Decision MakingNCT07235241
The Effect of Digital Games on Ethical Sensitivity and Decision Making in Nursing Students
A study testing Digital game and In-class group work in people with Decision Making and Ethics, run by Istanbul Medeniyet University.
Trial summary
The study was planned using a randomised controlled experimental design to determine the effectiveness of digital game-based teaching in the development of ethical sensitivity and ethical decision-making processes among nursing students. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 40 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Decision Making, Ethics
- What is being tested?
- Digital game and In-class group work
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 60 participants
- Where
- No sites listed yet
- Study dates
- Mar 2026to Jun 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 40 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Students must:
- Have taken and successfully completed the Nursing Ethics course,
- Be a fourth-year nursing student who has successfully completed all professional courses and is undertaking the 'Professional Training in the Workplace' placement.
Who cannot join
- Students who have not taken the Nursing Ethics course or have failed the course before taking the Professional Training in the Workplace course.
- Having a conditional grade point average (CGPA <2.00) up to the period when the data was collected.
Trial locations and contacts
No sites are listed yet. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
About this study
Official title: The Effect of Digital Game-Based Teaching Methods on the Development of Ethical Sensitivity and Ethical Decision-Making Processes in Nursing Students
The study was planned using a randomised controlled experimental design to determine the effectiveness of digital game-based teaching in the development of ethical sensitivity and ethical decision-making processes among nursing students.
Read the detailed description
The most significant contribution this study will make to the literature is its systematic demonstration of the effects of a digital game-based teaching method on the development of ethical sensitivity and ethical decision-making processes in the context of nursing education. Currently, ethics education is mostly conducted using traditional methods, and it is known that students experience difficulties in transferring what they learn in theoretical education to practice. This study makes a unique contribution by demonstrating that digital games can support students' ethical thinking and decision-making skills by offering interactive and experience-based learning opportunities. Furthermore, the study aims to expand the limited literature on the use of digital game-based teaching in ethics education in nursing and to provide evidence-based data on the integration of technological innovations in ethics education. In this respect, the research is of a nature that will strengthen the pedagogical foundations of nursing education and pioneer the development of student-centred and innovative teaching strategies.
- Conditions
- Decision Making, Ethics
- Being tested
- Digital game, In-class group work
- Keywords
- Ethics, Decision Making, Digital Game, Nursing Students
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Digital gameOther
Digital Game:
The developed digital game aims to enhance medical students' ethical awareness and decision-making skills. The digital game first provides students with reminders about ethical principles.
The game covers a four-week process, focusing on a specific ethical principle each week. Each weekly module presents two cases supported by animated visuals written by the researcher, reviewed by experts, and created by the software company. After watching and reading the cases, students answer related questions.
The modules and principles covered are as follows:
Week 1 (Do No Harm/Beneficence): Cases related to treatment refusal and palliative care compliance.
Week 2 (Autonomy/Respect): Cases related to organ donation decisions and chemotherapy refusal.
Week 3 (Justice/Equity): Cases related to resource (air mattress) allocation and patient prioritisation.
Week 4 (Confidentiality/Privacy): Cases related to HIV diagnosis confidentiality and psychiatric service confidentiality.
In-class group workOther
Face-to-face case analysis will be conducted over 4 weeks. These sessions are scheduled outside the course programme, once a week for 40 minutes.
A total of 4 cases, each relating to an ethical principle, will be given to students in printed form at the beginning of each session, and they will be asked to analyse them simultaneously. Before the exercises, students will be explained how to analyse the cases.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Experimental group | Experimental | Both the experimental and comparison groups will receive a reminder lecture from the researcher on ethical principles and codes prior to the applications. Participants in the experimental group will simultaneously play digital games and participate in classroom group work after the reminder lesson. Receives: Other: Digital game; Other: In-class group work |
| Comparison | Other | They will only participate in in-class group work. Receives: Other: In-class group work |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Adapted Ethical Sensitivity Scale for Nursing Students
This scale determines the ethical sensitivity levels of nursing students.
The 7-point Likert-type scale (1=Strongly disagree, 7=Strongly agree) consists of 30 items and six subscales. Items 8, 24, and 29 are reverse-scored. The total score ranges from 30 to 210; a high score indicates high ethical sensitivity.
