Comparison of the effects of teaching preoperative patient preparation in theoretical, laboratory, and clinical settings on nursing students’ perceived care competence

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare the effect of teaching preoperative patient preparation in theoretical, laboratory, and clinical settings on students’ perceived nursing care competence levels. This single-group, repeated-measures, quasi-experimental study was conducted with second-year nursing students at a faculty of nursing during the 2024–2025 academic year. No sampling was performed, and the study included 145 students who voluntarily agreed to participate. Data were collected using the “Student Information Form” and the “Perceived Competence Scale for Preoperative Nursing Care among Student Nurses.” Data were gathered sequentially in three different settings: after theoretical instruction, laboratory practice, and clinical practice. A statistically significant difference was found between the mean scores of the “Perceived Competence Scale for Preoperative Nursing Care” after the three different teaching methods (p<0.0001). The students’ competence scores after clinical practice (98.4 ± 13.7) were statistically higher than those after theoretical education (92.46 ± 19.8) and laboratory practice (95.5 ± 13.6) (p<0.05). In the subscales of “fulfilling legal responsibilities and adhering to ethical principles,” “preoperative patient preparation,” and “research and professional development,” statistically significant increases were observed after clinical practice compared to the other measurements (p<0.05). The findings of this study indicate that, within the scope of the Surgical Nursing course, clinical practice following well-structured theoretical and clinical simulation training is the most effective teaching method for enhancing students’ professional competence related to preoperative preparation. It is recommended that this method be used in nursing education to improve students’ proficiency in preoperative care.