Purpose: This study aimed to develop and evaluate a simulation-based nursing education program for respiratory emergencies in critically ill, extremely low birth weight infants (ELBWIs). Methods: A single-arm quasi-experimental study was conducted with 32 neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurses. The program was developed systematically using the ADDIE model, incorporating needs assessment, real-case scenario development, and pilot testing. Data were collected before and after the intervention and were analyzed using paired and independent t-tests, as well as a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Scheffé post-hoc tests. Results: The results showed statistically significant improvements in participants’ problemsolving ability (t = -3.49, p = .001), clinical performance confidence (t = -4.64, p < .001), and overall clinical performance competency (t = -13.79, p < .001) following the training. The clinical relevance and feasibility of the program were supported by pilot testing and positive evaluations of the practicality and educational usefulness of the simulation scenarios. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the simulation-based program was effective in enhancing NICU nurses’ clinical competence in managing respiratory emergencies in ELBWIs and can be used as a practical alternative to traditional on-the-job training.

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the current status and needs of nursing education for extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants in Korea, and to obtain preliminary information to develop a simulation-based educational program on nursing care for nurses in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICUs). Method: Descriptive survey design was adopted in developing an ELBW infant nursing education program. Data were collected from 71 NICU nurses using a questionnaire survey. Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) (version 23) for windows was used to analyze the frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation of the collected data. Results: Seventy-one nurses working in the NICU reported that majority of them (76.1%) had experience in ELBW infants’ nursing education. The following were highly recommended for simulated training by NICU nurses: nursing intervention immediately after birth in ELBW infants (69.0%), NICU‘ initial admission nursing (66.2%), and frequency response coping nursing (57.7%). Conclusion: The study revealed that there is a considerable need for the ELBW infants nursing education program. The results of this survey will ultimately provide a basis for developing simulation-based ELBW infants nursing training programs for NICU nurses.