Background: Although nursing programs are exploring approaches to pediatric simulation, the use of puppets is underreported. A childlike procedural puppet was trialled to teach nursing students a pediatric patient procedure.

Methods: A qualitative study was conducted to explore students' perceptions of how the procedural puppet facilitated learning a pediatric procedure.

Results: The puppet was "real but not too real" and allowed students to learn how to interact with the child like a nurse would in undertaking nursing procedures. The activity facilitated learning on recognizing physiological and behavioral changes evident in children. Balancing play, education, and obtaining vital signs "stays in your mind" and was considered good preparation for clinical practice.

Conclusions: Using a procedural puppet to teach pediatric nursing procedures had a very positive effect on engagement and learning.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	simulation; Pup Ed; puppets; vital signs; pediatric; deteriorating patient; nursing students; nursing education; clinical practice; pediatric nursing
Research Division:	Education
Research Group:	Curriculum and pedagogy
Research Field:	Medicine, nursing and health curriculum and pedagogy
Objective Division:	Health
Objective Group:	Provision of health and support services
Objective Field:	Nursing
UTAS Author:	Reid-Searl, K (Professor Kerry Reid-Searl)
ID Code:	153887
Year Published:	2017
Web of Science® Times Cited:	7
Deposited By:	Nursing
Deposited On:	2022-10-13
Last Modified:	2022-11-03
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