Introduction. Nursing students in the first year of studies, before the start of clinical classes, have limited opportunities for communicating with patients. The use of standardised patients in the role of patients in various clinical scenarios allows for creating realistic situations and improving the students’ patient communication skills. Aim. The aim of the study was to evaluate the classes with the participation of simulated patients, the effects of communication with the patient during peripheral vein cannulation and the administration of medication via intravenous drip infusion. Material and methods. The study was conducted in April 2019 among first-year students of the nursing course at the Faculty of Health Sciences at the Jagiellonian University Medical College. The research used original questionnaires for the teacher, the simulated patient and the student, as well as the Generalised Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) and checklists for the procedures performed. Results. Nursing students were very satisfied with the opportunity to participate in classes with simulated patients. They confirmed that receiving instant feedback strengthened their communication skills. Students demonstrating a greater sense of own effectiveness achieved higher scores in the assessment of their ability to communicate with a simulated patient. Conclusions. It is necessary to develop students’ sense of own effectiveness and enable them to improve their communication skills in various clinical situations.

Key words: standardised/simulated patient, student, nursing, communication.