Perceived Competence and Training Priorities of Korean Nursing Simulation Instructors

Background: The expertise of the simulation instructor is a key factor in the success of simulation-based education. This study aimed to identify the perceived competence and training priorities of Korean nursing simulation instructors using importance-performance analysis. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive survey design was used. A Web-based survey was conducted with 100 nursing simulation instructors from seven provinces of the Republic of Korea. A 26-item simulation instructor competence importance-performance scale was developed and used to identify the instructors' perceived competence and training priorities. Results: Exploratory factor analysis of the scale comprised five factors that explained 66.5% of the total variance: (a) professional foundations, (b) assessment and evaluation, (c) simulation implementation, (d) reflection and facilitation, and (e) principles of simulation education. There were significant mean differences between importance and performance overall and for all five factors, with reflection and facilitation showing the largest difference. Regardless of instructor expertise level, an in-depth discussion during the debriefing was the top training priority for novice, advanced beginner, and competent instructors in the importance-performance analysis. Conclusions: Structured simulation instructor training should be developed and implemented to target simulation instructor competence improvement according to training priorities customized by expertise level.