Student nurse perceptions regarding learning transfer following high-fidelity simulation

Background: Little is known about the effectiveness of students' transfer of simulation learning to “real-world” contexts. This study was an initial exploration of third-year nursing students' perceptions regarding the transfer of high-fidelity simulation learning to clinical practice. Method: A series of semistructured focus group discussions were undertaken with final year undergraduate nursing students (n = 25). Result: Three themes emerged from the analysis of data: But it's not the same on “real” clinical practice, Having opportunities to apply what we've learned, and Making better connections. Conclusions: The findings highlight that transfer of simulation learning to practice should not be assumed, particularly when students’ clinical placements are in settings that are dissimilar to the high-fidelity simulation scenarios they have experienced.