critical thinking games for nursing students

9 Fun and Educational Nursing Games

Nursing is an extremely challenging and stressful job. You’ll need to spend most of your day caring for patients and making sure that they get their medications and treatment on time. You’ll also need to assess them routinely to make sure nothing bad happens to them while they are under your care.

If you fail to unwind once in a while, you can end up with burnout that can easily make you want to leave the profession. Now, before that happens, try out a few nursing games .

Below is a really handy list of games that aren’t just educational but fun, too.

Fun and Educational Nursing Games

1. prognosis: your diagnosis.

If you’re always getting a busy shift but still want to brush up your critical thinking skills while on the go, then Prognosis: Your Diagnosis shouldn’t be out of your list of nursing games. This app can help you assess your knowledge about diseases, test your clinical knowledge, and apply what you know in a risk-free environment.

The game presents engaging scenarios that will really test you out as a nurse. Available on iOS devices, this game is designed for busy people like you.

2. Study Shack

Study Shack features more than 1,000 words and terms that nurses should know. Choose from crosswords, unscramble, and more.

Learning new words can be painful and hard. But this educational game will take both away because it is fun to play and goes from simple nursing words and terms to harder ones.

3. RNtertainment

Traditional game board format gives you the flexibility to create a competitive group atmosphere with fellow students/ colleagues, or to review on your own.
Clinical questions and scenarios covering all the major nursing categories provide an engaging review alternative to fully prepare you for the NCLEX® exam.
Hundreds of challenging questions and rationales from student-favorite NCLEX® exam expert Linda Silvestri reflect content on the latest NCLEX® test-plan.

RNtertainment: The NCLEX® Examination Review Game

RNtertainment has a lot of topics that will really challenge you. Its topics include Safe and Effective Care Management, Health Promotion, and so much more.

It comes in a traditional game format which can give you the opportunity to create a competitive atmosphere for you and your colleagues. It has over 800 questions that aren’t only educational but engaging, too.

The questions vary in format. You can encounter multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blanks, and prioritizing types of questions. These are all great if you’re preparing for an exam, like the NCLEX. You can also find rationales in a separate book so you’ll be properly guided in playing the game.

4. Infection

Infection is all about diseases and medicine. Two to eight players can start the game with 5 disease cards and $500. Those disease cards contain causes, treatments, and symptoms of about 80 medical conditions.

You can pass them to your neighbors, leave them in public places, or get them treated by a Voodoo doctor. The first one to be disease-free and healthy wins the game.

5. Medical Monopoly

Medical Monopoly Board Game - 1979 Edition

If you aren’t into apps and mobile games, then try Medical Monopoly . This board game is best played with your co-nurses during your day off or whenever you need to take a break and relax.

The game resembles the way modern healthcare works in that you need to compete with other hospitals to get the most number of patients. With $500 to start with, you’ll need to buy organs and perform transplant operations. You’ll need to properly diagnose patients, too.

6. Role-Playing

Role-playing is one of the best nursing games you should try if you are teaching nursing students. It’s interactive and encourages students to be more active and involved.

For example, you can group students into groups of two or three. Ask each student to assume a role. It can be a difficult patient, doctor, or relative. Instruct them to act out a common scenario in the hospital that can challenge a nurse’s skill or patience.

7. Quarantine

Ages 13 and up
For 2 to 4 players
Playable in about 60 minutes

Quarantine is another board game where you need to build the biggest and most effective hospital while making sure patients and doctors are well attended to. It’s a form of a tile-laying game where you need to acquire the most number of tiles by beating other players.

Take note that there are highly contagious patients that can spread infections and shut down your hospital.

8. Pixel Hospital

Time management is critical skill nurses have to master if they want to be successful in their chosen profession. This is exactly where Pixel Hospital can help you.

The game puts you in charge of a busy ER attending to the victims of a pandemic that has hit the city. Being in charge, you need to utilize all the resources, staff, and equipment to make sure every patient gets attended to.

9. Trust Walk

Technically, this game won’t test out a nurse’s knowledge or skills. Instead, it can teach you about trusting your co-workers.

Surviving a busy shift when you’re alone won’t be easy. You’ll need help from your colleagues to ensure that you get all your tasks done and that all patients are safe and properly treated.

For Trust Walk, you’ll need a large room, chairs, traffic cones, and small blocks. Create groups of two. One player needs to go through the course blindfolded as his partner guides him with verbal cues.

Bonus: Nurse Bingo

A hectic shift can really do a number on morale. You can liven up your shift with a fun game of bingo. Download your free nurse bingo card here .

Download Nurse Bingo

11 Super Awesome Apps for Nurses
A Guide to the Most Useful Free Nursing Apps
10 Useful Apps for Medical Students

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Liven up any shift with a fun game of bingo. See who can fill a row first! Fill a whole card and lose grip with reality.

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About The Author

Brittney wilson, bsn, rn, related posts.

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Unlock Critical Thinking: Fun Activities To Enhance Nursing Skills

by Carlos Manuel Alcocer
September 7, 2024 June 18, 2024

Interactive activities foster critical thinking in nursing students. Case studies, simulations, and creative writing stimulate analysis and imagination. Games, discussions, and group projects enhance problem-solving and communication skills. Role-playing, scenarios, and think-pair-share exercises promote immersive learning and idea generation, preparing students for real-world challenges in nursing.

Table of Contents

Active Learning: A Path to Excellence in Nursing Education

In the dynamic and ever-evolving field of nursing, critical thinking and problem-solving are essential skills that empower healthcare professionals to make sound decisions and deliver exceptional patient care. Embracing active learning methods in nursing education is a game-changer, fostering a deep understanding and critical思考 that prepares students for the challenges they will encounter on the front lines.

Unleashing the Power of Active Learning

Active learning ignites a spark in nursing students, transforming them from passive recipients of information into active participants in their learning journey. By engaging in interactive and hands-on activities, students delve deeply into concepts, develop their analytical skills, and hone their problem-solving abilities.

The benefits of active learning extend beyond the classroom, extending into the clinical setting. Students who have experienced active learning methods demonstrate increased confidence in their decision-making, enhanced communication skills, and a profound understanding of the nursing process. These qualities pave the way for safe and effective patient care, ensuring the well-being of those in their hands.

Why Active Learning is Vital in Nursing Education

Nursing students require a solid foundation in critical thinking and problem-solving to navigate the complexities of healthcare. Active learning, a pedagogical approach that emphasizes student engagement and interaction, plays a pivotal role in fostering these essential skills.

Benefits of Active Learning:

Active learning techniques engage students intellectually and emotionally, making learning more meaningful and enjoyable. Unlike passive lectures, active learning promotes student involvement , encouraging them to participate in discussions, solve problems, and share their perspectives.

This student-centered approach fosters higher levels of understanding. By actively participating in their learning, students develop a deeper comprehension of concepts and make stronger connections to real-world applications. Active learning prepares students to think critically, analyze information, and make informed decisions.

Examples of Active Learning Activities:

Case Studies: Present real-life scenarios for students to analyze and discuss. This immerses students in complex situations , enabling them to apply their knowledge and develop critical thinking skills.

Clinical Simulations: Provide a safe and controlled environment for students to practice patient care. Simulations enhance collaboration and problem-solving through group work and immersive scenarios.

Creative Writing Activities: Stimulate imagination and encourage out-of-the-box thinking. These activities integrate personal experiences and perspectives , fostering empathy and understanding of diverse patient experiences.

Active learning methods are essential in nursing education as they transform students from passive learners to active participants. By engaging students in meaningful activities, active learning promotes critical thinking, problem-solving, and a deeper understanding of nursing concepts. These skills are crucial for successful nursing practice , equipping students to provide high-quality care and make informed decisions in the ever-evolving healthcare landscape.

Case Studies: Empowering Critical Thinking in Nursing Education

Case studies present nursing students with real-life scenarios that mirror the complexities and dilemmas they’ll encounter in their profession. These scenarios immerse students in authentic clinical experiences, allowing them to apply their knowledge, analyze data, and make informed decisions.

In a case study, students are presented with a detailed patient case history, including symptoms, assessments, and medical interventions. They then work in groups or individually to critically examine the case, identify key issues, and develop evidence-based care plans.

The beauty of case studies lies in their flexibility , allowing instructors to tailor them to specific learning objectives and student needs. They can be combined with discussions, role-playing, and problem-solving exercises to further deepen students’ understanding and enhance their problem-solving abilities.

For example, a case study may present a patient with a complex medical condition that requires a multidisciplinary approach. Students would work together to analyze the patient’s symptoms, consult with different healthcare professionals, and formulate a comprehensive care plan. This type of active learning exercise would not only hone their critical thinking skills but also foster collaboration and teamwork.

In another instance, a case study could focus on an ethical dilemma faced by a nurse. Students would engage in discussions and role-playing exercises to explore the ethical considerations, weigh the potential consequences, and develop defensible rationales for their decisions. Such activities prepare students to face the moral and ethical challenges they’ll encounter in their nursing practice.

By integrating case studies into nursing education, instructors can create engaging and transformative learning experiences that empower students to develop the critical thinking abilities essential for thriving in the dynamic and demanding field of nursing.

Clinical Simulations: Nurturing Critical Thinking in Nursing Education

Immersive Learning for Future Healthcare Heroes

In the realm of nursing education, clinical simulations have emerged as a beacon of innovation, offering students a safe and captivating environment to hone their skills and develop critical thinking abilities. These simulations, meticulously designed to mirror real-life healthcare scenarios, provide an unparalleled opportunity for students to navigate complex patient cases, test their knowledge, and refine their decision-making processes.

Collaborative Excellence

Clinical simulations foster a spirit of collaboration, encouraging students to work together as a team, just as they would in an actual clinical setting. Through engaging games and interactive group projects, they learn the importance of communication, problem-solving, and mutual support. This fosters a sense of unity and prepares them for the collaborative nature of the nursing profession.

Interactive Immersion for Enhanced Learning

By immersing students in a virtual reality that mimics the clinical environment, simulations provide a realistic playground for practicing patient care. Students are presented with various scenarios that challenge their critical thinking, enabling them to apply their knowledge in a simulated setting, free from the potential consequences of real-life situations. This allows them to make mistakes, learn from them, and develop their confidence without compromising patient safety.

Clinical simulations are indispensable tools in the arsenal of nursing education. They provide an immersive and engaging learning experience, empowering students with the critical thinking skills, collaborative spirit, and practical knowledge necessary to thrive as compassionate and competent nurses. By embracing these simulations, educators create a bridge between theoretical concepts and real-world applications, preparing students for the challenges and rewards that lie ahead in the healthcare field.

Creative Writing Activities: Fostering Imagination and Empathy in Nursing Education

Engage in Storytelling to Enhance Learning

Creative writing activities are an innovative way to stimulate imagination and encourage out-of-the-box thinking in nursing students. By embracing storytelling techniques, educators can create immersive and engaging experiences that promote critical thinking , perspective-taking , and empathy among learners.

Integrate Creative Writing with Discussions and Role-Playing

Integrating creative writing with discussions and role-playing allows students to explore complex nursing scenarios from multiple perspectives. Writing reflective essays, short stories, or narratives encourages them to analyze situations, develop empathy for patients and families , and appreciate the multifaceted nature of healthcare. Role-playing activities, coupled with creative writing assignments, provide a safe space for students to practice communication skills, ethical decision-making , and interpersonal dynamics .

Example: As part of a discussion on patient advocacy, students are tasked with writing a short story from the perspective of a patient navigating the challenges of a healthcare system. This activity fosters empathy, critical thinking , and communication skills , preparing students for the complexities of real-world nursing practice.

Creative Thinking in Nursing Education: Unleashing the Imagination

In the realm of nursing education, fostering critical thinking is paramount. Embracing active learning methodologies empowers students to engage deeply with course material, enhancing their understanding and preparing them for the challenges of the nursing profession.

Among the myriad active learning strategies, creative thinking activities play a pivotal role in nurturing critical analysis, argumentation, and idea generation . By immersing students in debates, discussion boards, and engaging games, educators ignite their imagination and cultivate out-of-the-box perspectives .

Debates ignite intellectual discourse, encouraging students to articulate their views and defend their positions with logical reasoning. They learn to evaluate evidence, support their claims, and engage in respectful dialogue, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.

Discussion boards provide a platform for asynchronous exchange of ideas. Students can post their thoughts, respond to others, and participate in thought-provoking discussions. This format encourages collaboration , promotes critical evaluation , and enhances their ability to synthesize information .

Games can transform learning into an enjoyable and interactive experience. Nursing educators can leverage games to present complex scenarios, challenge students’ assumptions, and encourage creative problem-solving . By engaging in games that simulate real-world situations, students develop critical thinking , decision-making , and teamwork skills.

By incorporating creative thinking activities into their teaching repertoire, nursing educators empower students to become dynamic thinkers and effective decision-makers . These activities cultivate essential cognitive abilities, preparing students to navigate the complexities of the nursing profession with confidence and competence.

Group Projects: Collaborative Learning for Budding Nurses

Group projects serve as an exceptional platform for nursing students to hone their collaboration, communication, and team-building prowess. These initiatives foster an environment where critical thinking , idea generation , and problem-solving thrive.

Collaboration at its Finest:

As nurses, collaboration is paramount. Group projects provide a safe space for students to develop these vital skills. By working together, they learn to value diverse perspectives , share ideas respectfully , and achieve a common goal .

Communication Skills Sharpened:

Effective communication is essential in nursing. Group projects provide ample opportunities for students to practice active listening , articulate their thoughts clearly , and resolve conflicts constructively .

Teamwork and Unity:

Nurses often work in teams. Group projects mirror this reality, allowing students to build strong relationships , assign roles effectively , and overcome challenges collectively .

Research, Case Studies, and Presentations:

Group projects can take various forms. Some may focus on research , enabling students to delve into specific nursing topics and develop evidence-based solutions . Others may involve case studies , presenting students with real-world scenarios to analyze and offer recommendations . Finally, presentations provide students with a chance to showcase their findings and engage in thought-provoking discussions .

By embracing group projects, nursing students not only enhance their critical thinking and problem-solving abilities but also develop the essential teamwork and communication skills that will serve them well throughout their careers.

Problem-Solving Exercises: Equipping Nursing Students for Real-World Challenges

In the dynamic and demanding field of nursing, critical thinking and problem-solving are essential qualities for delivering optimal patient care. Active learning methods, including problem-solving exercises, provide an effective means of developing these crucial skills in nursing students.

These exercises present students with intricate healthcare scenarios that require analytical thinking, evaluation, and the development of effective solutions. They challenge students to apply their knowledge, assess the situation from different perspectives, and make well-informed decisions to achieve the best possible outcomes.

Through these exercises, students engage in systematic analysis of complex scenarios, considering the various factors involved, such as patient health history, clinical manifestations, and potential treatment options. They learn to prioritize needs, identify potential risks and complications, and formulate comprehensive care plans that address the multidimensional aspects of patient care.

Problem-solving exercises foster critical thinking by encouraging students to question assumptions, challenge existing knowledge, and seek evidence-based solutions. It enables them to develop a deeper understanding of nursing concepts and their practical application, equipping them with the ability to think beyond rote memorization and apply their knowledge in real-world settings.

