Purpose: This study aimed to identify the need for simulation education to strengthen patient safety competencies in nursing practice field experience and explore and analyze improvements in simulation education. Methods: Data were collected through focus group interviews with 31 participants from four groups of fourth-year nursing students and one group of new nurses from August 7, 2023 to February 11, 2024. Interview data were systematically reviewed by qualitative content analysis. Results: Five major themes were identified; (1) awareness of patient safety competencies among nursing students and new nurses, (2) awareness of patient safety education among nursing students and new nurses, (3) simulation education topics for strengthening patient safety competencies, (4) interfering factors of simulation education for strengthening patient safety competencies, and (5) facilitating factors of simulation education to strengthen patient safety competencies. Accordingly, 15 categories were derived, and the current status of simulation education for patient safety, educational needs, and improvements were reported. Conclusion: This study attempted to reflect on the needs of learners before developing a simulation education program and derive educational content to strengthen patient safety competencies.

Purpose: This study aimed to explore nursing simulation training needs and the educational environment of instructors. Method: This study was conducted according to the inductive method of qualitative content analysis. An online focus group interview was conducted with six instructors with experience operating a nursing simulation. Data were collected in July 2021. Results: First, “nursing simulation practice operations” required simulation design elements, practical operations, and curriculum integration. Second, the “educational environment” showed a lack of human and physical resources, and there was a need for standard education reflecting the domestic nursing education environment. Third, for “instructor competencies”, the facilitator role, step-by-step education for strengthening instructor competencies, and cooperation with clinical experts were derived. Fourth, it was found that “learner competencies” should meet the nursing professionals’ needs; self-directed learning competency and unique human competency should also be strengthened. Conclusion: This study is meaningful because it seeks to understand the instructor’s needs for nursing simulation training and the educational environment. Moreover, it identifies considerations for instructor and learner competencies in the nursing simulation operator training programs.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was understanding of Qualitative Content Analysis (QCA), according to theoretical foundation. Methods: QCA explained concepts and procedures systematically, through literature review and researcher’s analytical thinking. Results: QCA was one of the various qualitative research techniques, in which meanings can be derived from the text and various material such as video, articles, and books etc. QCA classified three approaches, including: conventional, directed, and summative content analysis. Despite there being no systematic rule of analysis of QCA, the process of the QCA was suggested as: preparation, organizing, and reporting phase. It is of great significance that unit of analysis was selected during preparation phase. Both, coding and categorization were generated during the organizing phase. Analyzing the process and results were described with either conceptual map or model during the Reporting Phase. Results showed that the differences of the application between QCA and thematic analysis, along with grounded theory. The trustworthiness was affirmed for the validity of the results. Conclusion: Researchers who want to apply the QCA require understanding of its method, sufficiently. It is emphasized that QCA should exhibit the researcher’s interpretation from the data in some degree, in order to not defect the essentiality of qualitative research.