Item averages are evaluated as 7-5.9 (very important), 5.8-5 (important), 4.9-3.1 (neutral), and below 3.1 (unimportant).
Measured: 3 times; a week before implementation, a week after implementation, 2 months after implementation
The Ethical Dilemma Test in Nursing
The scale developed under the name 'Nursing Dilemma Test' aims to identify ethical issues in nursing and consists of six scenarios.
Each scenario has three sections (A, B, C):
Section A (Action): Measures the decision to be made in the face of an ethical dilemma (to act/not to act/to be undecided).
Section B (Thinking Style): Determines the 'Principled Thinking' (NPT - importance given to ethical principles) and 'Practical Thinking' (PT - importance given to environmental factors) scores by ranking six statements based on Kohlberg's theory.
Section C (Familiarity): Calculates the 'familiarity' score by questioning the case experience.
Scoring:
NPT Score: ranges from 18 to 66. PT Score: ranges from 6 to 36. Familiarity Score: 6-17 (familiar), 18-30 (unfamiliar).
Reliability (Turkish Version):
Cronbach's Alpha: NPT (0.59), PT (0.50). Test-Retest: NPT (0.77), PT (0.73).
Measured: 3 times; a week before implementation, a week after implementation, 2 months after implementation
Secondary outcomes (1)
Student Satisfaction and Self-Confidence in Learning Scale
This scale assesses students' satisfaction with education and their attitudes towards self-confidence in learning.
The 5-point Likert-type scale (1=Strongly disagree, 5=Strongly agree), consisting of 13 items in total, has two subscales:
Satisfaction with Learning (5 items) Self-Confidence (8 items)
Items are reverse-coded. The total score ranges from 13 to 65; a high score indicates high satisfaction and self-confidence. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients of the original scale were found to be Satisfaction (0.94) and Self-Confidence (0.87).
The Cronbach's alpha values for the Turkish form were found to be Satisfaction (0.89), Self-Confidence (0.83), and Scale Total (0.90).
Measured: Once; a week after implementation
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted19 Nov 2025
- Study startMar 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completionApr 2026 (estimated)
- Study completionJun 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Decision MakingStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- A total of two groups, comprising one experimental group and one control group
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Participant
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Istanbul Medeniyet University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Furkan Keles, Istanbul Medeniyet University
- Investigators
- Furkan Keles, PhD Student, Principal investigator, Istanbul University - CerrahpasaFunda Büyükyılmaz, Prof. Dr., Principal investigator, Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07235241
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- IMU17
- Status last verified
- Nov 2025
- First submitted
- 13 Nov 2025
- Last updated
- 19 Nov 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 19 Nov 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Effect of Digital Game-Based Teaching Methods on the Development of Ethical Sensitivity and Ethical Decision-Making Processes in Nursing Students
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07235241
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- IMU17
- Conditions
- Decision Making, Ethics
- Keywords
- Ethics, Decision Making, Digital Game, Nursing Students
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Istanbul Medeniyet UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Mar 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- Apr 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Jun 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 19 Nov 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The study was planned using a randomised controlled experimental design to determine the effectiveness of digital game-based teaching in the development of ethical sensitivity and ethical decision-making processes among nursing students.
Detailed description
The most significant contribution this study will make to the literature is its systematic demonstration of the effects of a digital game-based teaching method on the development of ethical sensitivity and ethical decision-making processes in the context of nursing education. Currently, ethics education is mostly conducted using traditional methods, and it is known that students experience difficulties in transferring what they learn in theoretical education to practice. This study makes a unique contribution by demonstrating that digital games can support students' ethical thinking and decision-making skills by offering interactive and experience-based learning opportunities. Furthermore, the study aims to expand the limited literature on the use of digital game-based teaching in ethics education in nursing and to provide evidence-based data on the integration of technological innovations in ethics education. In this respect, the research is of a nature that will strengthen the pedagogical foundations of nursing education and pioneer the development of student-centred and innovative teaching strategies.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (participant)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- A total of two groups, comprising one experimental group and one control group
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Experimental group | Experimental | Other: Digital game, Other: In-class group workBoth the experimental and comparison groups will receive a reminder lecture from the researcher on ethical principles and codes prior to the applications. Participants in the experimental group will simultaneously play digital games and participate in classroom group work after the reminder lesson. |
| Comparison | Other | Other: In-class group workThey will only participate in in-class group work. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 40 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Have taken and successfully completed the Nursing Ethics course,
- Be a fourth-year nursing student who has successfully completed all professional courses and is undertaking the 'Professional Training in the Workplace' placement.
