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Introduction: Having student peers observe and provide feedback has been found to aid learning in nursing and other health professions training settings (Cushing, Abbott, Lothian, Hall, and Westwood, 2011; Eldridge, Bear, Wayne, and Perea, 2013). Prior studies have documented student perceptions about the value of these experiences, but few studies examine the impact of these modalities on student behavioural outcomes. In this study, we describe the use of peer observation to evaluate student performance during a home visit simulation scenario using a standardised patient to explore whether serving as a peer observer supports vicarious learning to promote skill development in areas of assessment, communication, critical thinking and technical skills.

Methods: Groups of four students were subdivided into dyads, with one pair of students serving as peer evaluators and one pair being engaged in a home …