Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of mortality in the United States, and a primary educational objective is to develop professional competency among nurses to ensure the provision of safe and effective care to the cardiac patient. Benner's theory of novice-to-expert led to the development of an evidence-based scenario for the care of the patient with chest pain using risk-free high-fidelity simulation environments that focused on assessment, history taking, and communication, while evaluating improvements in the competency of nurses providing care to chest pain patients. Thirty-six nurses volunteered in the study. Feedback from nurse educators, which led to modifications to the scenario, preceptor evaluation of participants during simulation, and post simulation feedback of participants, were analyzed using an inductive and exploratory theme analysis. Participants reported they learned meaningful information but felt somewhat confused regarding the correct course of action when multiple events occurred simultaneously. Preceptors' feedback identified participant failure to meet stated scenario expectations. Quantitative analysis of data, using one sample t test, compared the pre- and post-test scores measuring participant knowledge on assessment, history taking, and communication. Although knowledge scores increased, the difference was not clinically significant based on the negative feedback from both preceptor and participants. Accurate appraisal of nurses' competency in assessment, history-taking, and communication skills is needed prior to exposure to simulation. Simulation scenarios may be more clinically significant when tailored to an individual participant's competency levels.

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Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1969. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

In this world of fast-paced learning, training agencies often require their learners to acquire the knowledge and skills needed for a job at an expedited rate. Because of this rapid form of training, learners are sometimes uncertain about their abilities to execute task-based performances. This uncertainty can lead to a decrease in learners’ self-efficacy on expected task performance. In order to help with this training, trainers are using a variety of simulations and simulators to provide learners’ valuable and necessary training experiences. This mixed methods study explored the influence of high-fidelity virtual training simulators on learners’ self-efficacy. It used pre- and post-simulation-use surveys that combined general self-efficacy questions (Schwarzer & Jerusalem, 1995) and task-specific self-efficacy questions (Bandura, 1977, 1997, 2006; Bandura, Adams, Hardy, & Howells, 1980). This study had a sample size of 18 participants. It was assumed that the intent of providing learners with the vital experience needed to perform specific tasks in a high-fidelity virtual training simulator was to increase their self-efficacy on task-specific criteria. Instead, through surveys, observations, and interviews, the research revealed a decrease in learners’ self-efficacy due to heightened emotional arousal stemming from the learners’ experiences with the level of realism the simulator provide, as well as with breakdowns within the simulator. The breakdowns and the realism were the most influential aspects that influenced self-efficacy in this study. The significance of these findings shows that despite learners wanting to use high-fidelity virtual training simulators, improperly functioning simulators can negatively influence learners’ self-efficacy in task-based performances. / Ph. D.

Thesis (M.E. Physics and Electronic Engineering)--University of Waikato, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 109-112) Also available via the World Wide Web.

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In the operation of CMGs there exists a concept called “back drive,” which represents a case where the coupling effects of the angular velocity of the body and the angular momentum of the CMG overwhelm the input torque and result in a lack of control. This effect is known but not well documented or studied in the literature. Starting from first principles, this thesis derives the full nonlinear dynamical equations for CMGs. These equations contain significantly more terms than are found in the literature. As a means to understand the implications of these terms, a reduced order model is derived. The full and reduced models are then validated by means of extensive simulations. Finally, experimental verification of the models confirms the finding that the reduced order model provides a reasonably high fidelity for dynamics.

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