Moreover, these exercises promote collaboration and teamwork, as students often work together in groups to analyze scenarios and brainstorm solutions. They learn the importance of communication, consensus-building, and leveraging diverse perspectives to reach the best possible outcomes. By actively engaging in problem-solving exercises, nursing students develop a solid foundation for facing the challenges of the nursing profession and providing exceptional care to patients.

Role-Playing: Immersive Learning for Nursing Students

Role-playing is an active learning technique that transports nursing students into real-world scenarios, enabling them to experience the complexities of patient care firsthand. This immersive approach provides a safe and engaging environment for students to practice their skills, navigate ethical dilemmas, and develop interpersonal dynamics.

During role-playing exercises, students assume the roles of patients, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. They interact with each other, simulating real-life situations such as patient assessments, medication administration, and crisis management. This hands-on experience allows students to feel the challenges and respond appropriately.

One of the most valuable aspects of role-playing is the opportunity it provides for students to practice patient interactions . By embodying the perspectives of patients, students can develop empathy and understanding for the experiences of those they care for. They learn to communicate effectively, build rapport, and address patient concerns with compassion.

Role-playing also equips students to navigate ethical dilemmas . Nursing practice often presents complex ethical challenges. Through role-playing, students can explore these issues in a safe space, consider different perspectives, and develop a nuanced understanding of ethical principles. By grappling with real-world scenarios, they develop the ability to think critically and make informed decisions.

Furthermore, role-playing enhances interpersonal dynamics among students. By working together in different roles, they learn to collaborate effectively, manage conflicts, and support each other as a team. These interpersonal skills are crucial for successful nursing practice, where teamwork and communication are essential.

In conclusion, role-playing is an invaluable active learning technique that fosters critical thinking, empathy, and interpersonal dynamics in nursing students. By simulating real-life scenarios, it prepares students for the challenges of the nursing profession and empowers them to provide the highest quality of patient care.

Scenarios: Engaging Students in Real-World Nursing Challenges

Scenarios present students with compelling real-world situations or patient cases, immersing them in the complexities of the nursing profession. These immersive learning experiences challenge students to critically think , apply their knowledge , and develop problem-solving skills essential in the clinical setting.

Scenarios can be tailored to specific nursing disciplines, such as medical-surgical nursing, critical care nursing, or pediatric nursing. By simulating real-world challenges, scenarios provide a safe and controlled environment for students to practice their skills and make informed decisions .

For instance, a medical-surgical nursing scenario might present students with a patient who exhibits signs of a pulmonary embolism. Students are required to assess the patient’s condition , formulate a differential diagnosis , and develop a plan of care . This scenario challenges students to think critically and apply their knowledge of pulmonary embolism, while providing a safe space to practice their decision-making skills.

Scenarios can also be used to teach interpersonal skills and ethical decision-making . In a pediatric nursing scenario, students might encounter a family who is struggling to cope with the diagnosis of their child. Students are tasked with providing emotional support , answering questions , and advocating for the family’s needs . This type of scenario helps students develop empathy and communication skills, while also challenging them to navigate ethical considerations.

By incorporating scenarios into nursing education, educators can create immersive learning experiences that prepare students for the challenges they will face in the clinical setting. Scenarios encourage critical thinking , promote problem-solving , and foster interpersonal skills , ultimately equipping students with the knowledge and confidence they need to succeed as professional nurses.

Think-Pair-Share: Fostering Collaboration and Critical Thinking

Think-Pair-Share is an active learning technique that enhances critical thinking and collaboration among nursing students. By engaging in structured discussions, students are encouraged to generate ideas, communicate their perspectives, and solve problems collectively.

In the “Think” phase, students are given a topic or question to consider individually. This allows them to formulate their own thoughts and ideas. Subsequently, in the “Pair” phase, students pair up with a classmate to discuss their insights and perspectives. This exchange of ideas fosters collaboration and allows students to learn from each other.

The “Share” phase involves sharing their combined ideas and solutions with the class. This stage encourages students to present their findings, engage in respectful debate, and synthesize different viewpoints. Through this process, students not only develop their critical thinking skills but also improve their communication and presentation abilities.

Think-Pair-Share promotes a collaborative learning environment where students feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and actively contributing to class discussions. It creates a supportive atmosphere that encourages idea generation, problem-solving, and teamwork – essential skills for nurses in the real world.

Carlos Manuel Alcocer is a seasoned science writer with a passion for unraveling the mysteries of the universe. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for making complex concepts accessible, Carlos has established himself as a trusted voice in the scientific community. His expertise spans various disciplines, from physics to biology, and his insightful articles captivate readers with their depth and clarity. Whether delving into the cosmos or exploring the intricacies of the microscopic world, Carlos’s work inspires curiosity and fosters a deeper understanding of the natural world.

10 Activities and Nursing Games for Students to Stimulate Learning

Authored by.

Barbara L. Yoost , MSN, RN, CNS, CNE, ANEF

Lynne R. Crawford , MSN, RN, MBA, CNE

Fundamentals of Nursing authors Barbara L. Yoost, MSN, RN, CNS, CNE, ANEF, and Lynne R. Crawford, MSN, RN, MBA, CNE, share 10 ideas for infusing classroom activities for nursing students into your lessons.

Patient Teaching Pamphlets Creating sample patient scenarios is a great way to incorporate active learning into nursing and healthcare classes. Create a sample patient that has an illness or injury related to what you’re currently covering in class. Then ask each student to develop an educational pamphlet, flyer, or mini-brochure for that patient. Make sure students cover all the necessary information in their pamphlet such as: risk factors; signs and symptoms; when to call the primary care provider; treatments; prevention strategies; and online and community resources for further information. Encourage students to be creative with the design and writing of the piece to make the information engaging and understandable for the patient.
Ace® Wrap Relay Exercises Divide the class into teams (2-4 teams depending on size of classroom and number of available patient mannequins or body parts). In the relay, each member of a team takes a turn at wrapping and unwrapping a specific body part of a “patient.” The actual ace bandage serves as the baton as it is handed from one team member to the next. The team that finishes all of their wrappings effectively, in the fastest amount of time, wins. You may decide to have each student complete their bandage wrapping on the same body part for the same problem (e.g., every student performs a wrap on an amputation below the knee), or you can vary the body parts, problems, and wrap style depending on the relay round (e.g., student one from each team does a figure 8 wrap on a right leg with edema, student two does a spiral wrap on a sprained left ankle, and so on). For an extra challenge, have each student assess the wrapped extremity for circulation, sensation, and movement. You can even have students document their care electronically before moving on to enhance this particular active learning exercise .
Creating NCLEX® Exam Questions Break students into pairs and have them write 10 different NCLEX exam-style questions on a specific nursing concept or class topic. Make sure students include a variety of wrong responses along with the correct answer. Then have students present their questions and response options. After classmates vote on which answer is correct, have the presenting pair reveal the correct answer and explain their rationales for both the right and wrong responses.
O2 Bingo Introduce your class to O2 Bingo by creating bingo boards with oxygenation terms (think oximetry, CPAP, hypoxia, etc.). Then ask students questions and have them mark the answer on their boards. The bingo game can also be developed to cover a variety of different nursing concepts and related exemplars. For a creative end-of-the-year review idea, have each of your students develop their own bingo cards and questions surrounding a specific nursing concept. Then have the entire class play a round of bingo to review the concept.
Creating Medication Commercials Divide students into groups of two or three and have them write and perform medication commercials. You can have the entire class cover the same medication or have each group cover something different. After each group performs their commercial, have the class compare and discuss what they experience in the clinical area versus what they read about in research.
Unfolding Case Studies Bring the subject to the center of your classroom by incorporating unfolding case studies into your active learning lesson. Start off by providing basic assessment data on a patient. As the class progresses, continue to reveal more information about that patient and their disease/disorder. Make sure students have their smartphones, tablets, or laptops on hand to reference medication, diagnostic testing, and care planning point-of-care software.
Reading Reflections Assign a particular section of the text to read for homework. Then at the beginning of the next class, have students write down: 1.) three things they learned from the reading, 2.) one way that learning might affect them in clinical practice, and 3.) one question they hope to have answered today in class. Have students hand in their written reflections, and then discuss the various takeaways as a class. Ask students to help answer their classmates’ questions from the reading. This short active learning exercise is a great way to ensure students complete the assigned reading ahead of time.
The Sensory Deprivation Experience When covering nursing concepts such as functional ability or sensory perception, have students take turns experiencing the blind or deaf patient’s point of view during simulation or a classroom activity by having the student wear a blindfold or earplugs respectively. Afterwards, have students discuss what they felt and learned from their sensory deprivation.
Name That Personal Care Item Use this identification game to familiarize fundamentals students with the patient care items they will frequently encounter on the job. Start by collecting a variety of personal care items, such as a fracture pan, regular bed pan, catheter, etc., and set them on a table. Give each item a number and hold them up one item at a time. Then have students write down what they think the item is. This active learning activity can be used in place of a quiz where students individually write down the answers on a piece of paper to hand in. Or for an interactive review, divide the class into four teams and carry out the activity as if it were a round in a game show (first team to ring the bell gets to guess, and so on).
Clinical to Classroom Each week, assign one student to write a case study based anonymously on a former clinical patient whose diagnoses relate to concepts being covered in readings and class. Have the student present his/her case study. Then allow classmates time to discuss their possible answers to the questions provided in the case study. Finally, have the author lead a discussion about the clinical patient case study and provide the “correct answers” that the authoring student prepared from required class readings, preparatory research, and his/her actual clinical experience with the patient. These can be submitted to you prior to class for review and you can then post it on the course website for all students to download prior to class.

We hope you found these helpful, active learning methods useful. For more information, read about instructor success with active learning.

Games and Activities to Liven up your Nursing Lectures

ChartFlow Team

Between medical terminology and pharmacology, nursing students can lose motivation and get bogged down with details. So how do you, a classroom instructor, help students stay focused and have fun? We’ve found a handful of classroom games that are free or low-cost for healthcare educators to liven up their classrooms.

Jeopardylabs.

This platform allows users to make their own Jeopardy style games and share them with the public. Thousands of nursing students and instructors have created games that you can access here for free.

Some of our favorites are Nursing Fundamentals for brand new students, Neurological Health Challenges and Pediatrics .

Before starting the game, you can choose how many teams will be playing and then you can divide your classroom into the appropriate number of groups. Have each team compete against each other to earn the most points during classroom Jeopardy!

MedGames.io

This website is full of games for medical and health students. While a lot of the biochemistry-focused games will not be relevant to the average RN student, these matching games for upper and lower limb anatomy are great classroom activities to do after reviewing the bones on Mr. Skeleton in the classroom.

They also have flashcards and matching games for Medical Terminology and abbreviations. We like the idea of doing the medical terminology matching games as a competition in-class. Have each student open the game on their phone and see who can get the best time!

This list of free game and activity ideas for nursing instructors

This blog post on the Elsevier blog had to have been written by an incredible teacher. We’re thinking she probably got 100% pass rates on the NCLEX if for no other reason than her classroom was so fun.

We won’t steal her content, but we do highly suggest you click on that link for free ideas like ACE Bandage Relay Races, Name that Personal Care Item, and O2 Bingo.

We adore Ponder, and not just because we have an amazing partnership with them. Ponder is a simulation board game that gives you the ability to bring critical thinking and decision making into the classroom without having to do a ton of setup.

Unlike some of the other free options on this list, Ponder does have a one-time fee to purchase the game, but we think it’s worth it. You can buy it on their website here .

Check out the game here:

We’d love to hear more about the games and activities you do at your school. If you’d like to write a guest blog post and share your strategies with the world, send us an email at [email protected]

13 Educational Nursing Games You Can Play Online

Reading your thick books and studying all your notes aren’t fun. In fact, they’re boring and can easily make you feel sleepy.

If you want to make studying a lot more fun and enjoyable, why not play? It’s a great way to diversify your learning methods.

With these online nursing games, you can test your knowledge and sharpen your memory while having fun.

1 NobelPrize

critical thinking games for nursing students

NobelPrize.org is the official website of the Nobel Prize. Aside from featuring amazing scientific contributions from around the world, this website also provides useful educational games.

The games use Flash which makes learning a lot more pleasing to your eyes. You can try out The Blood Typing Game, The Electrocardiogram Game, and The Immune System Game as they are some of the most visited educational games there.

2 Blood Flow Through the Heart

This is a simple game you can find in the free online gaming platform Quia. In Blood Flow through the Heart , you will have to trace the flow of a drop of blood through the heart. You’ll need to start from systemic entry to systemic outlet.

The game looks like a test but it can be played repeatedly until you’ve mastered the flow!

3 Learning Nurse

Learning Nurse has hundreds of nursing games and thousands of questions for you to practice on. The coverage is impressive as it has questions about Anatomy, Pharmacology , Histology, Diseases, Medical Abbreviations, Dosages and so on.

The site employs different strategies for the games, making learning fun and engaging at the same time. The Learning Nurse games are built using html5 which ensures a faster and better gaming experience on both desktop computers and mobile gadgets.

4 EnglishMed

EnglishMed has various exercises and mini-games made for nurses, doctors, and other healthcare workers. The activities are divided into different categories so you can conveniently choose the game that can help you enhance specific skills. Resources for further learning are even provided so you can continue enriching your knowledge about nursing.

5 Study Stack

Study Stack has lots of different nursing lessons categorized in different gaming formats. The gaming formats available are the hangman, quiz, puzzle, flashcards, matching, type-in, unscramble, study table, chopped, crossword, and many more.

There are hundreds of lessons included so you have lots of options. You can also convert the game you are playing into a different gaming format to maximize learning. If you are reviewing for the NCLEX , this site has hundreds of flashcards you can use to test yourself.

6 Medical Abbreviations

This is another game made in Quia gaming platform. It features common medical abbreviations in four different types of games – flashcards , concentration, word search, and matching type. You can switch gaming types as you progress through the game.

7 Nursing Learning Games and Activities

This website contains a comprehensive compilation of different nursing games and activities. The games are grouped into different categories for easy reference. Most of the games are made in Quia gaming platform so each game is easy to play and understand.

The categorization of games featured on the website is helpful in planning your studying strategy. It’s based on the sections of most nursing books so you won’t have a hard time planning your lessons.

Instructors helped developed the mini-games featured on the website so you can also be assured that you are learning the best nursing concepts to study or review for school.

8 SkillStat ECG Simulator

SkillStat’s ECG Simulator will help you know ECG rhythms by heart. It features random presentations of different ECG rhythms where you will have to pick the correct answer from the list. The average time you take to answer correctly is also reflected in the results to help you evaluate your own progress.

The game is helpful in mastering interpretations of different ECG rhythms in just a quick glance. Nurses who have played the game before said that they had a lot of fun and that it’s very addictive.

9 Knee Operation

Knee Operation is a game on Crazy Games. It’s fun and educational in that it presents a case before the actual operation. It’ll guide you from assessing your patient, prepping the site to operating and applying the bandage on the operative site.

