{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,14]],"date-time":"2026-08-14T00:56:25Z","timestamp":1786668985534,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":17,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,22]],"date-time":"2026-02-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1771718400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,22]],"date-time":"2026-02-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1771718400000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100000102","name":"Health Resources and Service Administration","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["1-U4EHP46219-01-00"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["1-U4EHP46219-01-00"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100000102","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,6]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Objective:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Therapeutic communication is essential to nursing practice, yet many pre-licensure nursing students report discomfort applying these skills in clinical settings. Standardized patient (SP) simulation offers a controlled environment for practicing communication, yet qualitative research describing students\u2019 perceptions of these experiences remains limited. This study explored undergraduate nursing students\u2019 perspectives on small-group, communication-focused SP simulations within a psychiatric-mental health nursing course.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>As part of a larger program evaluation, six in-person focus groups were conducted with 47 Bachelor of Science in Nursing students following participation in two series of SP simulations across nine scenarios. Discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using inductive thematic content analysis. An audit trail and team debriefing supported rigor and consistency.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Three themes emerged. First, students reported that SP simulations increased their comfort and confidence in therapeutic communication, providing a safe space to practice navigating emotionally charged conversations and building rapport. Second, the simulations evoked ambiguity regarding the psychiatric-mental health nurse\u2019s role, as students struggled to differentiate therapeutic communication from psychotherapy and acknowledged real-world time constraints that limit such interactions. Third, students identified high-quality, instructive feedback, particularly during debriefing, as essential to learning and expressed a desire for more structured guidance from SPs and faculty.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Communication-focused SP simulations effectively enhance therapeutic communication skills among pre-licensure nursing students. To optimize learning, faculty should intentionally clarify nursing role boundaries and strengthen debriefing structures. Findings highlight the importance of targeted feedback and instructional support in maximizing the educational value of SP-based simulation.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1177\/10783903261422688","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,22]],"date-time":"2026-02-22T16:13:26Z","timestamp":1771776806000},"page":"199-203","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Nursing Students\u2019 Perceptions of Small-Group Standardized Patient Simulations to Enhance Therapeutic Communication Skills"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"32","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6257-8444","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Brayden","family":"Kameg","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Brayden Kameg, PhD, DNP, PMHNP-BC, University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, Pittsburgh, PA, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Madeline","family":"Lepore","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Madeline Lepore, DNP, PMHNP-BC, FIAAN, University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, Pittsburgh, PA, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Emily","family":"Matthews","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Emily Matthews, BA, University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, Pittsburgh, PA, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ann","family":"Mitchell","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Ann Mitchell, PhD, RN, FAAN, University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, Pittsburgh, PA, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_2_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12912-019-0328-0"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.15640\/ijn.v8n2a1"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4103\/jehp.jehp_1501_21"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nepr.2017.08.012"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_6_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nepr.2019.05.015"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nedt.2022.105607"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_8_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/inm.12983"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_9_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12912-025-03300-9"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_10_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3928\/02793695-20210513-01"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_11_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ecns.2016.02.007"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_12_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nedt.2021.105113"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_13_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1515\/ijnes-2017-0050"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_14_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ecns.2024.101513"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_15_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.11157\/fohpe.v23i1.544"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_16_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/01612840.2024.2358935"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_17_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/ijn.12938"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_18_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2478\/fon-2021-0018"}],"container-title":["Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/10783903261422688","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1177\/10783903261422688","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/10783903261422688","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,3]],"date-time":"2026-08-03T12:19:30Z","timestamp":1785759570000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/10783903261422688"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,22]]},"references-count":17,"journal-issue":{"issue":"3","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,6]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1177\/10783903261422688"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/10783903261422688","relation":{},"ISSN":["1078-3903","1532-5725"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1078-3903","type":"print"},{"value":"1532-5725","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,22]]}}}