will be analyzed It is expected to assess the perceived effectiveness of the simulation experience among nursing students after participation in rapid cycle deliberate practice or traditional simulation. The outcome will be assessed using the Simulation Effectiveness Tool Modified Brazilian Version, administered immediately after the intervention. The scores obtained on the scale and the differences between the groups will be analyzed INCLUSION CRITERIA: Nursing students who are regularly enrolled. Having completed the course addressing the Fundamental Aspects of Nursing Care. Voluntary agreement to participate in the study by signing the Informed Consent Form