Effect of Word Search and Case-Based Puzzle Use in Stoma Care Education of Nursing Students

The Effect of Using Word Searches and Case-Based Puzzles in Stoma Care Education for Nursing Students

Objective: This study aims to determine the effect of using word search and case-based puzzles in stoma care education on nursing students' knowledge levels. Given that traditional teaching methods may have limited effectiveness in helping students acquire knowledge and skills, the study aims to demonstrate the contribution of integrating active learning and gamification-based approaches into education.

Design: The study is planned as a randomized controlled experimental design and will use a pre-test-post-test measurement approach.

Method: The study will be conducted with second-year students from the Nursing Department at Gazi University. This research will be prepared under the guidance of the Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials (SPIRIT) protocol, and the reporting of the randomized controlled study will be carried out under the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT). In the study, students will be randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. The experimental group will receive training that includes word search and case-based puzzles during the stoma care training process, while the control group will receive training using traditional teaching methods. Students' knowledge levels will be assessed with measurements applied before and after the training, and student opinions regarding the training method will also be analyzed. The "Stoma Care Knowledge Level Assessment Test" will be used to evaluate knowledge levels, and the "Student Opinions on the Use of Puzzles and Word Searches in Stoma Education" form will be used to determine student opinions.

Hypothesis: The null hypothesis (H0) of the study states that the use of word search and case-based puzzles in stoma care education has no effect on students' knowledge level; the alternative hypothesis (H1) states that this educational method significantly affects students' knowledge level.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Nursing students enrolled in the Surgical Nursing course for the first time,
• Students who voluntarily agree to participate in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Students who have previously received stoma care training through another educational platform,
• Students who provide incomplete responses to data collection forms,
• Students who do not attend the theoretical course sessions,
• Students who do not participate in any stage of the knowledge assessment,
• Students who do not complete puzzle and word search activities included in the intervention.