PLOS One (09/04/25) Ghafouri, Raziyeh; Namaghi, Shiva Ghasemniaye; Khoshgoui, Banafshe

Gamification — in which game-based elements are combined with educational content and users are encouraged with rewards and prizes — increased nurses' satisfaction and medical performance, research shows. The quasi-experimental study, which was conducted from November 2022 to February 2024, included 128 nurses who had been working for at least 6 months. Participants were assigned to either the intervention group or the control group. Both groups received five 2-hour education sessions; however, while those in the intervention group used a competitive game-based software program called Kahoot, those in the control group listened to lectures. One week before the intervention, baseline assessments of medical knowledge and drug administration practices were conducted, with assessments conducted a week after the training sessions as well. Analysis revealed a statistically significant difference in knowledge and performance in both groups and between both groups in terms of performance and satisfaction with the educational approach. Overall, the gamification approach boosted participants' knowledge of pharmacology and their satisfaction with educational programs. The study authors recommend that nursing educators and administrators consider adopting gamification-based educational strategies to make professional development more engaging and motivating.

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