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Students who have not taken the Nursing Ethics course or have failed the course before taking the Professional Training in the Workplace course.
- Having a conditional grade point average (CGPA <2.00) up to the period when the data was collected.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Digital gameDigital Game: The developed digital game aims to enhance medical students' ethical awareness and decision-making skills. The digital game first provides students with reminders about ethical principles. The game covers a four-week process, focusing on a specific ethical principle each week. Each weekly module presents two cases supported by animated visuals written by the researcher, reviewed by experts, and created by the software company. After watching and reading the cases, students answer related questions. The modules and principles covered are as follows: Week 1 (Do No Harm/Beneficence): Cases related to treatment refusal and palliative care compliance. Week 2 (Autonomy/Respect): Cases related to organ donation decisions and chemotherapy refusal. Week 3 (Justice/Equity): Cases related to resource (air mattress) allocation and patient prioritisation. Week 4 (Confidentiality/Privacy): Cases related to HIV diagnosis confidentiality and psychiatric service confidentiality. | Other | Experimental group |
| In-class group workFace-to-face case analysis will be conducted over 4 weeks. These sessions are scheduled outside the course programme, once a week for 40 minutes. A total of 4 cases, each relating to an ethical principle, will be given to students in printed form at the beginning of each session, and they will be asked to analyse them simultaneously. Before the exercises, students will be explained how to analyse the cases. | Other | Comparison, Experimental group |
Primary outcome
Adapted Ethical Sensitivity Scale for Nursing Students
Time frame: 3 times; a week before implementation, a week after implementation, 2 months after implementation
This scale determines the ethical sensitivity levels of nursing students. The 7-point Likert-type scale (1=Strongly disagree, 7=Strongly agree) consists of 30 items and six subscales. Items 8, 24, and 29 are reverse-scored. The total score ranges from 30 to 210; a high score indicates high ethical sensitivity. Item averages are evaluated as 7-5.9 (very important), 5.8-5 (important), 4.9-3.1 (neutral), and below 3.1 (unimportant).
The Ethical Dilemma Test in Nursing
Time frame: 3 times; a week before implementation, a week after implementation, 2 months after implementation
The scale developed under the name 'Nursing Dilemma Test' aims to identify ethical issues in nursing and consists of six scenarios. Each scenario has three sections (A, B, C): Section A (Action): Measures the decision to be made in the face of an ethical dilemma (to act/not to act/to be undecided). Section B (Thinking Style): Determines the 'Principled Thinking' (NPT - importance given to ethical principles) and 'Practical Thinking' (PT - importance given to environmental factors) scores by ranking six statements based on Kohlberg's theory. Section C (Familiarity): Calculates the 'familiarity' score by questioning the case experience. Scoring: NPT Score: ranges from 18 to 66. PT Score: ranges from 6 to 36. Familiarity Score: 6-17 (familiar), 18-30 (unfamiliar). Reliability (Turkish Version): Cronbach's Alpha: NPT (0.59), PT (0.50). Test-Retest: NPT (0.77), PT (0.73).
1 secondary outcome
Student Satisfaction and Self-Confidence in Learning Scale
Time frame: Once; a week after implementation
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 19 Nov 2025.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Furkan Keles, PhD Student principal investigator
Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa
Funda Büyükyılmaz, Prof. Dr. principal investigator
Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Digital game and In-class group work in people with Decision Making and Ethics, run by Istanbul Medeniyet University.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 19 Nov 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Furkan Keles, PhD Student (+90 507 491 77 96, FurkanS_1996@hotmail.com), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Adapted Ethical Sensitivity Scale for Nursing Students (time frame: 3 times; a week before implementation, a week after implementation, 2 months after implementation). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 19 Nov 2025.