Enhancing nursing education through gamification in educational activities within the school environment
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30681/2526101014253Keywords:
Higher Education, Teaching-learning, Gamification, Motivation, NursingAbstract
Objective: to evaluate nursing students' perceptions of the use of gamification in the teaching-learning process in health education in the school environment. Method: intervention study, using a mixed convergent approach, conducted with nursing students in Vitória, Espírito Santo, between December 2023 and July 2024. Participants developed educational games within the scope of the Health at School Program, applied in elementary school classes. Data collection was performed using an electronic form. Motivation was assessed using the Instructional Materials Motivation Survey, based on the ARCS Model. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic content analysis, with integration by concomitant triangulation. Results: academics perceived gamification as a methodology that facilitates the learning process, highlighting its potential to reach different audiences, improve communication, and promote understanding of complex topics. The difficulties encountered were related to the beginning of their academic training and limited experience in working with children. Conclusion: gamification was positively accepted, contributing to engagement, collaboration, and improvement of the teaching-learning process in nursing education.
References
1. Lima MVC, Rodrigues PS, Caldeira NV, Knackfuss MI, Cardoso GA, Freitas RJM. Benefício da gamificação para o ensino em graduações da área da saúde. In: Feitoza DMA, organizadora. Pesquisas e saberes em Educação. Campina Grande (RN): Editora Licuri; 2023.
2. Jodoi K, Takenaka N, Uchida S, Nakagawa S, Inoue N. Developing an active-learning app to improve critical thinking: item selection and gamification effects. Heliyon. 2021; 7(11):e08256.
3. Eriksen MN, Stojiljkovic M, Lillekroken D, Lindefalten K, Hessevaagbakke E, Nygaard Flølo T, et al. Game-thinking: utilizing serious games and gamification in nursing education – a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Med Educ. 2025; 25:140.
4. Sanz-Martos S, Álvarez-García C, Álvarez-Nieto C, López-Medina I, López-Franco M, Fernández-Martínez M, et al. Effectiveness of gamification in undergraduate nursing education. PeerJ. 2024; 12:e17167.
5. Naor AP, Dubovi I. Nurse-led inpatient education using a gamification approach for patients with mental illness: A quasi-experimental study. Int J Nurs Sci. 2025; 12(2):137-43.
6. Farias QSS, Silva RS, Araújo JMS, Santos MMG, Barros FD, Martins MCV, et al. Gamificação no ensino de Enfermagem: avaliação do impacto na aprendizagem. Res Soc Dev. 2021; 10(16):e591101623884.
7. Santos MC, Primo CC, Fernandes CS, Costa AS, Lyra PT, Lima EFA. Gamificação nos processos de ensino-aprendizagem sobre câncer de colo do útero no ensino durante a pandemia de Covid-19 [tese]. Vitória (ES): Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo; 2022. 146 p.
8. Marques HR, Campos AC, Andrade DM, Zambalde AL. Inovação no ensino: revisão sistemática das metodologias ativas de ensino-aprendizagem. Avaliação (Campinas). 2021; 26:718–741.
9. Medeiros ER, Chagas KKN. Propostas lúdico-pedagógicas nas atividades do Programa Saúde na Escola. Sustinere. 2021; 9(1):81–95.
10. Batista ITP, Maia ICVL, Rocha AS, Morais RS, Eleres VM, Pinheiro WS, et al. Metodologias focadas na gamificação para o ensino superior na área da enfermagem: revisão integrativa. Rev Ibero-Am Humanid Ciênc Educ. 2024; 9(4):966–983.
11. Conceição DS, Viana VSS, Batista AKR, Alcântara ASS, Eleres VM, Pinheiro WS, et al. A Educação em Saúde como instrumento de mudança social. Braz J Dev. 2020; 6(8):59412–59416.
12. Caldas S, Gonçalves R, Silva R, Taveira A, Macedo AP. Gamification as a strategy in nursing clinical supervision for developing critical reflective thinking. Int J Nurs Sci. 2025.
13. Chang SJ, Kim GM, Kim JA. The effects of flipped learning and gamification on nursing students’ patient safety education: a mixed method study. Heliyon. 2024; 10(8):e29538.