Apart from Knee Operation , you can also play Eye Operation and Teeth Surgery on the website.

10 Appendix Surgery

Like Knee Operation, Appendix Surgery is also a simulation game. This time, however, the game will guide you in assessing the patient for pain by applying pressure to her abdomen, getting and analyzing blood samples to performing the actual surgery. It’s a good game if you want to memorize how an actual appendectomy is done in the operating room.

11 Infection

At the start of the game, you and the other players will have $500 and 5 disease cards. Those cards have treatments, causes, and symptoms of around 80 diseases and medical conditions.

If you’re having a hard time getting online, don’t worry. There are free nursing games you can download on your devices to liven up your shift.

12 Prognosis: Your Diagnosis

This is a great game if you think you need to exercise your critical thinking skills. It will test your knowledge about medical conditions and diseases as well as your clinical knowledge. The scenarios the game presents are really engaging.

13 Pixel Hospital

Pixel Hospital is more than just a cute game. It’s actually a good tool to practice your time management and critical thinking skills.

The game allows you to play as an ER attending who is in charge of a really busy ER. Your city has been hit by a pandemic and it’s up to you to utilize all the staff, resources, and equipment in the most efficient and effective way. Your main goal is to make sure that all patients get attended to with whatever resources your unit has.

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Fun Critical Thinking Activities for Nursing Students

Medical courses are popular for their complexity and demanding nature. For your everyday student fighting to pay tuition, rent, food, and loans, pursuing a career in the field can be a nightmare. Those who’ve made the journey understand the importance of critical thinking for nursing students. Every facet of the course requires thorough analysis and logical engagement. Nonetheless, educators can intervene to make the journey fun and memorable by introducing exciting activities into the classroom. Below are 10 projects to consider in your classroom.

The Importance of Critical Thinking for Nursing Students

There’s no denying that critical thinking is of utmost importance for nursing students. Well, no professional field would survive without analytical skills. But nursing is about people’s well-being, which makes the practice even more sacred. Below are a few reasons why critical thinking is essential to the practice:

Patient safety

The primary role of a RN is to care for their patients. But this isn’t always the case. Some nurses, e.g., Charles Cullen, have committed atrocities against their patients. Many others have harmed their patients unintentionally or due to negligence. In the medical field, the consequences of a wrong decision can be severe. As such, we need our nurses to be on top of their game. They must possess necessary critical thinking skills to identify potential risks and avert or remedy them.

Clinical judgment

Unlike popular opinion, the role of nurses isn’t limited to administering drugs and caring for them. There are many scenarios that demand clinical judgments, e.g., evaluating symptoms and making a diagnosis, deciding on appropriate medication dosage, recognizing signs of an allergic reaction, etc. These are delicate and life-defining matters that demand critical thinking skills.

Ethical decision-making

Nothing is as demanding as making an ethical decision. The dilemma involved can make or break even the best nurses. In training, they’re often advised to make the decisions they can live with, and in the best interest of their patients. We hope you can see the catch. Whatever the situation, such cases require weighing different ethical principles, values, and perspectives, making them almost impossible to deal with. Handling critical thinking questions during training can make it a bit easier.

Completing course assignments

All medical courses have a heavy workload of assignments, practicals, and clinical placements. If you add personal life requirements, it becomes almost impossible to handle. In some courses, students handle voluminous works that require days and weeks of reading. The vastness aside, you must be smart to understand the terminology and concepts in nursing. This is where most students fail. However, there’s no cause for alarm. You can always seek help when stranded with your essays and dissertations. There are reputable companies that specialize in nursing writing and proofreading services that can come through on short notice. WriteMyPaperHub , for instance, has very creative and highly trained PhD writers in nursing and medicine who can deliver complex papers within the deadline you need.

Stimulating the Mind: 10 Fun Critical Thinking Activities for Nursing Students

There are several fun critical thinking activities for nursing students to consider. However, many can be costly, time-consuming, or too demanding. For an ordinary classroom, group activities should be simple and interesting. Here, we’ve assembled 10 activities and critical thinking games for nursing students.

1. Case studies

Nursing is a very practical course. As such, any opportunity to explore real-life patient scenarios is highly welcome. This exercise provides just that. Students can organize themselves into small groups and tackle a problem, for example, examine a wound, identify its probable causes, and propose how to treat it.

There’s no better way of sharpening your critical thinking skills than through open discourses. Let your students disagree to agree, for they will gain so much more from being corrected by their peers than rote memorization. Therefore, occasionally pick a controversial or ethical topic and let them debate on it. Just ensure that the engagement is structured for maximum impact.

3. Reflection journals

Journals can be a student’s best companion. Medical courses can be demanding, putting undue pressure on college students. However, with proper planning and focus, dedicated persons are likely to make it through. A diary can help you organize yourself, appreciate the difficulties you’ve overcome, reflect on your clinical experiences, and motivate you to keep pushing. But keeping it isn’t enough. You must read and reflect on your journey if you’re to stay on track.

4. Simulation exercises

Advances in technology have significantly impacted medical training. For instance, Virtual Reality (VR) is helping instructors to deliver realistic scenarios to their learners remotely. Imagine creating and sharing realistic images of viruses, pathogens, or sick people with your learners and asking them to explore them under pressure and deliver a verdict. It’s like being in the lab!

5. Critical thinking worksheets

Also commonly referred to as critical thinking flow sheets, this activity can be instrumental in testing students’ abilities. It’s a step-by-step process involving clinical scenarios that require extensive research. Here, learners are supposed to gather data on a specific issue, analyze it carefully, and arrive at a diagnosis. It’s a thorough process that employs logic and problem-solving skills.

6. Role-playing

Nursing schools don’t train nurses to be just subordinates. Their curriculum entails everything about patient care and simple diagnosis. In fact, in remote areas with no clinicians, they’re the doctors of the day. Their instructors can organize scenarios that expose them to such situations and let them act as the physicians in charge. They can also act as other people in the healthcare team, e.g., clerks, therapists, and pharmacists. Organizing such critical thinking activities can enhance their preparation and training.

7. Flipped classroom

Even though nursing is quite hands-on, its trainers can deliver their courses and instructions remotely. A flipped classroom is a dynamic approach to learning that allows students to explore their materials at home. Technological advances have made it possible for remote collaboration, making this one of the most enjoyable and fun activities.

8. Group discussions

Unlike debates that pit groups and individuals against each other, group discussions are less confrontational, making them ideal for younger learners. These setups are also suitable for discussing ethical dilemmas. While it’s often hard to find common ground for such issues, challenging assumptions are critical for nursing practice.

9. Decision-making games

The life of a nurse involves making numerous critical decisions. Some of these big resolutions require an instant response. This requires rigorous training. Trainers can use board games, for instance, to pressure students into making healthcare-related decisions fast. This can help them in making informed choices under pressure.

10. Mind mapping

You can introduce this activity as a visual instrument for arranging, generating, and investigating ideas and the links between different nursing concepts.

Critical Thinking for Critical Patient Support!

Nurses are the pillars that hold the healthcare system together. However, their services are only as good as their training and abilities. If we want the best out of our nurses, we must sharpen their critical thinking skills and make them ready for service. In this short article, we’ve explored a few activities that can help nursing trainees develop critical thinking skills essential for their future roles as healthcare professionals.

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13 Educational Nursing Games You Can Play Online

Reading your thick books and studying all your notes aren’t fun. In fact, they’re boring and can easily make you feel sleepy.

If you want to make studying a lot more fun and enjoyable, why not play? It’s a great way to diversify your learning methods.

With these online nursing games, you can test your knowledge and sharpen your memory while having fun.

NobelPrize.org is the official website of the Nobel Prize. Aside from featuring amazing scientific contributions from around the world, this website also provides useful educational games.

The game looks like a test but it can be played repeatedly until you’ve mastered the flow!

Learning Nurse has hundreds of nursing games and thousands of questions for you to practice on. The coverage is impressive as it has questions about Anatomy, Pharmacology, Histology, Diseases, Medical Abbreviations, Dosages and so on.

There are hundreds of lessons included so you have lots of options. You can also convert the game you are playing into a different gaming format to maximize learning. If you are reviewing for the NCLEX, this site has hundreds of flashcards you can use to test yourself.

This is another game made in Quia gaming platform. It features common medical abbreviations in four different types of games – flashcards, concentration, word search, and matching type. You can switch gaming types as you progress through the game.

Instructors helped developed the mini-games featured on the website so you can also be assured that you are learning the best nursing concepts to study or review for school.

Apart from Knee Operation , you can also play Eye Operation and Teeth Surgery on the website.

At the start of the game, you and the other players will have $500 and 5 disease cards. Those cards have treatments, causes, and symptoms of around 80 diseases and medical conditions.

If you’re having a hard time getting online, don’t worry. There are free nursing games you can download on your devices to liven up your shift.

Pixel Hospital is more than just a cute game. It’s actually a good tool to practice your time management and critical thinking skills.

See Also: 5 Fun Low-Maintenance Mobile Games For Nurses

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7 Interactive Nursing Games: A Fun Way to Learn Critical Skills

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Captivating the interest of nursing students, particularly digitally-savvy Gen Z learners, can be a daunting task. To overcome the hurdle of disengagement, an option for educators is to embrace the power of interactive nursing games—innovative and stimulating tools that resonate with the lifestyles of learners in nursing school while fostering active engagement in the learning process.

Research reveals that nursing students can achieve a more profound understanding of the content through the use of serious games. This innovative approach to learning not only sparks excitement but also enhances engagement, retention, and problem-solving abilities. Furthermore, it empowers students to self-assess their learning capabilities and, crucially, hone their critical thinking skills. With such an arsenal of benefits, interactive games emerge as the ultimate tool in the modern instructor's toolkit.

We’ve highlighted 5 games that are a fun way to learn critical skills.

Nursing Games

1. create and swap nclex ® exam questions.

This can be a collaborative game designed to help nursing students create, review, and exchange NCLEX ® exam questions to enhance their understanding, critical thinking, and test-taking skills. Nursing students work in teams to develop challenging questions, which they then swap with other teams for review and practice. The game fosters a supportive learning environment, encouraging students to discuss concepts, clarify misunderstandings, and share insights. By actively engaging in question creation and peer review, students gain a deeper understanding of the exam material and build confidence in their test-taking abilities.

2. Healthcare education board games

Healthcare education board games offer an interactive and engaging approach to learning, allowing nursing students to develop critical skills in a fun and collaborative environment. These board games focus on various aspects of healthcare education, ranging from clinical decision-making to teamwork and communication. Here are a few examples:

Friday Night at the ER
The Ward Game
Medical Monopoly

3. Immersive virtual reality

Immersive virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a powerful interactive nursing game tool, offering innovative and interactive experiences that enhance students' learning and skill development. It’s fun and involving while being serious. Through VR technology, nursing students can access realistic simulations that closely replicate real-life clinical situations. This immersive experience enables them to practice various skills in a safe and controlled environment without the risk of harming actual patients.

Introducing UbiSim , a VR training platform specific to nursing! We offer serious games that immerse nurse learners in a virtual world where they can tend to patients, respond to family members, and discuss treatment options with providers.

Here’s what an instructor using UbiSim had to say about the experience: “We’re bridging theory to practice and students really enjoy it because it makes it fun to learn,” Dr. Tina Barbour-Taylor, Nurse Educator in UWF’s School of Nursing , said. “It develops critical thinking and prioritization skills, and that’s the most important thing.”

4. Traditional role-playing games

Traditional role-playing games in nursing education immerse students in realistic healthcare scenarios. By assuming different roles, students gain a deeper understanding of nursing and empathy for patients and colleagues. They can also play other members of the healthcare team. These games provide a safe environment to practice skills and make mistakes without causing harm. Additionally, they encourage peer learning and teamwork, as students often work together to resolve complex situations. Role-playing games enhance the nursing education experience by combining learning with engaging, interactive gameplay.

5. Nursing jeopardy

Nursing Jeopardy transforms the renowned TV show "Jeopardy!" into a quiz game tailored for aspiring healthcare professionals. Students can dive into a world of nursing knowledge, navigating diverse categories and point-based questions that fuel their intellectual curiosity. The game sparks teamwork, bolsters knowledge retention, and sharpens critical thinking skills.

6. Escape room-style challenges

Some educational institutions and healthcare facilities organize escape room-style challenges for nursing students. These events require participants to solve puzzles and complete tasks related to patient care and nursing skills within a time limit. They promote teamwork and critical thinking.

There are six key design aspects to escape room-style nursing challenges:

Participant characteristics
Learning objectives and outcomes
Puzzles and equipment

7. Acting out medication commercials

Creating medication commercials as an educational game in nursing school involves students researching and crafting engaging advertisements for selected medications. It can even be an opportunity to use some humor! This exercise deepens their understanding of pharmaceuticals, including indications, contraindications, and side effects, while also honing their communication. Working in groups, nurse learners develop scripts and choose presentation formats, such as video, audio, or live demonstrations, to convey essential medication information effectively.

Embracing the future of nursing education requires a dynamic shift that transcends conventional methods. By integrating interactive nursing games, educators can unlock the full potential of a new generation of learners. These games ensure that nursing students stay captivated and motivated as they navigate the challenges of their chosen profession.

As an integral center of UbiSim's content team, Ginelle pens stories on the rapidly changing landscape of VR in nursing simulation. Ginelle is committed to elevating the voices of practicing nurses, nurse educators, and program leaders who are making a difference.

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Nursepective

Empowerment in Nursing and Beyond

10 Interactive Activities For Nursing Students In Clinicals

February 10, 2023 · In: Nursing , Nursing Student Resources

Students who are new to the nursing field can find clinicals to be an overwhelming experience . When you’re new, it can seem like there is an endless amount of information to learn and remember.

As a result, it’s easy for your mind to become overloaded with all of this information that seems to have little relevance outside the hospital or clinic where you’re working.

But clinicians are not just about learning how to treat patients; they are also about learning how to work effectively as part of a team with other nurses and medical professionals.

You need to know how the hospital works before you start working there, and this includes understanding how things work around your department as well as knowing what other departments do within your hospital or clinic.

You might not be able to predict every situation in your clinical experience, but you can prepare for the unexpected by practicing what you've learned in class.

These ten interactive activities will help you improve your critical thinking skills and become more prepared for whatever comes your way.

Keep reading to learn more!

What Does a Student Nurse Do in Clinicals?

A student nurse in clinicals is actively learning to become a registered nurse.

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In clinicals, the student nurse applies concepts and strategies learned in the classroom to provide patient care, including diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring. They may also perform various tasks in simulation labs.

Clinical experience gives them hands-on experience and allows them to practice their skills under the guidance of a registered nurse (RN).

Additionally, they are able to observe RNs working with patients and can ask questions to understand different treatments or procedures further.

This helps them develop their nursing skills while also developing critical thinking skills that will help them in their future career as an RN.

The goal of clinicals is to prepare student nurses for real-world situations and ensure that they have the knowledge needed to function as professional caregivers.

When do the clinicals start?

The timing of your clinicals depends on the program and school. Some schools start clinical during the second semester when the general education is completed; others wait until the third semester or later. It's essential to find out when your program starts, so you don't miss any important steps along the way.

