Objectives: The ability to learn independently is important for nursing students. In Japan some students receive training in nursing skills and physical examination through independent training. Few studies have reported on student nurse attitudes towards independent training using a human patient simulator. This study investigated factors that would make independent training with simulation more accessible to nursing students.
Methods: An 11-item survey was sent to 454 students in the School of Nursing at a single university in Japan.
Results: Of the 147 respondents (32.4% response rate), almost all (96.6%) had experienced independent training, and 21.8% had used a human patient simulator. Most (85%) respondents indicated a desire take part in human patient simulator-based independent training, citing the need for practice-oriented learning and to practice nursing skills in a more realistic setting. Reasons reported for not having used a human patient simulator for independent training included not knowing how to independently operate the human patient simulator, and the effort required to set up and store the device following independent sessions.
Conclusions: Students' unfamiliarity with human patient simulator technical operations was a barrier to self-directed simulation-based independent training. Student acceptance of human patient simulators for independent training requires environments and procedures in which simulators are easily accessible and simulator setup and operation guidance.

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