14. Del Pozo-Herce P, Tovar-Reinoso A, García Carpintero-Blas E, Casaux Huertas A, Ruiz de Viñaspre-Hernández R, et al. Gamification as a tool for understanding mental disorders in nursing students: qualitative study. JMIR Nurs. 2025; 8:e71921.
15. Fagundo-Rivera J, Garrido-Bueno M, Romero-Castillo R, Badillo-Sánchez N, Fernández-León P. Playful experience, learning perception, and motivation in a cooperative escape room activity in undergraduate nursing education: a mixed-methods study. Learn Instruc. 2025; 102212.
16. Graham A, Hökkä M, Pramila-Savukoski S, Flinkkilä M-L, Tomietto M, Mikkonen K. The use of digital gamification, extended reality, artificial intelligence, and integrated digital learning tools in palliative care education of undergraduate nurses: a systematic review. Nurse Educ Today. 2026; 160:106982.
17. Kovalainen T, Pramila-Savukoski S, Kuivila HM, Juntunen J, Jarva E, Rasi M, et al. Utilising artificial intelligence in developing education of health sciences higher education: An umbrella review of reviews. Nurse Educ Today. 2025; 147:106600.
18. Liu C, Fang M, Wang M, Wu Y, Chen W, Cheng Y. The effects of peer competition-induced anxiety on massive open online course learning: the mediating role of the behavioral inhibition system. Behav Sci. 2024;14(4):324.
19. Manchester KR, Roberts D. Bioscience teaching and learning in undergraduate nursing education: a systematic review with narrative synthesis. Nurse Educ Pract. 2025; 82:104226.
20. Nascimento JL, Feitosa RA. Metodologias ativas com foco nos processos de ensino e aprendizagem. Res Soc Dev. 2020; 9(9):e622997551.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Journal Health NPEPS

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Autores que publicam nesta revista concordam com os seguintes termos:
- Autores mantém os direitos autorais e concedem à revista o direito de primeira publicação, com o trabalho simultaneamente licenciado sob a Licença Creative Commons Attribution que permite o compartilhamento do trabalho com reconhecimento da autoria e publicação inicial nesta revista.
- Autores têm autorização para assumir contratos adicionais separadamente, para distribuição não-exclusiva da versão do trabalho publicada nesta revista (ex.: publicar em repositório institucional ou como capítulo de livro), com reconhecimento de autoria e publicação inicial nesta revista.
- Autores têm permissão e são estimulados a publicar e distribuir seu trabalho online (ex.: em repositórios institucionais ou na sua página pessoal) a qualquer ponto antes ou durante o processo editorial, já que isso pode gerar alterações produtivas, bem como aumentar o impacto e a citação do trabalho publicado.
Authors who publish in this journal agree to the following terms:
a) Authors retain the copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication, with the work simultaneously licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which allows the sharing of work with acknowledgment of authorship and initial publication in this journal.
b) Authors are authorized to take additional contracts separately, for non-exclusive distribution of the version of the work published in this journal (eg publish in institutional repository or as a book chapter), with acknowledgment of authorship and initial publication in this journal.
c) Authors are allowed and encouraged to publish and distribute their work online (eg in institutional repositories or on their personal page) at any point before or during the editorial process, as this can generate productive changes as well as increase the impact and The citation of the published work.
Los autores que publican en esta revista están de acuerdo con los siguientes términos:
a) Los autores conservan los derechos de autor y conceden el muñón derecho de la primera publicación de la obra al mismo tiempo licenciado bajo la licencia Creative Commons Atribución que permite compartir el trabajo con el reconocimiento de su publicación inicial en esta revista.
b) Los autores son capaces de asumir contratos adicionales por separado, la distribución no exclusiva de la versión del artículo publicado en esta revista (por ejemplo: Publicar en el repositorio institucional o como un libro), con un reconocimiento de su publicación inicial en esta revista.
c) Los autores están permitidos y alentados a publicar su trabajo en línea (por ejemplo: En repositorios institucionales o en su página web) en cualquier momento antes o durante el proceso de redacción, ya que puede dar lugar a intercambios productivos, así como aumentar el impacto y la citación de los trabajos publicados.