Who Teaches You in Your Clinicals?

Depending on the type of clinical setting you are working in, your instructors may include doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals.

They encourage students and provide guidance and support throughout the clinical experience to help them gain knowledge and skills related to patient care.

These instructors will also evaluate your performance and provide feedback to help you improve your practice.

In addition to providing instruction, they can also serve as mentors who can provide advice on career paths or answer questions about the healthcare field.

Ultimately, the instructors teaching you in your clinicals are there to ensure that you get the most out of the experience.

What Are the Different Types of Nursing Clinical Rotations?

There are many different types of clinical nursing rotations, each designed to teach students specific skills. Here's a look at some of the most common types:

Medical-surgical

Perioperative

Critical care

Labor and delivery

Psychiatric

Community Health

10 Best Fun Activities for Nursing Students in Clinicals

1) take time to acclimate yourself to the charting system.

Charting is one of the most critical and time-consuming tasks you will be asked to do during your clinicals. It is a skill that you need to master and practice as much as possible before you get into the real world of nursing.

To make sure that you can handle charting assignments, it is crucial for you to take time to acclimate yourself to the charting system used by your school or hospital. This will help you to feel more confident when dealing with charts in real-life situations.

Charting is an opportunity for you to reflect on your patient's condition and make adjustments to their care plan .

You must read the chart thoroughly. Look for any notes that may have been added by previous healthcare professionals or family members who have treated the patient in the past.

This can be helpful for learning about what specific conditions are present or how often certain issues arise within that particular family.

You may also see some notes about medications being taken or diet restrictions that need to be followed to prevent complications later down the road.

2) Practice How to Make Care Plans

This is best done when you have a few minutes before you start your shift. Think about what types of patients you will see, what their needs might be, and how you can meet those needs. Then make a plan that includes specific goals, interventions, and assessments for each patient.

You should also consider whether or not there's anything else that could be done for the patient or if there's anything else that needs to happen before the care plan can begin.

These are just some of the things you should include in your care plan:

The patient's name and age.

Chief complaint (what brought them in)

History of present illness (HPI), which includes a past medical history and family history of diseases. HPI also provides information about the current condition, such as when it started and how long it has been going on. It also includes other information that might be relevant such as what symptoms they have been experiencing lately or whether there are any factors that may be contributing to their current condition

Diagnosis (if one has been made yet), lab test results and physical exam findings, etc., all of which help determine what kind of treatment will be best suited for this particular patient

A list of all medications prescribed by any healthcare providers involved with this particular patient.

3) Offer to Help the CNA

Another fun way to make your clinical experience even more valuable is by offering to help the CNA (certified nursing assistant). This is someone who has been working in health care for at least two years and usually has some college education or training.

They're usually responsible for feeding patients and helping them get dressed, among other tasks.

If you're feeling like your clinical experience is lacking something, try asking if you can offer to help out with one of these tasks.

You'll get an inside look at what it's like to be on the other side of the bedside table—and you'll also gain some valuable skills and hands-on experience that will come in handy when you're applying for jobs after graduation!

4) Check Rooms on the Unit

This activity involves entering patient rooms to check for cleanliness, safety, and comfort. Students must also be aware of any safety concerns or hazards in the room.

Additionally, students should make sure all equipment is functioning correctly and that supplies are adequately stocked.

Checking rooms on the unit is an essential clinical activity as it helps ensure patient safety and comfort while also giving students practical experience in a hospital setting.

5) Pull Medications

Pull medications are an excellent way for nursing students to practice their skills in the clinical setting.

In this activity, students will learn how to pull medications from a cabinet or other storage device, verify that they have the correct medication, and then administer them to patients.

Pulling medications is an essential skill for nurses because it helps them ensure that they are giving patients the right medication at the right time. The activity can be used as part of a larger lesson on medication administration or simply as its own activity.

6) Stock Items

Nursing students are often tasked with stocking items in the clinical space. These items can be anything from bed sheets to medical supplies. Stock is a great way for nursing students to learn how to organize and maintain supplies properly.

The key to completing stock is to be prepared before you start. Make sure you have everything you need before you begin stocking so that your focus is on the task at hand rather than running around trying to find supplies as you go.

There are many different ways to organize your stock, depending on what supplies you are stocking and how much space you have available.

7) Help With Changes and Bed Bath

When it comes to activities that are fun for nursing students in clinicals, there's no better way to get a taste of what it's like to work in a hospital than by helping out with changes and bed baths.

You must become familiar with some of the basic procedures you might have to perform as a nurse.

One such procedure is helping a patient change into and out of bed, which includes removing the sheets and blankets from under the patient, as well as changing their clothes. There are also times when you will need to help patients get in and out of tubs or showers.

This way, you'll have the opportunity to experience the joys (and stresses) of helping patients who are going through some very personal moments in their lives.

8) Walk With Patients

Walking with patients is one of the most understated and least appreciated ways to learn about nursing. It's also a great way to build rapport and trust with your patients.

When you walk with a patient, you see them in their natural environment.

You can get an idea of what they're like when they're not under pressure or stress, or you can see how their personality changes when they're around different people.

The patient will also be able to see what kind of person you are while they're in their own space.

9) Take Vitals

Taking vitals is one of the most critical skills a nursing student can learn. It's also a skill that everyone in the clinical setting will be using, so it's good to get some practice!

The best way to assess someone is by taking their vitals. Start with the easiest ones first: blood pressure and temperature. Then move on to heart rate and respiratory rate (breaths per minute). If you're lucky enough to have an EKG machine at your site, then go ahead and take those as well.

After taking the vitals, you can also write down the patient assessment.

What Challenges Do Student Nurses Face?

1) Time Management

Time management is one of the biggest challenges faced by student nurses today. Nursing schools expect their students to study hard, but they do not give them enough time to do so.

This can be frustrating since students have many other responsibilities, such as going to classes and taking tests, and lack of time can often lead to burnout.

2) Unpredictable Clinicals

The unpredictable nature of clinicals can be a challenge for student nurses.

Clinicals are often organized in a way that makes it difficult for students to know what they will be doing at any given time. It is common for students to find themselves in situations where they are not sure what their responsibilities are or how to proceed. This can be disorienting and make it hard for the student nurse to perform effectively.

3) Dreadful Tests And Exams

The daunting nature of the test and exams that student nurses face is another biggest challenge they must overcome. The tests are rigorous and demanding.

And then there are the exams—with their intrusive questions, their narrow focus on particular topics, and their tendency to throw difficult scenarios at you out of nowhere.

The best way for students to handle this situation is by studying diligently beforehand and taking practice tests. Practice tests will help them get familiar with the format of the exam and will allow them to become more comfortable with it.

Additionally, practice tests will allow students to become familiar with common types of questions that are asked on these exams so they can prepare answers ahead of time instead of having to write them while they're sitting there during an exam.

4) Financial Issues

Despite this high demand for nursing degrees, many students find themselves struggling with financial issues while attending school or even while working as a nurse after graduation.

According to the National Student Nurses Association , 70 percent of all nurses have some type of debt after graduating from college with a bachelor's degree in nursing (BSN).

The average amount owed is $23,000! The amount owed varies based on school location and state regulations regarding tuition costs vs. room/board expenses; however, most schools charge between $4k-$6k per year for tuition alone.

Conclusion - Activities for Nursing Students in Clinicals

With the technology available today, nursing students are more engaged and motivated than ever.

Nursing educators can incorporate fun, interactive apps into their lesson plan to keep students interested, provide supplemental material for clinical, and assist education technology centers with hands-on planning activities for classes.

We hope you found these ideas useful and inspiring. We believe that the best learning comes from engaging your brain and body, so we encourage you to try out some of these activities at your next clinical.

FAQs About Activities for Nursing Students in Clinicals

How hard are nursing clinicals.

Nursing clinicals are not hard, but they require a lot of work. Nurses and nursing students need to be prepared before entering a clinical so that they can learn as much as possible while there, and they also need to have some idea of what they are going to do during the clinical.

How do you make a good impression at clinical?

You make a good impression at clinics by being kind, helpful, and friendly. If you help others in your group when they're struggling with something, then they'll remember that you were there for them and that you took the time to help them out.

What are the benefits of clearing your mind during shifts?

Clearing your mind during shifts can help you focus on the task at hand, which is important in any job. By focusing on what needs to be done, you will be able to complete your tasks more quickly and efficiently.

Can you work while doing nursing clinical?

Yes, it is possible to work while doing nursing clinical. Working while studying can be a great way to get some extra money, gain experience in the field and develop your skills.

Depending on the program you are enrolled in and the amount of time it takes to complete the course, working part-time or full-time may be an option.

It is important to remember that working too many hours can negatively affect your academic performance and your clinical grades, so finding the right balance between work and school is essential.

If you decide to take on a job during clinics, make sure to keep your focus on your studies and prioritize them over any other commitments.

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Add our booster pack for another dimension of challenge with a focus on pharmacology, nutrition and oxygenation!

We think Ponder is a great tool for medical training, but don’t just take our word for it.

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Nine of the Best Educational Nursing Games

Studying can be enjoyable, and if you’re studying to become a nurse , you will certainly find ways to throw some fun into those long cram sessions. Let’s face it, we all need to shake things up after a certain point—like when it’s 3 a.m., and you’ve had your nose in a textbook since sunset.

That’s where games for nurses come in. These activities are like exams, but they are less stressful. They allow you to test your knowledge in a low-pressure, fun way. That’s what we call a win-win.

In this article, you’ll find a list of some of our favorite nurse simulation games and other nurse resources perfect for a bit of breakroom fun or, if you happen to be working toward your next certification, study groups.

And since we know you deserve a break from the stress of the job, your studies, or clinical hours, we’ve also thrown in some games that are just for good ol’ fun to help you clear your mind.

What are the benefits of clearing your mind during shifts?

Nursing is hard work, and many working (or studying to work) in this profession don’t get the breaks they need (and deserve!). While it may seem difficult (or even impossible) to take a break, studies show that such demanding work can lead to injuries and burnout . So be it during a long shift or studying marathon, be sure to allow yourself the opportunity to recharge.

Before we get into games that function as study aids, here are some that can help you clear your mind on a long shift, even if you only have just a few minutes for a short break:

Online puzzles

Mobile games like virtual jigsaw puzzles can help refocus your attention on something more visual than cerebral. Plus, you’ll get the satisfaction of completing a challenge, which will boost your mood.

Word and number games

The world has officially gone wild over Wordle and Sudoku. And it’s no surprise, as these games can help you step back from your stress as you try to win at a brain game that has nothing to do with work.

Nine exercises and didactic learning activities for nurses

Introducing a fun game into your study routine can cut the monotony of reading and notetaking. These nurse games may not be as fun as that online jigsaw puzzle or word game you love, but you can still have some fun and boost your critical thinking skills.

RNtertainment, The NCLEX Review Game

If you’re a nursing student, you likely dedicate much of your study time to passing the NCLEX exam. With this board game, you can explore 800 clinical questions to help you ace the test, and it makes for the perfect excuse to get your nursing crew together for a game night.

Clinical to Classroom

Making your own game allows you to focus specifically on the clinical knowledge you want to reinforce. To perform this didactic exercise, gather some of your nursing school pals once a week, and have everyone present a case study on the material you’re reviewing in class. The person presenting can ask questions to the group and come prepared with the correct answers to guide the discussion.

Nobel Prize

Until you win a Nobel yourself, you can use the Norwegian Nobel Committee’s official website resources to brush up on your scientific knowledge. With a wealth of browser games, this site offers interactive exercises on blood typing, electrocardiograms, the immune system, and more.

Learning Nurse

The name says it all. Nursing websites like this exist to advance your learning as a student or professional who wants to review. Take this site’s nursing quizzes or play one of the hundreds of games they have available on subjects from pharmacology to anatomy.

Study Stack

This website isn’t just for nurses, but that’s a good thing. It has flexible resources like tools that allow you to make your own flashcards. You can then play games made from those cards. There’s a massive database of ready-made flashcards covering topics in science and medicine.

Medical Abbreviations

Head over to the Quia gaming platform for various tools geared at learning for nurses: flashcards, word searches, concentration, and matching exercises that test your knowledge of medical abbreviations.

Who says you can’t combine your love for classic just-for-fun games like word searches with nursing exam prep?

SkillStat ECG Simulator

This game shows you ECG rhythms and asks you to define them by picking the correct multiple-choice answer from a list. Believe us; you’ll learn more from this about matters of the heart than any love game. And, if this doesn’t sound like a fun way to spend your Sunday afternoon, think again.

Your colleagues say that once you click, you can’t quit. And you can enjoy this virtual nursing simulation game for free.

Prognosis: Your Diagnosis

This mobile game platform contains over 400 cases that you can use to perfect your diagnosis skills. The game has cases organized by specializations, so you can search for what you wish to study.

Infection – The Board Game

Do you need a break from studying but want to stay in the medical mindset while practicing your knowledge? “Infection” is the board game for you. Simulating a pandemic , players decide what role they’ll play in containing it by putting together a team and gathering equipment. While this game won’t necessarily prepare you for the NCLEX, it’s certainly relevant to your studies.

At Jaanuu, we believe medical professionals deserve to look good, feel great, and—whether on the job or in the books—have some fun, too. Be sure to take a break to reset and recharge now and then (because you’ve undoubtedly earned it!). And remember, we have your back with health and self-care tips (and scrubs ) to help you every step of the way.

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Critical Thinking in Nursing: Tips to Develop the Skill

4 min read • February, 09 2024

Critical thinking in nursing helps caregivers make decisions that lead to optimal patient care. In school, educators and clinical instructors introduced you to critical-thinking examples in nursing. These educators encouraged using learning tools for assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation.

Nurturing these invaluable skills continues once you begin practicing. Critical thinking is essential to providing quality patient care and should continue to grow throughout your nursing career until it becomes second nature. 

What Is Critical Thinking in Nursing?

Critical thinking in nursing involves identifying a problem, determining the best solution, and implementing an effective method to resolve the issue using clinical decision-making skills.

Reflection comes next. Carefully consider whether your actions led to the right solution or if there may have been a better course of action.

Remember, there's no one-size-fits-all treatment method — you must determine what's best for each patient.

How Is Critical Thinking Important for Nurses? 

As a patient's primary contact, a nurse is typically the first to notice changes in their status. One example of critical thinking in nursing is interpreting these changes with an open mind. Make impartial decisions based on evidence rather than opinions. By applying critical-thinking skills to anticipate and understand your patients' needs, you can positively impact their quality of care and outcomes.

Elements of Critical Thinking in Nursing

To assess situations and make informed decisions, nurses must integrate these specific elements into their practice:

Clinical judgment. Prioritize a patient's care needs and make adjustments as changes occur. Gather the necessary information and determine what nursing intervention is needed. Keep in mind that there may be multiple options. Use your critical-thinking skills to interpret and understand the importance of test results and the patient’s clinical presentation, including their vital signs. Then prioritize interventions and anticipate potential complications. 
Patient safety. Recognize deviations from the norm and take action to prevent harm to the patient. Suppose you don't think a change in a patient's medication is appropriate for their treatment. Before giving the medication, question the physician's rationale for the modification to avoid a potential error. 
Communication and collaboration. Ask relevant questions and actively listen to others while avoiding judgment. Promoting a collaborative environment may lead to improved patient outcomes and interdisciplinary communication. 
Problem-solving skills. Practicing your problem-solving skills can improve your critical-thinking skills. Analyze the problem, consider alternate solutions, and implement the most appropriate one. Besides assessing patient conditions, you can apply these skills to other challenges, such as staffing issues .

