{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,1]],"date-time":"2026-10-01T05:01:10Z","timestamp":1790830870076,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":52,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,1]],"date-time":"2026-10-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1790812800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Med."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Simulation debriefing is widely recognized as a critical component of simulation-based education, yet its specific contribution to clinical decision-making and competence development among undergraduate nursing students remains insufficiently explored.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>To examine the impact of simulation debriefing on clinical decision-making and nursing competence among nursing students and to determine whether clinical decision-making mediates this relationship.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A multi-center, cross-sectional study was conducted among 650 third- and fourth-year undergraduate nursing students from two XX universities. Participants completed validated instruments assessing debriefing experiences, clinical decision-making, and nursing competence. Data were analysed using Pearson correlation, multiple regression analyses, and mediation analysis using the PROCESS macro.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Students demonstrated moderately high levels of debriefing experience, clinical decision-making, and competence. Simulation debriefing showed strong positive associations with both clinical decision-making and competence. Regression analyses identified debriefing quality and clinical rotation frequency as strong predictors. Mediation analysis revealed a significant partial mediation effect, indicating that debriefing improves competence partly by strengthening clinical decision-making processes.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Simulation debriefing plays a pivotal role in enhancing students' cognitive integration of simulation experiences, supporting the development of informed clinical judgment and competence. Strengthening debriefing practices is therefore essential for advancing simulation-based nursing education and supporting readiness for clinical practice.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2026.1896558","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,1]],"date-time":"2026-10-01T04:49:58Z","timestamp":1790830198000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Unlocking the power of reflection: how simulation debriefing shapes clinical decision-making and competence in nursing students"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Shaimaa Mohamed","family":"Amin","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Community, Psychiatric, and Mental Health Nursing, College of Nursing, Qassim University","place":["Buraydah, Saudi Arabia"]},{"name":"Community Health Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, Damanhour University","place":["Damanhour, 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Metwally","family":"El-Sayed","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Community, Psychiatric, and Mental Health Nursing, College of Nursing, Qassim University","place":["Buraydah, Saudi Arabia"]},{"name":"Nursing Services Department, Qassim University Medical City","place":["Buraydah, Saudi Arabia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sally Mohammed","family":"Farghaly Abdelaliem","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nursing, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Kuwait University","place":["Kuwait City, Kuwait"]},{"name":"Department of Nursing Administration, Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University","place":["Alexandria, Egypt"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Amany Anwar Saeed","family":"Alabdullah","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Maternity and Pediatric Nursing, College of Nursing, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University","place":["Riyadh, Saudi 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