The Effect of Using Puzzles as a Teaching Method on The Study Process and Motivation of Students Taking The Operating Room Nursing Course

Year 2025, Volume: 12 Issue: 2, 197 - 204, 17.07.2025

Nevra Kalkan , Sedanur Demir , Zahide Güler Ezer , Cansu Dalgıç

https://doi.org/10.31125/globnursinsights.1744499

Abstract

Aim: This study was conducted to determine the effect of puzzles applied within the scope of the operating room nursing course on their study process and motivation.
Material and Methods: The study sample, which employed a one-group pretest-posttest design and quasi-experimental, consisted of 97 students in the second-year grade of the Nursing Department at the Faculty of Health Sciences of a state university who were enrolled in the Operating Room Nursing course. "Student Information Form", "Instructional Materials Motivation Survey (IMMS)," and "Study Process Questionnaire (SPQ)" were used to collect the data. The puzzles were distributed to the students at the end of each lesson throughout the semester, and they were expected to solve them. Percentages, averages, and dependent sample t-tests were utilized to analyze the data.
Results: The mean age of the students was 19.9±1.38 years, and 84.5% were female. 73.1% of the students stated that they liked solving puzzles, and 67% of them recommended using puzzles in nursing education. It was found that the mean total scores of the students of the IMMS were significantly higher after the puzzle application than before (t=-12.931, p<0.001). The student's main score in the deep strategy sub-dimension of the SPQ was found to be significantly higher after the puzzle application than before (t=-9.282, p<0.001).
Conclusions: It was found that the puzzle as a teaching method positively affected the motivation and study process of the students taking the operating room nursing course.
Implications for nursing practice/management or policy: Using student-centered teaching methods, such as puzzles, can contribute to the training of qualified professional members by ensuring the active participation of nursing students in the study process. Puzzles can support the strengthening of students' professional knowledge and skills, therefore, it is recommended that they be used more frequently in the nursing curriculum.

Keywords

Motivation , Operating room nursing , Puzzle , Study process

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