A diverse group of three (3) nursing students working together on a group project. The female nursing student is seated in the middle and is pointing at the laptop screen while talking with her male classmates.

How to Develop and Apply Critical-Thinking Skills in Nursing

Critical-thinking skills develop as you gain experience and advance in your career. The ability to predict and respond to nursing challenges increases as you expand your knowledge and encounter real-life patient care scenarios outside of what you learned from a textbook. 

Here are five ways to nurture your critical-thinking skills:

Be a lifelong learner. Continuous learning through educational courses and professional development lets you stay current with evidence-based practice . That knowledge helps you make informed decisions in stressful moments.  
Practice reflection. Allow time each day to reflect on successes and areas for improvement. This self-awareness can help identify your strengths, weaknesses, and personal biases to guide your decision-making.
Open your mind. Don't assume you're right. Ask for opinions and consider the viewpoints of other nurses, mentors , and interdisciplinary team members.
Use critical-thinking tools. Structure your thinking by incorporating nursing process steps or a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) to organize information, evaluate options, and identify underlying issues.
Be curious. Challenge assumptions by asking questions to ensure current care methods are valid, relevant, and supported by evidence-based practice .

Critical thinking in nursing is invaluable for safe, effective, patient-centered care. You can successfully navigate challenges in the ever-changing health care environment by continually developing and applying these skills.

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What is Critical Thinking in Nursing? (With Examples, Importance, & How to Improve)

Successful nursing requires learning several skills used to communicate with patients, families, and healthcare teams. One of the most essential skills nurses must develop is the ability to demonstrate critical thinking. If you are a nurse, perhaps you have asked if there is a way to know how to improve critical thinking in nursing? As you read this article, you will learn what critical thinking in nursing is and why it is important. You will also find 18 simple tips to improve critical thinking in nursing and sample scenarios about how to apply critical thinking in your nursing career.

What is Critical Thinking in Nursing?

4 reasons why critical thinking is so important in nursing, 1. critical thinking skills will help you anticipate and understand changes in your patient’s condition., 2. with strong critical thinking skills, you can make decisions about patient care that is most favorable for the patient and intended outcomes., 3. strong critical thinking skills in nursing can contribute to innovative improvements and professional development., 4. critical thinking skills in nursing contribute to rational decision-making, which improves patient outcomes., what are the 8 important attributes of excellent critical thinking in nursing, 1. the ability to interpret information:, 2. independent thought:, 3. impartiality:, 4. intuition:, 5. problem solving:, 6. flexibility:, 7. perseverance:, 8. integrity:, examples of poor critical thinking vs excellent critical thinking in nursing, 1. scenario: patient/caregiver interactions, poor critical thinking:, excellent critical thinking:, 2. scenario: improving patient care quality, 3. scenario: interdisciplinary collaboration, 4. scenario: precepting nursing students and other nurses, how to improve critical thinking in nursing, 1. demonstrate open-mindedness., 2. practice self-awareness., 3. avoid judgment., 4. eliminate personal biases., 5. do not be afraid to ask questions., 6. find an experienced mentor., 7. join professional nursing organizations., 8. establish a routine of self-reflection., 9. utilize the chain of command., 10. determine the significance of data and decide if it is sufficient for decision-making., 11. volunteer for leadership positions or opportunities., 12. use previous facts and experiences to help develop stronger critical thinking skills in nursing., 13. establish priorities., 14. trust your knowledge and be confident in your abilities., 15. be curious about everything., 16. practice fair-mindedness., 17. learn the value of intellectual humility., 18. never stop learning., 4 consequences of poor critical thinking in nursing, 1. the most significant risk associated with poor critical thinking in nursing is inadequate patient care., 2. failure to recognize changes in patient status:, 3. lack of effective critical thinking in nursing can impact the cost of healthcare., 4. lack of critical thinking skills in nursing can cause a breakdown in communication within the interdisciplinary team., useful resources to improve critical thinking in nursing, youtube videos, my final thoughts, frequently asked questions answered by our expert, 1. will lack of critical thinking impact my nursing career, 2. usually, how long does it take for a nurse to improve their critical thinking skills, 3. do all types of nurses require excellent critical thinking skills, 4. how can i assess my critical thinking skills in nursing.

• Ask relevant questions • Justify opinions • Address and evaluate multiple points of view • Explain assumptions and reasons related to your choice of patient care options

5. Can I Be a Nurse If I Cannot Think Critically?

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An Activity to Encourage Critical Thinking: Build a Patient

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Creative Ways to Enhance and Assess Critical Thinking in Nursing Students

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1 About the Author Kimberly C. Parker, DNP, RN, is a clinical instructor, University of Alabama Capstone College of Nursing, Tuscaloosa, Alabama. For more information, contact her at [email protected].
PMID: 34107521
DOI: 10.1097/01.NEP.0000000000000830

Nursing students should be challenged to implement critical thinking decisions regarding conclusions they implement for patient care. This article reinforces common techniques and introduces new practices to teach critical thinking. Many ways are currently recognized utilizing an assortment of techniques. The concepts from an escape room are a great way to deliver opportunities for students to practice this skill and can be provided economically and easily. Being creative in managing these concepts will offer an exciting chance to introduce critical thinking for your students.

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Play to Train: Seriously Fun Medical Board Games for Clinical Learning

Lance Baily

Play to Train: Seriously Fun Medical Board Games for Clinical Learning

Medical board games, critical thinking games for nursing students, and healthcare board games in general offer unique learning opportunities for educational, training, and patient safety programs utilizing healthcare simulation methodologies to improve outcomes. From the ER to disease infection control, and from medical terminology to neonatal resuscitation, here is a comprehensive list of some of the best board games for healthcare, including some key research highlights which demonstrate educational success with the playful medium!

Examples of Medical Board Games Research:

How board games can be used to improve safety : Games can be used in healthcare as a fun way to engage staff and patients, and deliver information to them more effectively. This article explores the increasing popularity of “serious” or educational games, and how one health region is using them as a part of its regional educational and improvement program. It explains how board games are raising staff awareness of pressure ulcer reduction, as part of a wider program to help eliminate avoidable new ulcers. Overall, the Midlands and East regional initiative has achieved a nearly 50% reduction in new grade 2, 3 and 4 pressure ulcers across the region. It is not possible to say how much of this is due to the use of board games, but staff feedback suggests serious games provide a fun and informative method of training and education, as a valuable addition to education and improvement programs.

Board games offer unique teaching methods for military medical students : Students at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) are learning the challenges of treating those in harm’s way through rolls of the dice. Educators in USU’s Military Contingency Medicine (MCM) program have developed several board games to teach students what to expect when they’re deployed, covering topics including managing logistics of medical supplies, supporting troops in the military health system, and even role playing the relations between opposing factions in foreign countries. “We develop games like this because it’s pretty evident these days that your standard day of teaching with a lecture in front of 200 people doesn’t really convey the information or get adequate retention from students. An interactive way of teaching is more ideal,” said Air Force Col. (Dr.) Tony Kim, assistant professor in the Department of Military and Emergency Medicine (MEM) at USU. “It takes a lot more effort to [create games], but the dividends are much better, because the students are more likely to retain the key points.”

Teaching Tools: Development and Use of an Educator-developed Community Assessment Board Game : Traditional teaching strategies typically include lecture, class discussion, and the use of overhead projector transparencies or PowerPoint slide shows. While these strategies can be effective in transferring knowledge, when used alone, these strategies can become boring to students. Including an alternate teaching strategy such as gaming can make learning fun. The use of games in nursing education is supported in the nursing literature as an effective teaching strategy. One of the nice things about using games as a teaching strategy is that games can easily be adapted. For example, the basic idea of the community assessment game could be easily adapted to use with students learning pathophysiology or physical assessment skills. The game board could be made in the form of a human body. The game board could reflect the outside of the body for physical assessment purposes or reflect the internal systems of the body for pathophysiology content. The question cards could have questions related to physical assessment or pathophysiology course content, and the data cards could have signs and symptoms, laboratory values, and patient interview data, with an ultimate goal of identifying patient problems, nursing diagnoses, and planning appropriate nursing interventions. There are countless possibilities for the use of games in nursing education. Games make learning fun for students and for teachers.

List of Leading Critical Thinking Board Games in Nursing, Medicine & Healthcare

Friday Night in the ER : Friday Night at the ER challenges teams of four to manage a busy hospital during a simulated 24-hour period that takes just one actual hour. This engaging learning experience can be used to develop essential organizational thinking skills and improve team performance. The Friday Night at the ER team-learning clinical simulation causes us to see the roles providers play in organizations as interrelated parts of a system – an essential perspective for high-performing teams and organizational learning. Yet, understanding and thinking about systems is not enough! It must be paired with actions and behaviors. The game aims to teach key actions and behaviors that enable people to apply systems thinking into practice.

In each simulated hour of the game, patients arrive, transfer between departments and exit. Department managers complete tasks, manage resources, make decisions and document results. They are pressured by time limits, quality and cost measures and interactions with peers. The activity simulates the flow of people or goods through parts of an organization . It feels “frighteningly real,” as one CEO put it, yet people enjoy the experience. The gameplay is highly engaging and teams are motivated to perform well. Team dynamics at each table will vary, while the overall spirit in the room is lively. Group sessions may range from 4 to several hundred participants. Following the gameplay and scoring, a program leader guides participants through an interactive debrief that includes huddles, exercises and rich discussion. A standard debrief and support materials, included with the game package, can be customized to meet distinct group needs.

Ponder the Socratic Way from LifeCareSim: This board game provides unpredictable, constantly evolving patient case scenarios that have problems that must be solved throughout the experience. The purpose of Ponder: The Socratic Way is to stimulate critical thinking. Students are provided with unpredictable patient scenarios that change constantly during play. The instructor helps facilitate play by encouraging questions throughout the game. Discussion after answering the questions and even adding questions by the instructor and/or students is encouraged for a richer experience when valuable “teaching moments” present themselves. Students will participate by answering questions and thinking through situations. The instructor may wish to allow students the option of using books , smart phones, or other resources to help answer the questions. Students should bring a penlight, stethoscope, and other physical assessment tools like those they would have in the clinical setting.

The curriculum builder is ideally played with up to four teams of three to five students each team, but can be played with individual students. Each team downloads a buzzer to utilize during play. The goal of the game is to collect the largest number of “Status Improved” cards AND the fewest “Suffered Setback” cards. A roll of the dice provides different diverse patients every time. A spinner dictates drawing question cards or rolling more dice as the game plays, constantly changing the scenarios. Teams think through situations solving problems based on the patient’s pathophysiology, pharmacology, labs, and changing scenarios as they compete for game cards, Students must apply all of the principles of the nursing process—assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation and evaluation as they bounce ideas off of each other in a non-threatening environment. Instructors facilitate the curriculum builder and take advantage of Socratic “teaching moments” as they occur in the game as if they were on a unit. The real winner is solving problems and learning in a fun and non-threatening manner!

Canadian Simulation Educators Create RETAIN Board Game to Train Neonatal Resuscitation : The Retain Game originated from a vision to provide this training environment with a focus on neonatal resuscitation out of the University of Alberta Hospital & Royal Alexandra Hospital Edmonton. The RETAIN team designed the educational game platform “RETAIN” (Resuscitation TrAINing for Healthcare Professionals) to train healthcare professionals in neonatal resuscitation in a cost-friendly and accessible way. The RETAIN platform (RETAIN Labs Medical Inc., Edmonton, Canada) consists of a board game and a computer game, as tools that complement the physical simulation-based education to improve knowledge retention during neonatal resuscitation in the delivery room. The RETAIN board game is a table-top serious board game simulator to train interdisciplinary healthcare professionals’ knowledge, communication, and team work skills during neonatal resuscitation. The game consists of 50 evidence-based scenarios, which were transcribed from real-life delivery room resuscitations at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, Edmonton, Canada.

The Sepsis Game : Developed in collaboration with the NHS Sepsis Trust and NHS England, The Sepsis Game brings staff together and improves their ability to recognize and manage sepsis. The game was designed to support clinical educational programs to improve knowledge and management of sepsis and so improve patient safety. The box contains everything you need to run a successful training session. Each game contains a pack of scenario cards designed to stimulate discussions that raise awareness and improve care delivery skills. The scenarios and questions vary in complexity which allows you to structure games that meet the needs of each group. Just pop it in your bag for team meetings, study days, workshops, lunch meetings and events.

The game is designed for between 2 and 12 players divided into two competing teams. It takes around 45 minutes to play and can be used in any care setting; all you need is a table and some chairs. The rules are very simple and the facilitator doesn’t need sepsis expertise. The game is very flexible and meets the needs of a modern organization. It is in effect a ‘pop-up workshop’ that can be used anywhere at any time. The game can be used as an informal activity in the workplace, or as part of more structured training and workshops. Team take turns to move their counters around the board by answering questions correctly. The first team to get to the end wins the game or if the time runs out whoever is closest to the end is the winner. The discussions that the teams have between themselves are what make the game effective. The game is essentially self-regulating and the facilitator can take a passive role in the game. There is even an online digital version of the game too!

Occam’s Razor: The Diagnostician’s Dilemma : Designers of ‘The Healing Blade,’ this team has recently released a new medical card game, Occam’s Razor. Created by two physicians to be both a game and a study aid, this is a must-have for health sciences students and professionals. Quick to play and easy to learn, the game draws on the classic principles of Occam’s razor and Hickam’s dictum to challenge your diagnostic ability. Play with a group, or take a break and play a game of solitaire.

There are four different ways to play: 1) Gin Rummy Occam: Collect the highest scoring hamd of matching symptoms. 2) Deduce the Disease: Be the first to deduce the hidden disease card. 3) Occam Solitaire: Match symptoms in order to clear all your face-down piles. 4) Spoons: Include family and friends in a fun, fast-paced game that requires no previous medical knowledge.

After the Disaster: Triage : After the Disaster: Triage is a solitaire game where you determine who will survive the aftermath of a terrible earthquake. As the disaster coordinator, manage your staff in admitting and healing patients, siphoning diesel for the generator, and keeping the hospital intact during aftershocks. But how will you handle the panicking and dying patients you leave outside?

Each turn begins with handling new issues for the hospital: Survivors who need help. Aftershocks that damage the hospital. A diesel source that could be scavenged. After managing the situation, you’ll balance patient survival with keeping the hospital running during the crisis using your remaining action points. Each turn ends with the generator consuming diesel and survivors left outside worsening or taking matters into their own hands. The game ends after the immediate crisis has passed and all patients have been healed or have passed on…or the hospital collapses.

