NCT07235241

The Effect of Digital Games on Ethical Sensitivity and Decision Making in Nursing Students

The Effect of Digital Game-Based Teaching Methods on the Development of Ethical Sensitivity and Ethical Decision-Making Processes in Nursing Students

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 60 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Istanbul Medeniyet University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 40 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The study was planned using a randomised controlled experimental design to determine the effectiveness of digital game-based teaching in the development of ethical sensitivity and ethical decision-making processes among nursing students.

Detailed description

The most significant contribution this study will make to the literature is its systematic demonstration of the effects of a digital game-based teaching method on the development of ethical sensitivity and ethical decision-making processes in the context of nursing education. Currently, ethics education is mostly conducted using traditional methods, and it is known that students experience difficulties in transferring what they learn in theoretical education to practice. This study makes a unique contribution by demonstrating that digital games can support students' ethical thinking and decision-making skills by offering interactive and experience-based learning opportunities. Furthermore, the study aims to expand the limited literature on the use of digital game-based teaching in ethics education in nursing and to provide evidence-based data on the integration of technological innovations in ethics education. In this respect, the research is of a nature that will strengthen the pedagogical foundations of nursing education and pioneer the development of student-centred and innovative teaching strategies.

Conditions

• Decision Making
• Ethics

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Digital game	Digital Game: The developed digital game aims to enhance medical students' ethical awareness and decision-making skills. The digital game first provides students with reminders about ethical principles. The game covers a four-week process, focusing on a specific ethical principle each week. Each weekly module presents two cases supported by animated visuals written by the researcher, reviewed by experts, and created by the software company. After watching and reading the cases, students answer related questions. The modules and principles covered are as follows: Week 1 (Do No Harm/Beneficence): Cases related to treatment refusal and palliative care compliance. Week 2 (Autonomy/Respect): Cases related to organ donation decisions and chemotherapy refusal. Week 3 (Justice/Equity): Cases related to resource (air mattress) allocation and patient prioritisation. Week 4 (Confidentiality/Privacy): Cases related to HIV diagnosis confidentiality and psychiatric service confidentiality.
OTHER	In-class group work	Face-to-face case analysis will be conducted over 4 weeks. These sessions are scheduled outside the course programme, once a week for 40 minutes. A total of 4 cases, each relating to an ethical principle, will be given to students in printed form at the beginning of each session, and they will be asked to analyse them simultaneously. Before the exercises, students will be explained how to analyse the cases.

Timeline

• Start date: 2026-03-01
• Primary completion: 2026-04-01
• Completion: 2026-06-01
• First posted: 2025-11-19
• Last updated: 2025-11-19