The effect of using digital games on learning satisfaction and self-confidence in providing nursing students with subcutaneous injection skills: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Aim: This study was conducted to examine the effect of using digital games on knowledge, skills, satisfaction andself-confidence in teaching nursing students the skill of subcutaneous injection.Background: Rapid changes in the technological field have also been reflected in nursing education and digitalteaching technologies have begun to gain importance in the teaching of fundamental nursing skills.Design: A pre-test post-test randomized controlled trial.Method: The study was conducted between February 2023 and July 2023 with students enrolled in the Fundamentalsof Nursing course at a university in Istanbul. A total of 72 nursing students were randomly assigned tothe digital game group (n =36) and the control group (n =36). The research data were collected using theStudent Information Form, Subcutaneous Injection Knowledge Test, Subcutaneous Heparin Injection SkillChecklist and The Student Satisfaction and Self-Confidence in Learning Scale.Results: The digital game group had higher levels of skills, satisfaction and self-confidence (p <0.05). There wasno significant difference in knowledge scores between the digital game group and the control group (p >0.05);however, the posttest knowledge scores of the digital game group increased (p < 0.001). Post-hoc analysisshowed that knowledge had a power of 0.76, skills had a power of 0.99 and satisfaction and self-confidence had apower of 0.82.Conclusions: It was observed that the use of digital games in teaching a critical skill such as subcutaneous injectioncan improve the effectiveness of traditional education. Digital games can offer time and space independentlearning opportunities when resources are limited.