Perceptions of students and educators regarding a once-off pre-clinical ICU simulation activity.

The study was conducted at a single tertiary institution in South Africa, limiting generalisability. Only five clinical educators participated in the consensus group, representing a small fraction of those invited. Educators did not observe every student-patient interaction, potentially biasing their perception of skill transfer toward successful cases. The study relied on self-reported confidence and educator observation rather than objective competency assessments or patient outcomes. Recall bias may have influenced educator feedback, as the workshop occurred after the entire student cohort had finished their rotations.

Do not interpret the reported improvements in student confidence and handling skills as evidence that simulation alone ensures safe clinical practice. The educators explicitly noted that barriers like missing equipment and supervisor inexperience often prevented these skills from being used in real patient care.