Gamification as a strategy in nursing clinical supervision for developing critical reflective thinking

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Simulation
• Pedagogy in Medicine

Background:

• Clinical supervision is crucial for developing critical thinking in nursing students.
• Traditional methods may not fully engage students in reflective practice.
• Gamification offers a novel approach to enhance learning experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the benefits of a gamified clinical supervision strategy.
• To assess the impact on critical and reflective thinking in undergraduate nursing students.
• To evaluate student perceptions of gamified learning in hospital settings.

Main Methods:

• A six-week gamified supervision program was implemented with second-year nursing students.
• Interventions included decision-making scenarios, reasoning exercises, and clinical quizzes.
• Qualitative and quantitative data were collected through reflections, field notes, questionnaires, and focus groups.

Main Results:

• Students reported gamification supported knowledge consolidation, teamwork, and clinical reasoning.
• All surveyed students agreed gamification enhanced their learning and should continue.
• Themes of emotional expression and belonging emerged, alongside challenges with reflection tools.

Conclusions:

• Gamified clinical supervision effectively engaged students in practical learning and reflection.
• The strategy shows potential for fostering reflective and critical thinking in nursing education.
• Gamification can be a valuable tool in authentic clinical training environments.