Date
3-22-2024
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)
Chair
Maryna Svirska-Otero
Keywords
experiential learning theory, physician assistant students, simulation, standardized patient, student satisfaction, student self-confidence
Disciplines
Educational Leadership
Recommended Citation
Skillman, Juanita W., "Physician Assistant Students' Attitudes Toward Satisfaction and Self-Confidence in Learning of Summative Standardized Patient Simulations in Relationship to Their Prior Healthcare Experience Hours and the Number of Formative Assessments: A Quantitative Predictive Correlational Study" (2024). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 5283.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/5283
Abstract
This quantitative, non-experimental, predictive correlational study aimed to determine if there is a relationship between the criterion variable of physician assistant students' attitudes of satisfaction and self-confidence in learning among the linear combination of the predictor variables of prior healthcare experience hours and the number of formative assessments before the summative assessment. The experiential learning theory guided this study and is valuable to physician assistant programs because the data obtained on students' perceived attitudes is crucial to improving future student simulation experiences in which competencies are measured and compared against outcomes standards set by accreditation bodies. The study included 136 participants representing physician assistant programs across the United States. Students completed a validated survey authored by the National League of Nursing titled Student Satisfaction and Self-Confidence in Learning Scale after a summative standardized patient simulation event and additional demographic questions through the online Qualtrics software. The researcher statistically analyzed the collected data with a multiple linear regression model. The results predicted a relationship between physician assistant students’ attitudes of satisfaction and self-confidence in learning among the linear combination of prior healthcare experience hours and the number of formative assessments before the summative assessment. Recommendations for future studies include exploring the exact number of formative assessments needed to improve student self-confidence in summative assessment, determining if results vary for clinical year students, and developing a standardized simulation assessment process.
