The use of computer-based simulation prior to
mannequin-based simulation promoted achievement of
higher-level and lower-level learning outcomes among
pharmacy students, although much of the impact appears
to be a result of improvement in students’ general knowl-edge of BLS skills and their ability to execute each of
these skills. There were no differences in computer-based
simulation scores between teams that achieved the learn-ing outcome and teams that did not, which suggests that
simply completing a computer-based simulation may
improve outcomes. Previously published studies have
measured outcomes and student response to one type of
simulation or compared outcomes from a few types of
simulation without measuring how each one impacts the
other.
Our results show the participants who completed
mannequin-based simulation first did not perform BLS
as well as those who completed computer-based simula-tion first. The students’ relative unfamiliarity with BLS
techniques and sequencing may be attributed to partici-pants more aggressively focusing on ACLS than on BLS
skills. Participants may have been nervous during the