This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a gamified learning strategy called "1 Concept-1 Minute" on nursing students' understanding of care concepts and their learning motivation. Conducted within the context of a Health Assessment course in a nursing education program, this quasi-experimental research investigates whether game-based learning methods enhance students' cognitive engagement and comprehension in clinical education. Given the global need for competent nursing professionals and the limitations in clinical placements, innovative, student-centered approaches such as this game are crucial to improving learning outcomes. The study is based on the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) framework to interpret motivational impacts.

Knowledge and practice training is a fundamental component of healthcare courses. In this context, instructors are expected to foster professional thinking skills that support learning and exploration among students, provide opportunities to apply acquired knowledge, and equip them with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to manage various clinical situations. Within nursing programs, the Health Assessment course is a compulsory subject that focuses on collecting health data from patients to identify potential health problems. Therefore, in addition to learning normal and abnormal health conditions, students must also adequately understand prerequisite topics such as care and treatment in order to perform health assessments correctly.

Clinical education is a critical component of nursing training, integrating theoretical knowledge with practical skills. However, previous studies have highlighted various factors that negatively affect the acquisition of clinical competencies. These include limited clinical placement opportunities despite increasing student numbers, a shortage of nursing educators, student stress, insufficient integration of theory and practice, and the resulting anxiety and frustration.

Effective strategies are required to address the global nursing shortage, prevent academic underperformance, and enhance professional competence. Recent research has shown that gamification and serious games have the potential to improve the quality of healthcare professional education. Integrating game-based learning strategies can increase motivation and engagement. However, the exact impact of such approaches on nursing students remains unclear. This highlights the importance of the current study and the need for further research.

In this context, our study aims to identify, evaluate, and summarize the effectiveness of game-based approaches in nursing education in terms of student learning outcomes and perceptions. Although game-based learning plays a significant role in increasing motivation and engagement, the lack of a unified theory of gamification means that this research is not based on a specific theoretical framework. However, the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) is acknowledged to play a critical role in game design and gamified learning experiences.

A review of the literature reveals a limited number of studies focusing on the use of short, effective, and student-centered methods for teaching care concepts in nursing education. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of the "1 Concept-1 Minute" game on nursing students' understanding of care concepts and their learning motivation.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Willing to continue their education throughout the study period, Voluntarily agreeing to participate in the study and signing the informed consent form,

Exclusion Criteria:

• Having previously participated in a similar game-based learning or "1 Concept 1 Minute" training, Having health conditions or other reasons preventing attendance during the study period, Students unwilling to continue participation or who do not provide informed consent.

We do not plan to share Individual Participant Data (IPD) due to concerns regarding participant confidentiality and the need to protect their privacy.

Investigators were blinded to group assignment (intervention or control) to reduce potential bias in data collection and interpretation.