Comparison of the effects of conventional and simulation teaching methods on nursing student's knowledge in personal protection in chemical attacks

Protections of individual and collective is the first step defense against contamination by chemical agents. This study was designed to compare the effect of conventional and simulation training on nursing students’ knowledge in Personal protection in chemical attacks. In this training trial study, 78 nursing students from AJA University of Medical Sciences were selected and allocated randomly to two groups of simulation and conventional education. Data collection included a researcher-made questionnaire which was completed by nursing students before and two weeks after education. Its validity was determined by content validity method and its reliability by test/retest. Data was analyzed using descriptive and interpretive statistical methods by SPSS software. Knowledge scores means in the two methods of simulation and conventional education increased from 22.67 and 21.95 (P=0.204) before education to 26.22 and 26.31 (P=0.846) after education. Mean scores of knowledge in the two methods significantly increased after education (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the two methods concerning knowledge scores means. The present study showed that education is necessary for increasing knowledge, but there was no significant difference between the two methods concerning knowledge scores means in personal protection in chemical attacks.