Hospital Life Game : Designed in collaboration with NHS Scotland, Hospital Life helps players to realize that planning and communication are vital to maximize efficiency. Players take on job roles within a fictional ward simulated on the board. The board game is integrated with a video, which presents players with a series of tasks and challenges based on typical occurrences in a hospital. Using discussion and teamwork, players attempt to manage their virtual hospital, coping with patient arrivals and discharges, ward transfers, staff management and other unexpected situations. Bringing staff together can help everyone to understand how all members of the team can work together to create an efficient environment. It is also a useful tool for highlighting the importance of communication and showing newly qualified staff how a hospital operates. At the end of the game, players are encouraged to talk about and reflect upon the experience, helping them to understand their role in effective hospital management.

Quarantine Board Game : In Quarantine, players seek to build the biggest and most efficient hospital, while trying to keep ahead of the steady stream of incoming patients arriving at their doors. In this tense struggle for medical supremacy, players must infuse new life into their hospitals through the timely addition of special rooms and abilities. But beware the highly contagious patients! Infection can spread quickly, causing entire wards to be shut down under quarantine! In game terms Quarantine is a tile-laying game with each player having an entrance and lobby. More than fifty other tiles are available, with two each of 14 different “special room” tiles. Players acquire these tiles and others via a novel “Price-Drafting” mechanic. Players set a price for the tiles they want to draft, but other players get the chance to buy them first, so players need to price their services accurately in order to supply your hospital while not overpaying. With dozens of tiles available, no two hospitals will be set up the same way.

Innovative SimSolutions Jeopardy : Innovative SimSolutions released a version of the popular trivia game, Jeopardy, that focuses on healthcare simulation. This resource is designed to help educate learners on high-risk situations, medical conditions, injury and illness identification, and communication best practices. During this serious game PowerPoint presentation, Innovative SimSolutions provides both simulation trivia questions and answers. As a company, Innovative SimSolutions provides a wide range of value based simulation advisory and related consulting services to hospitals and academic organizations.

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Teaching Strategies for Developing Clinical Reasoning Skills in Nursing Students: A Systematic Review of Randomised Controlled Trials

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Background: Clinical reasoning (CR) is a holistic and recursive cognitive process. It allows nursing students to accurately perceive patients’ situations and choose the best course of action among the available alternatives. This study aimed to identify the randomised controlled trials studies in the literature that concern clinical reasoning in the context of nursing students. Methods: A comprehensive search of PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and the Cochrane Controlled Register of Trials (CENTRAL) was performed to identify relevant studies published up to October 2023. The following inclusion criteria were examined: (a) clinical reasoning, clinical judgment, and critical thinking in nursing students as a primary study aim; (b) articles published for the last eleven years; (c) research conducted between January 2012 and September 2023; (d) articles published only in English and Spanish; and (e) Randomised Clinical Trials. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool was utilised to appraise all included studies. Results: Fifteen papers were analysed. Based on the teaching strategies used in the articles, two groups have been identified: simulation methods and learning programs. The studies focus on comparing different teaching methodologies. Conclusions: This systematic review has detected different approaches to help nursing students improve their reasoning and decision-making skills. The use of mobile apps, digital simulations, and learning games has a positive impact on the clinical reasoning abilities of nursing students and their motivation. Incorporating new technologies into problem-solving-based learning and decision-making can also enhance nursing students’ reasoning skills. Nursing schools should evaluate their current methods and consider integrating or modifying new technologies and methodologies that can help enhance students’ learning and improve their clinical reasoning and cognitive skills.

1. Introduction

Clinical reasoning (CR) is a holistic cognitive process. It allows nursing students to accurately perceive patients’ situations and choose the best course of action among the available alternatives. This process is consistent, dynamic, and flexible, and it helps nursing students gain awareness and put their learning into perspective [ 1 ]. CR is an essential competence for nurses’ professional practice. It is considered crucial that its development begin during basic training [ 2 ]. Analysing clinical data, determining priorities, developing plans, and interpreting results are primary skills in clinical reasoning during clinical nursing practise [ 3 ]. To develop these skills, nursing students must participate in caring for patients and working in teams during clinical experiences. Among clinical reasoning skills, we can identify communication skills as necessary for connecting with patients, conducting health interviews, engaging in shared decision-making, eliciting patients’ concerns and expectations, discussing clinical cases with colleagues and supervisors, and explaining one’s reasoning to others [ 4 ].

Educating students in nursing practise to ensure high-quality learning and safe clinical practise is a constant challenge [ 5 ]. Facilitating the development of reasoning is challenging for educators due to its complexity and multifaceted nature [ 6 ], but it is necessary because clinical reasoning must be embedded throughout the nursing curriculum [ 7 ]. Such being the case, the development of clinical reasoning is encouraged, aiming to promote better performance in indispensable skills, decision-making, quality, and safety when assisting patients [ 8 ].

Nursing education is targeted at recognising clinical signs and symptoms, accurately assessing the patient, appropriately intervening, and evaluating the effectiveness of interventions. All these clinical processes require clinical reasoning, and it takes time to develop [ 9 ]. This is a significant goal of nursing education [ 10 ] in contemporary teaching and learning approaches [ 6 ].

Strategies to mitigate errors, promote knowledge acquisition, and develop clinical reasoning should be adopted in the training of health professionals. According to the literature, different methods and teaching strategies can be applied during nursing training, as well as traditional teaching through lectures. However, the literature explains that this type of methodology cannot enhance students’ clinical reasoning alone. Therefore, nursing educators are tasked with looking for other methodologies that improve students’ clinical reasoning [ 11 ], such as clinical simulation. Clinical simulation offers a secure and controlled setting to encounter and contemplate clinical scenarios, establish relationships, gather information, and exercise autonomy in decision-making and problem-solving [ 12 ]. Different teaching strategies have been developed in clinical simulation, like games or case studies. Research indicates a positive correlation between the use of simulation to improve learning outcomes and how it positively influences the development of students’ clinical reasoning skills [ 13 ].

The students of the 21st century utilise information and communication technologies. With their technological skills, organisations can enhance their productivity and achieve their goals more efficiently. Serious games are simulations that use technology to provide nursing students with a safe and realistic environment to practise clinical reasoning and decision-making skills [ 14 ] and can foster the development of clinical reasoning through an engaging and motivating experience [ 15 ].

New graduate nurses must possess the reasoning skills required to handle complex patient situations. Aware that there are different teaching methodologies, with this systematic review we intend to discover which RCTs published focus on CR in nursing students, which interventions have been developed, and their effectiveness, both at the level of knowledge and in increasing clinical reasoning skills. By identifying the different techniques used during the interventions with nursing students in recent years and their effectiveness, it will help universities decide which type of methodology to implement to improve the reasoning skills of nursing students and, therefore, obtain better healthcare results.

This study aims to identify and analyse randomised controlled trials concerning clinical reasoning in nursing students. The following questions guide this literature review:

Which randomised controlled trials have been conducted in the last eleven years regarding nursing students’ clinical reasoning? What are the purposes of the identified RCTs? Which teaching methodologies or strategies were used in the RCTs studies? What were the outcomes of the teaching strategies used in the RCTs?

2. Materials and Methods

This review follows the PRISMA 2020 model statement for systematic reviews. That comprises three documents: the 27-item checklist, the PRISMA 2020 abstract checklist, and the revised flow diagram [ 16 ].

2.1. Search Strategy

A systematic literature review was conducted on PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and the Cochrane Controlled Register of Trials (CENTRAL) up to 15th October 2023.

The PICOS methodology guided the bibliographic search [ 17 ]: “P” being the population (nursing students), “I” the intervention (clinical reasoning), “C” comparison (traditional teaching), “O” outcome (dimension, context, and attributes of clinical reasoning in the students’ competences and the results of the teaching method on nursing students), and “S” study type (RCTs).

The search strategy used in each database was the following: (“nursing students” OR “nursing students” OR “pupil nurses” OR “undergraduate nursing”) AND (“clinical reasoning” OR “critical thinking” OR “clinical judgment”). The filters applied were full text, randomised controlled trial, English, Spanish, and from 1 January 2012 to 15 October 2023. The search strategy was performed using the same process for each database. APP performed the search, and AZ supervised the process.

During the search, the terms clinical reasoning, critical thinking, and clinical judgement were used interchangeably since clinical judgement is part of clinical reasoning and is defined by the decision to act. It is influenced by an individual’s previous experiences and clinical reasoning skills [ 18 ]. Critical thinking and clinical judgement involve reflective and logical thinking skills and play a vital role in the decision-making and problem-solving processes [ 19 ].

The first search was conducted between March and September 2022, and an additional search was conducted during October 2023, adding the new articles published between September 2022 and September 2023, following the same strategy. The search strategy was developed using words from article titles, abstracts, and index terms. Parallel to this process, the PRISMA protocol was used to systematise the collection of all the information presented in each selected article. This systematic review protocol was registered in the international register PROSPERO: CRD42022372240.

2.2. Eligibility Criteria and Study Selection

The following inclusion criteria were examined: (a) clinical reasoning, clinical judgment, and critical thinking in nursing students as a primary aim; (b) articles published in the last eleven years; (c) research conducted between January 2012 and September 2023; (d) articles published only in English and Spanish; and (e) RCTs. On the other hand, the exclusion criteria were studies conducted with students from other disciplines other than nursing, not random studies or review articles.

2.3. Data Collection and Extraction

After this study selection, the following information was extracted from each article: bibliographic information, study aims, teaching methodology, sample size and characteristics, time of intervention, and conclusions.

2.4. Risk of Bias

The two reviewers, APP and AZ, worked independently to minimise bias and mistakes. The titles and abstracts of all papers were screened for inclusion. All potential articles underwent a two-stage screening process based on the inclusion criteria. All citations were screened based on title, abstract, and text. Reviewers discussed the results to resolve minor discrepancies. All uncertain citations were included for full-text review. The full text of each included citation was obtained. Each study was read thoroughly and assessed for inclusion following the inclusion and exclusion criteria explained in the methodology. The CASP tool was utilised to appraise all included studies. The CASP Randomized Controlled Trial Standard Checklist is an 11-question checklist [ 20 ], and the components assessed included the appropriateness of the objective and aims, methodology, study design, sampling method, data collection, reflexivity of the researchers, ethical considerations, data analysis, rigour of findings, and significance of this research. These items of the studies were then rated (“Yes” = with three points; “Cannot tell” = with two points; “No” = with one point). The possible rates for every article were between 0 and 39 points.

2.5. Ethical Considerations

Since this study was a comprehensive, systematic review of the existing published literature, there was no need for us to seek ethical approval.

3.1. Search Results

The initial search identified 158 articles using the above-mentioned strategy (SCOPUS ® n = 72, PUBMED ® n = 56, CENTRAL ® n = 23, and EMBASE ® n= 7), and the results are presented in Figure 1 . After retrieving the articles and excluding 111, 47 were selected for a full reading. Finally, 17 articles were selected. To comply with the methodology, the independent reviewers analysed all the selected articles one more time after the additional search, and they agreed to eliminate two of them because this study sample included nursing students as well as professional nurses. Therefore, to have a clear outcome focused on nursing students, two articles were removed, and the very final sample size was fifteen articles, following the established selection criteria ( Figure 1 ). The reasons for excluding studies from the systematic review were: nurses as targets; other design types of studies different from RCTs; focusing on other health professionals such as medical students; review studies; and being published in full text in other languages other than Spanish or English.

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Flowchart of screening of clinical reasoning RCTs that underwent review.

3.2. Risk of Bias in CASP Results

All studies included in the review were screened with the CASP tool. Each study was scored out of a maximum of 39 points, showing the high quality of the randomised control trial methodology. The studies included had an average score of 33.1, ranging from 30 to 36 points. In addition, this quantitative rate of the items based on CASP, there were 13 studies that missed an item in relation to assessing/analysing outcome/s ‘blinded or not’ or not, and 11 studies that missed the item whether the benefits of the experimental intervention outweigh the harms and costs.

3.3. Data Extraction

Once the articles had undergone a full reading and the inclusion criteria were applied, data extraction was performed with a data extraction table ( Appendix A ). Their contents were summarised into six different cells: (1) CASP total points result, (2) purpose of this study, (3) teaching strategy, (4) time of intervention, (5) sample size, and (6) author and year of publication. After the review by the article’s readers, fifteen RCTs were selected. Of the fifteen, the continent with the highest number of studies was Asia, with 53.33% of the studies (n = 8) (Korea n = 4, Taiwan n = 2, and China n = 2), followed by Europe with 26.66% (n = 4) (Turkey n = 2, Paris n = 1, and Norway n = 1), and lastly South America with 20% (n = 3), all of them from Brazil.

3.4. Teaching Strategies

Different teaching strategies have been identified in the reviewed studies: simulation methods (seven articles) and learning programmes (eight articles). There are also two studies that focus on comparing different teaching methodologies.

3.4.1. Clinical Simulation

The simulation methods focused on in the studies were virtual simulation (based on mobile applications), simulation games, and high-fidelity clinical simulation. Of the total number of nursing students in the studies referring to clinical simulations, 43.85% were in their second year, while 57.1% were senior-year students. The most used method in the clinical simulation group was virtual simulation, and 57.14% of studies included only one-day teaching interventions.

Virtual simulations were used to increase knowledge about medication administration and nasotracheal suctioning in different scenarios [ 21 ], to evaluate the effect of interactive nursing skills, knowledge, and self-efficacy [ 11 ], and to detect patient deterioration in two different cases [ 22 ]. Simulation game methodology was used to improve nursing students’ cognitive and attention skills, strengthen judgment, time management, and decision-making [ 14 ].

Clinical simulation was used to develop nursing students’ clinical reasoning in evaluating wounds and their treatments [ 12 ], to evaluate and compare the perception of stressors, with the goal of determining whether simulations promote students’ self-evaluation and critical-thinking skills [ 23 ], and also to evaluate the impact of multiple simulations on students’ self-reported clinical decision-making skills and self-confidence [ 24 ].

3.4.2. Learning Programs

Different types of learning programmes have been identified in this systematic review: team-based learning, reflective training programs, person-centred educational programmes, ethical reasoning programmes, case-based learning, mapping, training problem-solving skills, and self-instructional guides. Of the total number of nursing students in the studies referring to learning programs, 57.1% were junior-year students, while 43.85% were in their senior year.

Team-based learning is a learner-centred educational strategy that promotes active learning to improve students’ problem-solving, knowledge, and practise performance. It can be implemented in small or large groups divided into teams with an instructor and reading material based on case scenarios [ 25 ]. Reflective training is based on a new mentoring practise to explore, think about, and solve problems actively during an internship. During the reflective training program, the mentors lead students to uncover clinical nursing problems through conversations with them and discussing feedback for their professional portfolios [ 26 ]. The person-centred educational programme focuses on how nursing students perceive individualised care, using design thinking to improve their perception. The use of design thinking gave the students opportunities to apply their theoretical knowledge of the person-centred program to plan innovative solutions that may effectively resolve real-life situations [ 27 ]. Another educational programme identified is the ethical reasoning program, and the aim of this is to improve nursing students’ handling of ethical decision-making situations [ 28 ], engaging the students in complex ethical clinical situations based on real cases.

