Serious games in nursing education: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: Nursing educators are challenged to develop innovative programs that promote clinical reasoning and keep learning engaging. Serious games are interactive computer-based applications, created to impart knowledge, skills or other specific learning objectives and incorporate an element of scoring along with an engaging design. Aim: The aims of this systematic review are to examine the serious games that have been developed to address nursing core competencies and assess existing evidence on effectiveness of serious games in improving nurses’ knowledge, attitude, skills, performance, behavioral change and patient outcomes. Methods: A three-step search strategy was conducted in nine databases for published and unpublished studies available in English up to January 2020 with no lower date limit. Two independent reviewers selected studies that met the inclusion criteria and conducted data extraction using a piloted data extraction form. Studies evaluating the effectiveness of computer-based serious games in improving educational outcomes will be included. The population will include both pre- and post- registration nurses. Two reviewers will conduct critical appraisal independently using standardized JBI critical appraisal tools. A narrative summary was used to present data due to heterogeneity. Results: Twenty studies – a combination of randomized controlled trials (n=12), quasi-experimental studies with independent control group (n=5) and one group pretest posttest design (n=3). Seventeen individual studies reported that interventions groups performed significantly better than control groups across the learning outcomes. Conclusion: There is sufficient literature to advocate for use of serious games as an educational intervention for training nurses. Implications: Due to lower levels of methodological quality, more rigorous trials are needed to conclude the effectiveness of serious games in nursing education. This review can be used by nurse educators to understand the existing evidence and develop their own serious games and implement them.