Nursing and Emergency Medical Technician Students' Perspectives on Mass Casualty Simulation Training: A Phenomenological Study
Keywords
Mass casualty incident simulation, Disaster Nursing, Simulation‑based education, Undergraduate nursing students, Emergency medical technician students, Interpretive phenomenology, Interdisciplinary teamwork
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of senior undergraduate nursing students and emergency medical technician students participating in a large-scale mass casualty incident simulation. This study used a qualitative, interpretive phenomenological research design. Participants included senior undergraduate responders (N = 385), with 250 nursing students and 135 emergency medical technician students, who attended a simulated mass casualty incident at a private university in the western United States. Data were collected from 2021 through 2024 via written reflective essay responses to open-ended prompts. Data were analyzed using Patricia Benner's method for interpretive phenomenology in nursing in conjunction with Heideggerian hermeneutics. Our findings suggest that mass casualty simulation training helps improve student responders' capacity to make accurate medical and logistical decisions under pressure, collaborate effectively as an interdisciplinary team, and remain professional in stressful situations. The implications for healthcare professions are that medical emergency simulation training can enhance technical skills, instill a more robust dedication to healthcare professions, and confidently assist in future emergencies.
Original Publication Citation
Watson, A. L., Anderson, M., Drake, J., Heaston, S., Schmutz, P., Rasmussen, R., & Reed, C. (2025). Nursing and emergency medical technician students’ perspectives on mass casualty simulation training: A phenomenological study. Nursing & Health Sciences, 27, e70104. https://doi.org/10.1111/nhs.70104
BYU ScholarsArchive Citation
Watson, Adrianna Lorraine PhD, RN, CCRN, TCRN, CNEn; Anderson, Matthew DNP, APRN, FNP-C; Drake, Jeanette PhD, RN, ACNP-BC; Heaston, Sondra MS, NP-C, CEN, CHSE, FAEN; Schmutz, Pyper SN; Rasmussen, Rylie SN; and Reed, Calvin BSN, RN, "Nursing and Emergency Medical Technician Students' Perspectives on Mass Casualty Simulation Training: A Phenomenological Study" (2025). Faculty Publications. 7562.
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/facpub/7562
Document Type
Peer-Reviewed Article
Publication Date
2025-04-20
Publisher
Nursing & Health Sciences; 2025 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.
Language
English
College
Nursing
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