Abstract
Background: Although nursing students practice skills in labs as part of the curriculum, many report feeling anxious and unprepared for their first clinical experience.
Purpose: A capstone lab, integrating gaming with simulation, was implemented to assimilate previous learning and promote critical thinking before beginning clinical experiences.
Methods: Second-year baccalaureate nursing students participated in a gamified lab with simulated scenarios working in teams in various roles to manage patient situations. Remediation opportunities throughout the lab and formal structured debriefing further maximized their learning.
Results: Students reported the lab was beneficial. Most students found the lab "stressful, but in a good way," which challenged them to apply previous learning. Most students cited reduced anxiety and increased confidence for practice after the labs.
Conclusions: Integrating gaming with simulated scenarios maintained student engagement while encouraging critical thinking and knowledge synthesis to better prepare them for clinical experiences.