Background: The effectiveness of using senior-level nursing students as teachers to junior-level students in simulated learning was examined in a prelicensure nursing program. Simulation requires considerable financial resources in faculty time and effort. It was theorized that using senior students as teachers for junior students in peer-assisted simulation for learning health assessment clinical skills would offer an equally effective learning experience as faculty instructors.
Method: A total of 60 junior-level students were randomized into a simulated learning experience taught by 20 senior-level students or nursing faculty.
Results: Evaluation of junior students' clinical performance, postsimulation debriefing assessment, and satisfaction with the simulation learning experience indicated that senior nursing students were equally effective as faculty simulation instructors.
Conclusion: Findings suggest that the Senior Students as Teachers program, using the train-the-trainer model, was successful in preparing students as simulation instructors and has the potential for reducing faculty time and cost, as well as enhance student peer-to-peer learning.
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