Learning by playing: A cross-sectional descriptive study of nursing students' experiences of learning clinical reasoning

•Simulation game provides opportunities for learning clinical reasoning by acting and thinking while gaming.•Building the game mechanics around the clinical reasoning process supports learning of the clinical reasoning by playing.•Digital game players learned clinical reasoning by playing the game more than those who did not play at all.•Simulation games can enhance the development of clinical reasoning and offer meaningful learning experiences.

BackgroundClinical reasoning is viewed as a problem-solving activity; in games, players solve problems. To provide excellent patient care, nursing students must gain competence in clinical reasoning. Utilising gaming elements and virtual simulations may enhance learning of clinical reasoning.ObjectivesTo investigate nursing students' experiences of learning clinical reasoning process by playing a 3D simulation game.DesignCross-sectional descriptive study.SettingThirteen gaming sessions at two universities of applied sciences in Finland. The prototype of the simulation game used in this study was single-player in format. The game mechanics were built around the clinical reasoning process.ParticipantsNursing students from the surgical nursing course of autumn 2014 (N = 166).MethodsData were collected by means of an online questionnaire.ResultsIn terms of the clinical reasoning process, students learned how to take action and collect information but were less successful in learning to establish goals for patient care or to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions. Learning of the different phases of clinical reasoning process was strongly positively correlated. The students described that they learned mainly to apply theoretical knowledge while playing. The results show that those who played digital games daily or occasionally felt that they learned clinical reasoning by playing the game more than those who did not play at all.ConclusionNursing students' experiences of learning the clinical reasoning process by playing a 3D simulation game showed that such games can be used successfully for learning. To ensure that students follow a systematic approach, the game mechanics need to be built around the clinical reasoning process.