This scoping review aims to assess low-cost simulation methods used in nursing education, evaluating how they balance educational effectiveness with budget constraints.
Scoping review conducted in accordance with Arksey and O’Malley’s methodological framework and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews reporting guidelines.
PubMed, Embase and CINAHL were systematically searched for relevant studies published between January 2000 and October 2023.
We included peer-reviewed primary studies involving nurses or nursing students, focused on the use of low-cost simulation in any healthcare setting. Studies had to describe the simulation strategy and its educational application.
Two reviewers independently screened titles, abstracts and full texts and extracted data using a standardised form. Findings were synthesised narratively and categorised by type of simulation, educational context and competencies addressed.
Out of 3332 records, 39 studies met the inclusion criteria. The reviewed studies covered various clinical areas, including critical care, emergency, neonatal, paediatric and obstetric nursing, as well as transversal competencies such as communication and clinical reasoning. Low-cost methods included task trainers, mannequins, computer-based tools, hybrid models and serious games. Only 38% of studies reported detailed cost information.
Low-cost simulation offers promising opportunities in nursing education but suffers from inconsistent cost reporting and a lack of standardisation. Further research is needed to evaluate its long-term effectiveness and support broader implementation.
Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) are conditions with progressive cognitive decline. Still, people living with late-stage ADRD (PLWD) have been reported to exhibit transient recovery of communication or behavioural abilities that had seemingly been lost. These lucid episodes (LEs) are underinvestigated and poorly understood. This study aims to advance scientific understanding of the incidence, prevalence and predictors of LEs and assess from family caregivers if LEs are associated with changes they make in care planning or experiences with burden, distress or grief.
This study recruited 545 caregivers from five ADRD-related registries in the USA. Eligibility included caregivers over 18 years who currently provide care to someone with moderate to very severe ADRD and can complete online questionnaires. Using a longitudinal observational study design, consented caregivers will be assessed monthly for 1 year using online questionnaires that inquire about witnessing LEs. If witnessed, the context and content of the LE is reported. Changes in caregiver decision-making about care for the PLWD, and caregiver burden, distress and grief are assessed at baseline, 6 and 12 months.
Analysis of baseline data will assess descriptive aspects of LEs that are currently unknown (eg, prevalence, content, antecedents, duration). Longitudinal analysis will examine the incidence of LEs, characteristics of PLWD and caregivers that are predictors of episodes, and the associations between LEs and caregiver outcomes (eg, burden, distress, grief).
This study is being conducted in accordance with all Federal Policies for the Protection of Human Subjects. The protocol has been approved by the Mayo Clinic Institutional Review Board (ID 22-006861). Findings will be presented at scientific conferences and disseminated through journal publications and outreach efforts with collaborating partners invested in brain health and caregiver support.