Case-based learning was used to explore and demonstrate the feasibility of implementing unfolding cases in lectures to develop students’ critical-thinking abilities [ 29 ]. The web-based concept mapping of nursing students was also investigated to determine its impact on critical-thinking skills [ 30 ]. Training problem-solving skills were used to find out how it affected the rate of self-handicapping among nursing students [ 31 ]. And the last article evaluated the effect of the self-instructional guide to improve clinical reasoning skills on diagnostic accuracy in undergraduate nursing students [ 32 ].

4. Discussion

Although 158 studies were initially identified, only 15 articles were finally included in this review. The excluded articles were mainly from other disciplines other than nursing and used a less rigorous study design than RCT.

The three longest interventions were developed in Asia [ 26 , 28 , 29 ]. The longest was 300 h in duration, through one year [ 30 ]. These interventions were based on learning programs, case-based learning, person-centred care (PCC), and reflective training programs. However, it is important to take into account that Asian nursing curriculum programmes are different from European or United States curriculum because their internship is carried out only during the last academic degree year, while in Europe, following the European directive 2005/36/CE, 2013/55/UE nursing education requirements of 4600 h (2300 h of clinical practice) is carried out along the 3–4 years of the academic degree [ 33 ]. On the other hand, the intervention with the biggest sample was 419 nursing students [ 30 ], 210 in the experimental group, and 209 in the control group, and the one with the lowest sample was 51, with 24 students in the control group and 27 in the intervention group [ 32 ]. Therefore, all the included studies had a good sample size.

This systematic review has detected different methodologies to help nursing students improve their reasoning and decision-making skills. Virtual simulation was the most frequently used teaching method, both as a mobile application and as a serious game. In terms of its effectiveness in a study carried out in Taiwan, the use of a mobile application resulted in significantly higher knowledge scores, better skill performance, and higher satisfaction in students than traditional paper materials [ 21 ]. Virtual simulation [ 11 , 14 , 21 ] has also proven to be an effective tool for enhancing knowledge and confidence in recognising and responding to rapidly deteriorating patients, but studies that combined two educational strategies were more effective [ 29 ], like clinical simulation combined with another teaching strategy such as lectures or videos [ 12 ].

An interactive learner-centred nursing education mobile application with systematic contents effectively allowed students to experience positive practical nursing skills [ 11 ]. However, in a study comparing serious game simulation versus traditional teaching methods, no significant difference was found immediately or in the month following the training [ 22 ], but serious games can improve nursing students’ cognitive skills to detect patient deterioration and to make safe decisions about patient care [ 14 ]. Although the innovative teaching method was well received by the students, who expressed higher levels of satisfaction and motivation [ 22 ]. We can affirm that the development of a mobile application and its application can be effectively used by nursing students at all levels [ 11 ]. However, the performance of all these studies was measured on its short-term outcomes, only 40 min [ 21 ], 2 h [ 22 ], and 1 week [ 11 , 14 ] of intervention, and was performed with a mean sample size of 97 nursing students.

The data obtained in a study developed in Brazil [ 12 ] confirm that clinical simulation is effective for the development of nursing students’ clinical reasoning in wound evaluation and treatment and that clinical simulation in conjunction with other educational methods promotes the acquisition of knowledge by facilitating the transition from what the student knows to rational action. Moreover, the high-fidelity simulation strategy increases the perception of stressors related to a lack of competence and interpersonal relationships with patients, multidisciplinary teams, and colleagues compared with the conventional practice class in the skill laboratory. This increase was related to the students’ capacity for self-evaluation and critical reflection, concerning their learning responsibility and the need to acquire the required skills for patient care [ 23 ]. However, in the case of the effect of multiple simulations on students, there are no differences found between the double-versus single-scenario simulations [ 24 ]. The intervention time in these three studies was 30 min [ 23 ], 3.5 h [ 12 ], and 4 days [ 24 ]; then the time used to implement the intervention can determine the results obtained.

The different learning methods have an impact on various learning outcomes and students’ variables. Team-based learning [ 25 ], reflective training [ 26 ], the person-centred education programme [ 27 ], web-based concept mapping [ 30 ], and teaching cognitive-behavioural approaches [ 31 ] have proven to be effective in enhancing problem-solving abilities, knowledge, and reasoning processes and consequently improving the quality of nursing practical education. Team-based learning increased problem-solving ability scores significantly, while those in the control group decreased [ 25 ]. Reflective training, developed in China based on the new mentoring approach, was effective in encouraging nursing students to explore, think about, and solve problems actively during an internship, consequently improving their disposition for critical thinking [ 26 ]. A person-centred education programme using design thinking can effectively improve how nursing students perceive individualised care. Using design thinking allowed the students to apply their theoretical knowledge of the programme to plan innovative solutions that may effectively resolve real health problems [ 27 ]. These programmes were developed in 5 or 6 days [ 27 , 31 ], 1 week or 3 weeks [ 25 , 30 ], and 1 year [ 26 ].

The education programme focused on improving ethical decision-making had statistically significant improvements in nursing students’ self-efficacy in communication confidence, complex ethical decision-making skills, and decreased communication difficulty [ 28 ]. Case-based learning was more effective with lectures than without them in developing students’ critical thinking abilities [ 29 ]. This study was one of the longest developed with 300 h during one school year. This long-term learning intervention could have a positive impact on this study sample. Therefore, the time of the learning intervention could be a limitation in the studied RCTs. The one-time self-instruction guide was ineffective in impacting students’ diagnostic accuracy in solving case studies [ 32 ], and it is possible that only one day of intervention is not enough.

Studies have shown that problem- and team-based learning [ 25 , 31 ] are more beneficial than traditional teaching [ 29 ], as they enhance nursing skills and improve problem-solving abilities, clinical performance, communication competencies, critical thinking, and self-leadership.

Researchers generally agree that clinical reasoning is an important ability and one of the most important competencies for good nursing practise to ensure optimal patient outcomes [ 29 ] and to recognise and address patient deterioration effectively. However, effective communication is crucial in clinical reasoning. It is required to establish a rapport with patients, conduct health evaluations, make collaborative decisions, and discuss clinical cases with colleagues and supervisors. Developing clinical reasoning skills during training is essential to improving nursing professionals’ practice. To enhance clinical reasoning abilities, nursing schools should integrate simulations at every level of education to ultimately improve patient care. Improving nursing students’ preparation will impact the quality of patient care. In addition, new innovative teaching methodologies based on the use of technology could be a motivational driver in nursing clinical reasoning [ 22 ].

5. Limitations

This systematic review did not perform a search on CINAHL. Although most of the journals included in this database are included in MEDLINE, this should be addressed in the future because of the relevance of the database to nursing research. The results of the included studies could have also been influenced by the different times of the interventions and the different contexts. In addition, the reviewers have identified other studies published in languages other than those required by the inclusion criteria. It seems that many articles are published by Asian researchers, but some of them are not in English, so they cannot be analysed.

6. Conclusions

As society progresses, the new generation of nursing students poses a challenge; new technologies are ingrained in their daily lives with access to increasingly advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, and we must adapt training to capture their interest and increase their learning skills. The utilisation of mobile apps, digital simulations, and learning games has a positive impact on the clinical reasoning abilities of nursing students and their motivation. Incorporating new technologies into problem-solving-based learning and decision-making can also enhance nursing students’ reasoning skills. As a result, it is crucial to incorporate these tools into the learning process to maintain students’ interest, motivation, and satisfaction in education. Clinical simulation is particularly important in the training of students in terms of clinical performance. Still, it is necessary to add another teaching method to increase the efficacy of clinical simulations. Therefore, nursing schools should evaluate their current teaching methods and consider integrating or modifying new technologies and methodologies that can help enhance students’ learning, improve their clinical reasoning and cognitive skills, and potentially improve nursing students’ ability to affect patient care positively. By doing so, students will be better equipped to provide high-quality patient care in the future.

Study	Sample Size	Time Intervention	Teaching Strategies	Purpose of the RCTs	CASP
Maurício et al., 2022 [ ]	n = 51	1 day	Self-Instructional Guide	To evaluate the effect of the Self-Instructional Guide for Clinical Reasoning on the diagnostic accuracy of undergraduate nursing students.	36
Calik and Kapucu 2022 [ ]	n = 60	1 week	Simulation game	Evaluated the efficacy of serious games using pre- and post-tests.	36
Zhang et al., 2017 [ ]	n = 157	12 months	Reflective training program	To evaluate the effects of reflective training for nursing students on their critical thinking disposition.	35
Chang et al., 2021 [ ]	n = 110	40 min	Mobile application	To test the hypothesis that nursing students who used a mobile learning app would have significantly higher levels of knowledge about nasotracheal suctioning and medication administration and a better development of skill performance in medication administration.	35
Chang et al., 2021 [ ]	n = 110	40 min	(Virtual simulation)		35
Blanié et al., 2020 [ ]	n= 146	2 h	Gaming and traditional methods	To compare a traditional teaching method with gaming to improve the clinical reasoning skills necessary to help nursing students detect patient deterioration.	35
Bilik et al., 2020 [ ]	n = 419	1 week	Web-based concept mapping education	To investigate the impact of web-based concept mapping education on nursing students’ critical-thinking and concept-mapping skills.	34
Zarshenas et al., 2019 [ ]	n = 90	2 h for 6 days	Problem-solving	To investigate how training problem-solving skills affected the rate of self-handicapping among nursing students.	33
Svellingen et al., 2021 [ ]	n = 146	4 days in 3 years	Clinical simulation	To evaluate the impact of multiple simulations on students’ self-reported clinical decision-making skills and self-confidence.	33
Kim and Suh 2018 [ ]	n = 72	1 week	Mobile application	To determine if a mobile application improved students’ skills and knowledge.	33
Kim and Suh 2018 [ ]	n = 72	1 week	(virtual simulation)		33
Park et al., 2021 [ ]	n = 105	2 h for 5 days	Education program	To develop a feasibility programme for providing foundational knowledge and skills about patient-centred care to fourth-year undergraduate nursing students using the design-thinking approach.	32
Pai et al., 2022 [ ]	n = 101	8 h for 14 weeks	Person-centred education program	To investigate the impact of an ethical decision-making framework on ethical decision-making and communication self-efficacy in nursing students.	32
Silva et al., 2020 [ ]	n = 78	3.5 h for one day	Clinical simulation	To analyse the effect of clinical simulation on the development of clinical reasoning and on nursing students’ acquisition of knowledge of wound evaluation and treatment.	31
Boostel et al., 2018 [ ]	n = 52	30 min	Clinical simulation	To compare and evaluate the perception of stressors by nursing students before and after a high-fidelity conventional laboratory practise class or clinical simulation.	30
Hong and Yu, 2017 [ ]	n = 122	300 h	Cased-based learning	To compare and explore the effectiveness of two styles of case-based learning methods, unfolding nursing cases and unusual nursing cases, implemented in lectures for developing nursing students’ critical-thinking abilities.	30
Kim et al., 2016 [ ]	n = 63	2 h weekly for 3 weeks	Team-based learning	To examine the effects of TBL on learning outcomes and the problem-solving ability (knowledge and clinical performance) of Korean nursing students.	30

Funding Statement

This research received external funding from the European programme Eramus +2021-1-BE02-KA220-HED-000023194.

Author Contributions

Conceptualisation, A.P.-P. and A.Z.; methodology, A.P.-P. and A.Z.; formal analysis, A.P.-P.; writing—original draft preparation, A.P.-P.; writing—review and editing, A.Z.; visualisation, A.Z.; supervision, A.Z. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Institutional Review Board Statement

Not applicable.

Informed Consent Statement

Data availability statement, conflicts of interest.

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Effective clinical learning for nursing students

Approaches that meet student and nurse needs..

Direct care nurses serve as significant teachers and role models for nursing students in the clinical setting.
Building critical thinking skills is one of the most important outcomes in the clinical setting for nursing students.
Collaboration with nursing faculty during the clinical rotation can ease the burden on direct care nurses and facilitate a positive learning experience for the student.

The nursing profession continues to experience several challenges—some longstanding and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The shortage of nurses at the bedside and reports of nurses planning to leave the profession soon place stress on the workforce and the healthcare system. The situation has put even more pressure on nursing schools to recruit and retain students who enter the workforce well-prepared for practice and capable of filling these vacancies. However, concerns exist surrounding students’ critical thinking skills and their readiness for a demanding career.

The challenge

A longstanding shortage of nursing school faculty and a reliance on new graduate nurses to serve as preceptors create challenges to properly preparing nursing students for a demanding role that requires excellent critical thinking skills.

What-Why-How? Improving Clinical Judgement

New nurses and clinical judgment

Nurse faculty shortage

Lack of interest and incentives lead to difficulty recruiting nurses from the bedside or practice to education. Many 4-year schools require a terminal degree to teach full-time in their undergraduate programs, but only 1% of nurses hold a PhD. In addition, according to the National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice (NACNEP), the average doctorally prepared nurse faculty member is in their 50s, which means they may soon retire. The surge in doctor of nursing practice programs has helped to bridge this gap, but attracting advanced practice nurses to academia from their more lucrative practice roles continues to prove difficult.

Concerns about the practice readiness of new graduate nurses have existed for several years. Missed clinical experiences and virtual learning during the COVID-19 pandemic heightened those concerns. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) addressed the calls from nurse employers to make progress in this area by revamping the NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN exams to create Next Generation NCLEX (NGN), which includes more clinical judgment and critical thinking items. Nurse educators are working hard to prepare students for both practice and the new exam items by incorporating more active learning into classroom, clinical, and lab activities and emphasizing the importance of clinical judgment skills.

In most areas of the country, clinical student experiences have returned to pre-pandemic arrangements. State boards of nursing mandate maximum faculty-to-student ratios for clinical experiences. Schools can choose to have faculty supervise fewer students than the maximum, but faculty and clinical site shortages may eliminate that option. In many cases, preceptor-style experiences (such as capstone or practicum courses) have higher faculty-to-student ratios, and preceptors may have to meet specific criteria, such as a certain amount of experience.

Nursing faculty who facilitate on-site learning and supervise and teach students during their clinical experiences face several challenges. Some faculty supervise students across multiple units because unit size can’t accommodate 8 to 10 students at one time. Faculty may or may not have access to the organization’s electronic health records or other healthcare information technology, such as medication dispensing cabinets or glucometers.

In such instances, direct care nurses play an important role in the student’s experience at the clinical site. Their familiarity with the unit, the patient population, and the organization’s technology facilitates learning.

Direct care nurses

Allowing nursing students into the hospital can improve the patient care experience and potentially recruit students to work at the organization in the future. However, precepting a student or new employee creates an extra burden on an already overextended bedside nurse. NACNEP identifies several challenges for obtaining qualified preceptors, including lack of incentives and limited preparation in clinical teaching and learning strategies. Many hospitals have nursing students on the same unit several days a week to accommodate multiple area schools. This means that staff nurses are expected to teach students on most of their workdays during a typical school semester.

