Purpose: Nursing students' competence in virtual simulation-based learning is a key factor in its success. This study explored the validity and reliability of a virtual-simulation-based learning competency self-evaluation tool for nursing students. Methods: Data were collected from a web-based survey. First, 11 nursing professors participated in a focus group interview, and 7 simulation education experts participated in the preliminary item content validity. The participants in these two aspects were not the same. Then, a preliminary survey was conducted with 15 fourth-year nursing students in I City. Next, based on these three efforts, a final survey comprising 20 evaluation items was developed. This survey was administered to third- and fourth-year nursing students at four nursing colleges in Korean provinces (Seoul, Gyeonggi, Gangwon, and Gyeongsan-do); 222 complete questionnaires were used for the final analysis. Further, Kirkpatrick’s evaluation model was used for four steps each of tool development and verification processes of the associated psychometric aspects, for a total of eight steps. An exploratory factor analysis was performed on the collected survey data, and verify the tool's validity and reliability. Results: Four factors comprising 15 items explained 66.59% of the variance: learning preparation and start-up (4 items), nursing assessment (3 items), data interpretation (3 items), and problem solving (5 items). The Cronbach's α of the tool was 0.74, and that of the factors ranged from 0.72 to 0.80. Conclusions: The tool's validity and reliability were demonstrated using established methodologies. This tool can be useful for evaluating Korean nursing students' virtual simulation learning competence.

본 연구는 간호학생의 연구수행능력을 파악하고, 간호연구 교과의 교육효과를 확인하여 연구역량을 증진시킬 수 있는 교육과정 개발과 비교과활동을 통해 연구수행능력을 향상시킬 수 있는 프로그램을 개발하는데 기여하고자 하였다. 연구의 대상은 일 대학의 간호학과 3학년 학생 161명이었다. 일반적 특성 에 따른 비판적 사고성향, 문제해결능력 및 간호연구 학습성과는 t-test와 ANOVA를 시행하였으며, 간호 연구 학습성과 관련요인은 Linear regression을 시행하였다. 연구결과 간호연구 교과는 문제해결능력과 비판적 사고성향의 하위요소 중 지적열정, 체계성, 지적공정성을 향상시켰고, 연구계획서 평가와 비판적 사고 성향 중 객관성과 관련이 있는 것으로 나타났다. 본 연구의 결과를 토대로 간호연구수행능력을 향상시키기 위해 연구계획서 작성을 적극적으로 활용할 필요가 있으며, 연구의 전체적인 수행과정을 경험할 수 있는 다양한 교육프로그램 및 교수학습방법을 적용한 운영이 필요하다.