Advancements in simulation-based nursing education: Insights from a bibliometric analysis of temporal trends

Background: Simulations are used in nursing education to create realistic clinical practice environments. With rapid changes in educational demands and the growing importance of simulation in nursing, understanding the evolution of its application will provide critical insights into how educational strategies have undergone adaptive changes over time to meet the needs of nursing students and healthcare settings. Aims: This study aimed to identify temporal trends in simulation-based nursing education, map key research themes, and examine changes in the educational landscape over time. Design: This is a bibliometric study of simulation-based nursing education. Methods: The analysis was conducted using VOSviewer. A total of 12,083 publications retrieved from PubMed, the Excerpta Medica Database, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature were analyzed. To identify temporal shifts in simulation-based nursing education, articles were categorized into four periods based on the progression of simulation usage and technological advancements. Co-occurrence analysis was performed for each period. Results: Our analysis revealed a substantial increase in research on simulation-based nursing education after 2014, with a surge following the COVID-19 pandemic. The results show an increasing adoption of advanced techniques, such as standardized patients, in-situ simulations, and virtual reality. Core keywords, such as CPR, critical thinking, and team training, highlight the diverse applications of simulations in technical and psychological training. Temporal trends highlight significant shifts in keywords driven by technological advancements and evolving pedagogical approaches. Integrating advanced technology and realistic scenarios provides learners with immersive experiences that can substantially enhance their nursing competencies. Conclusions: This study revealed that simulation-based nursing education has evolved substantially, reflecting technological progress and changes in educational priorities. This underscores the need to integrate advanced technology with innovative simulation methods to prepare nursing students for real-world clinical challenges.