Unit nurse experience creates another barrier to effective precepting of nursing students. A study by Thayer and colleagues reported that the median length of experience for inpatient nurses working a 12-hour shift was less than 3 years at an organization. Without a better alternative, new graduate nurses frequently teach nursing students, although they may still be in what Benner describes as the advanced beginner stage of their career (still learning how to organize care, prioritize, and make clinical judgments). It’s difficult for someone who’s still learning and experiencing situations for the first time to teach complex concepts.

A guide to effective clinical site teaching

The following strategies promote critical thinking in students and collaboration with nurse faculty to ease direct care nurses’ teaching workload. Not every strategy is appropriate for all student clinical experiences. Consider them as multiple potential approaches to help facilitate meaningful learning opportunities.

Set the tone

Nursing students frequently feel anxious about clinical experiences, especially if they’ve been told or perceive that they’re a burden or unwanted on the unit. When meeting the student for the first time, welcome them and communicate willingness to have them on the unit.

If you feel that you can’t take on a student for the day, speak to the nurse faculty member and charge nurse to explore other arrangements. Nurse faculty recognize that work or personal concerns may require you to decline precepting a student. Faculty members want to find the best situation for everyone. If the charge nurse or supervisor determines that the student still needs to work with you, talk to the nurse faculty about how they can help ease the burden and facilitate the student’s learning experience for the day.

Begin your time with the student by asking about their experience level and any objectives for the day. Understanding what the student can or can’t do will help you make the most out of the clinical experience. You’ll want to know the content they’re learning in class and connect them with a patient who brings those concepts to life. A student may have assignments to complete, but their focus should be on patient care. Help the student identify the busiest parts of the day and the best time to review the electronic health record and complete assignments.

If a situation requires your full attention and limits training opportunities, briefly explain to the student what will happen. If you have time, provide the student with tasks or specific objectives to note during the observation. Involve the nursing faculty member to help facilitate the learning experience and make it meaningful.

Be a professional role model

Students like to hear about the benefits and rewards of being a nurse, and about each nurse’s unique path. Students also enjoy learning about the “real world” from nurses, but keep in mind that they’re impressionable. Speaking negatively about the unit, patients, organization, or profession may discourage the student. If you must deviate from standard care, such as performing a skill differently than it’s traditionally taught in school, provide the rationale or hospital policy behind the decision.

Feel free to discuss the student’s nursing school experience but don’t diminish the value of their education or assigned work. Keep in mind that school assignments, such as nursing care plans or concept maps, aren’t taught for job training but to deliberately and systematically promote critical thinking. These assignments allow a student to reflect on how a patient’s pathophysiology and nursing assessment and interventions relate to one another.

Reinforce how concepts students learn in school provide valuable knowledge in various settings. For example, if the student is on a medical-surgical unit but says that they want to work in obstetrics, engage the student by pointing out links between the two areas, such as managing diabetes and coagulation disorders. Provide encouragement and excitement about the student’s interest in joining the profession at a time of great need.

Build assessment skills

Explain to students your approach to performing assessments and organizing patient care. Most students learn comprehensive head-to-toe assessments but, in the clinical setting, need to focus on the most relevant assessments. To promote critical thinking, ask the student what data they should focus on gathering based on the patient’s condition. Many students focus on the psychomotor aspect of assessment (performing the assessment correctly); ask them about the subjective data they should gather.

Allow the student to perform an assessment and then compare findings. For example, a student may know that a patient’s lung sounds are abnormal but not remember what the sound is called or what it means. Provide them with the correct terminology to help connect the dots. Discuss with the student when reassessments are warranted. If appropriate, allow a student to reassess the patient (vital signs, output, pain, other physical findings) and then confirm their findings and discuss what any changes mean for the clinical situation. If you don’t have time for these types of discussions following a student’s patient assessment, ask nursing faculty to observe and discuss findings with the student.

Discuss care management

Take advantage of opportunities to discuss concepts such as prioritization, advocacy, delegation, collaboration, discharge planning, and other ways in which the nurse acts as a care manager. Pointing out what’s appropriate to delegate to unlicensed assistive personnel or a licensed practical nurse will prove valuable and help reinforce concepts frequently covered on the NGN exam.

Promote critical thinking

The NCBSN has introduced the Clinical Judgment Measurement Model (CJMM) as a framework for evaluating the NGN exam, which incorporates unfolding case studies that systematically address six steps: recognize cues, analyze cues, generate hypotheses, generate solutions, take action, and evaluate outcomes. Each candidate encounters three case studies, with six questions, one for each step of the CJMM. Nursing faculty incorporate this framework and language into the nursing curriculum to help students think systematically and critically and prepare them for the exam.

Nurses with practice experience use this type of framework to gather information, make judgments, and take action. As a nurse approaches Benner’s competent stage of nursing practice, this type of thinking becomes intuitive, and nurses may not even be aware of the conclusions they draw and decisions they make based on their clinical judgment skills. To help students understand why something is happening, they should continue to work through a process like this deliberately. For example, many students view medication administration as a simple task and may say in post-conference discussion, “All I did was give meds.” You perform many assessments and make various judgments while administering medications, but you may not think to discuss them with students. Asking questions of students while they’re performing what may seem like repetitive tasks can help prompt critical thinking. (See Critical questions .)

Critical questions

Enhance self-efficacy

Many nurses believe that the student must follow them to every patient. This can be overwhelming for the direct care nurse and a barrier to agreeing to work with students. Other approaches can better facilitate learning. Most students will complete an assignment focused on one or two patients. Encourage the student to spend time alone with those patients to perform a more comprehensive history and assessment, help patients with basic care, and provide education. Select a patient who might enjoy the extra attention to ensure a mutually beneficial experience.

Also, consider asking the student to find information using available resources. Such inquiry can benefit you and the student. For example, prompt a student to answer one or more critical thinking questions using their textbooks or resources available on the hospital’s intranet. If time prevents you from explaining complex topics or helping the student problem-solve, ask the student to take the information they find to their faculty member to review. Nurse faculty won’t be familiar with the specific details of all patients on the unit, so identify the most appropriate questions for the student to consider to help the nurse faculty facilitate learning.

Allowing the student time to find answers themselves builds self-efficacy and confidence and also relieves some of the stress and anxiety associated with being asked questions on the spot. This strategy also models the professional approach of using evidence-based resources to find information as needed in the clinical setting.

To ensure a positive learning experience and reduce anxiety, provide the student with ample time to prepare for performance-based skills. For example, identify an approximate time that medications will be administered to one patient and ask the student to independently look up the medication information by that time. This is more beneficial for the student than observing every patient’s medication administration or participating only in psychomotor tasks, such as scanning and giving injections. This also can free up your time by setting the expectation that the student will have the chance to prepare for and be directly involved in one medication pass.

Similarly, if an opportunity exists for practicing a psychomotor skill, such as inserting a urinary catheter or suctioning a tracheostomy, ask the student to review the procedure with their instructor using hospital policy and resources. If time doesn’t allow for a review, have the student observe to ensure provision of the best care and efficient use of time and resources.

Opportunities in education

Nurses who enjoy working with students or new staff members may want to consider academic roles. Many advanced nursing degrees, available in various formats, focus on education. For those who want to try teaching or have an interest in teaching only in the clinical setting, opportunities exist to work as adjunct faculty or to participate in hospital-based professional development activities. Adjunct faculty (part-time instructors) teach a variety of assignments and workloads, including in clinical, lab, or classroom settings. Many clinical adjunct faculty are nurses who also work in the organization with patients and may teach one group of students one day a week. Clinical and lab assignments vary from 4- or 6-hour experiences to 12-hour shifts.

According to NACNEP, most nursing programs require that adjunct faculty and clinical preceptors have the same or higher level of educational preparation as the program; for example, a nurse with a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) may be able to teach clinicals for associate degree in nursing or BSN programs, depending on the state’s requirements and the school’s needs. Educational requirements to work in nursing programs vary by school. In some cases, adjunct faculty who don’t have a master’s degree may be supervised by full-time faculty with advanced degrees.

Benefits for adjunct faculty can include extra income, professional development, personal reward, tuition discounts or remissions, and giving back to the profession. Locate opportunities on nursing school websites or by talking to the nursing instructors or administrators in the local area.

Everyone benefits

Applying teaching approaches that benefit students and nurses can help ensure a positive clinical learning experience for everyone. When you graciously accept and teach students you help create positive encounters that enhance student critical thinking skill development, aid program retention, and support organizational recruitment.

Jennifer Miller is an assistant professor of nursing at the University of Louisville School of Nursing in Louisville, Kentucky .

American Nurse Journal. 2024; 19(4). Doi: 10.51256/ANJ042432

American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Nursing faculty shortage fact sheet. October 2022. aacnnursing.org/news-information/fact-sheets/nursing-faculty-shortage

Benner P. From Novice to Expert: Excellence and Power in Clinical Nursing Practice . Menlo Park, CA: Addison-Wesley; 1984.

National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice. Preparing nurse faculty, and addressing the shortage of nurse faculty and clinical preceptors. January 2021. hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/advisory-committees/nursing/reports/nacnep-17report-2021.pdf

National Council of State Boards of Nursing. Clinical Judgment Measurement Model. 2023. nclex.com/clinical-judgment-measurement-model.page

Thayer J, Zillmer J, Sandberg N, Miller AR, Nagel P, MacGibbon A. ‘The new nurse’ is the new normal. June 2, 2022. Epic Research. epicresearch.org/articles/the-new-nurse-is-the-new-normal

Key words: nursing students, nursing education, critical thinking, precepting

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All nursing programs need to put in more clinical time. Students do not get the time in clinicals so they do not have the opportunities to develop their clinical judgement and thinking skills. Clinical time is what glues concept and theory together if they don’t get the clinical time they are less likely to develop these skills which contributes to errors, burnout and nurses leaving the field.

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9 Fun and Educational Nursing Games
Fun and Educational Nursing Games. 1. Prognosis: Your Diagnosis. If you're always getting a busy shift but still want to brush up your critical thinking skills while on the go, then Prognosis: Your Diagnosis shouldn't be out of your list of nursing games. This app can help you assess your knowledge about diseases, test your clinical ...
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O2 Bingo Introduce your class to O2 Bingo by creating bingo boards with oxygenation terms (think oximetry, CPAP, hypoxia, etc.). Then ask students questions and have them mark the answer on their boards. The bingo game can also be developed to cover a variety of different nursing concepts and related exemplars.
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Ponder is a simulation board game that gives you the ability to bring critical thinking and decision making into the classroom without having to do a ton of setup. Unlike some of the other free options on this list, Ponder does have a one-time fee to purchase the game, but we think it's worth it. You can buy it on their website here.
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Nursing Sim. Critical thinking skills are crucial for nurses. This is a mobile game to help nursing students practice the multifactor decision-making process of nurse assignment, which includes accurately recognizing nurse competency, assessing patient acuity, and determining how to equitably delegate which patients each nurse sees on a shift. 9.
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2 Blood Flow Through the Heart. This is a simple game you can find in the free online gaming platform Quia. In Blood Flow through the Heart, you will have to trace the flow of a drop of blood through the heart. You'll need to start from systemic entry to systemic outlet. The game looks like a test but it can be played repeatedly until you ...
Games Used to Develop Critical Thinking Skills in Nursing Students
Ponder: The Socratic Way fills a much needed niche in nursing education, bridging the gap between nursing school and the real world by simulating the type of critical thinking skills nurses must use every day such as assessment, diagnoses, planning, implementation, and evaluation, and allowing students to practice and hone those skills in a non ...
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9. Decision-making games. The life of a nurse involves making numerous critical decisions. Some of these big resolutions require an instant response. This requires rigorous training. Trainers can use board games, for instance, to pressure students into making healthcare-related decisions fast.
13 Educational Nursing Games You Can Play Online
The games use Flash which makes learning a lot more pleasing to your eyes. You can try out The Blood Typing Game, The Electrocardiogram Game, and The Immune System Game as they are some of the most visited educational games there. This is a simple game you can find in the free online gaming platform Quia. In Blood Flow through the Heart, you ...
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Furthermore, it empowers students to self-assess their learning capabilities and, crucially, hone their critical thinking skills. With such an arsenal of benefits, interactive games emerge as the ultimate tool in the modern instructor's toolkit. We've highlighted 5 games that are a fun way to learn critical skills. Nursing Games 1.
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10 Best Fun Activities for Nursing Students in Clinicals. 1) Take Time To Acclimate Yourself to The Charting System. 2) Practice How to Make Care Plans. 3) Offer to Help the CNA. 4) Check Rooms on the Unit. 5) Pull Medications.
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The concepts from an escape room are a great way to deliver opportunities for students to practice this skill and can be provided economically and easily. Being creative in managing these concepts will offer an exciting chance to introduce critical thinking for your students. Nursing Education Perspectives42 (6):E145-E146, November/December 2021.
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Ponder is a simulation-style board game that challenges nursing students to solve problems based on patient scenarios and nursing process. It is designed to stimulate critical thinking, teamwork and leadership skills in a fun and non-threatening environment.
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Find out how to study smarter and have fun with these nurse simulation games and other nurse resources. Learn about puzzles, word games, quizzes, flashcards, and more to boost your critical thinking skills and prepare for the NCLEX exam.
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Critical thinking in nursing is invaluable for safe, effective, patient-centered care. You can successfully navigate challenges in the ever-changing health care environment by continually developing and applying these skills. Images sourced from Getty Images. Critical thinking in nursing is essential to providing high-quality patient care.
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The following are examples of attributes of excellent critical thinking skills in nursing. 1. The ability to interpret information: In nursing, the interpretation of patient data is an essential part of critical thinking. Nurses must determine the significance of vital signs, lab values, and data associated with physical assessment.
An Activity to Encourage Critical Thinking: Build a Patient
An Activity to Encourage Critical Thinking: Build a Patient. Nurse Educator 43(3):p 144, 5/6 2018. | DOI: 10.1097/NNE.0000000000000471. Buy; Metrics ... Hot Potato Nursing Style "Puzzle Patients" and Critical Thinking; What Would You Do?: Engaging Remote Learners Through Stop-Action Videos;
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Abstract. Nursing students should be challenged to implement critical thinking decisions regarding conclusions they implement for patient care. This article reinforces common techniques and introduces new practices to teach critical thinking. Many ways are currently recognized utilizing an assortment of techniques.
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Medical board games, critical thinking games for nursing students, and healthcare board games in general offer unique learning opportunities for educational, training, and patient safety programs utilizing healthcare simulation methodologies to improve outcomes. From the ER to disease infection control, and from medical terminology to neonatal resuscitation, here is a comprehensive list of some of
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To investigate the impact of web-based concept mapping education on nursing students' critical-thinking and concept-mapping skills. 34: Zarshenas et al., 2019 : n = 90: 2 h for 6 days: Problem-solving: To investigate how training problem-solving skills affected the rate of self-handicapping among nursing students. 33: Svellingen et al., 2021 ...
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Critical Thinking Activities for Nursing. Marilyn Smith-Stoner. Lippincott Raven, 1999 - Education - 180 pages. This exercise/activity book is a powerful learning tool -- and a must-have resource for every nursing student! It focuses on thinking critically in a variety of healthcare situations. Well organized, it progresses from simple to ...

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