Digital Flashcards for Fluid and Electrolyte Education in Surgical Nursing: A Solomon Four-Group Study

NCT07869459 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: Flashcard Study
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 180
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study aims to investigate the effect of the digital flashcard method, compared to traditional lecturing, on students' knowledge levels and self-efficacy perceptions regarding fluid-electrolyte balance in the surgical nursing course, within a Solomon four-group experimental design framework.

Conditions

Education; Surgical Nursing; Teaching Methods

Keywords

Fluid and Electrolyte Balance; Solomon Four-Group Design; digital flashcard; surgical nursing education

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Knowledge Level

  The students' level of knowledge regarding fluid-electrolyte balance, tonicity, electrolyte imbalances, acid-base balance, and the associated surgical nursing care will be assessed using the Fluid-Electrolyte Knowledge Test developed by the researchers. This test is an assessment tool consisting of 10 questions, each worth 10 points, for a total of 100 points. A high score will indicate a high level of knowledge on the part of the student.

  Three days after the time of inclusion in the study.

• Self-Efficacy Level

  Students' self-efficacy levels and beliefs regarding the educational process will be evaluated using The Student Self-Efficacy Scale, developed by Rowbotham and Schmitz (2013) and adapted into Turkish by Yurtçiçek Eren and Başgöl (2023). The scale, developed to assess students' self-efficacy levels, is unidimensional and consists of 10 items. The scale is designed using a 4-point Likert-type format. Higher scores indicate a high level of self-efficacy.

  Three days after the time of inclusion in the study.

Study Arms (4)

Digital Flashcard Group 1 (D1)

EXPERIMENTAL

Students in this experimental group will take a pre-test (Fluid-Electrolyte Knowledge Test and Student Self-Efficacy Scale). They will receive standard lectures and will also be trained using digital flashcards on the fluid-electrolyte topic via the Brainscape platform. Finally, they will be administered the post-tests.

Other: Digital Flashcard Training & Pre-test/Post-test

Digital Flashcard Group 2 (D2)

EXPERIMENTAL

Students in this experimental group will not take a pre-test. They will receive standard lectures and will be trained using digital flashcards on the fluid-electrolyte topic via the Brainscape platform. Finally, they will be administered the post-tests.

Other: Digital Flashcard Training & Post-test Only

Control Group 1 (K1)

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Students in this control group will take a pre-test (Fluid-Electrolyte Knowledge Test and Student Self-Efficacy Scale). They will receive only standard lectures and traditional learning materials without any digital flashcard intervention. Finally, they will be administered the post-tests.

Other: Standard Lecture Only & Pre-test/Post-test

Control Group 2 (K2)

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Students in this control group will not take a pre-test. They will receive only standard lectures and traditional learning materials without any digital flashcard intervention. Finally, they will be administered the post-tests.

Other: Standard Lecture Only & Post-test Only

Interventions

Digital Flashcard Training & Pre-test/Post-test OTHER

A pre-test will be administered to students in Group-D1. Students will receive standard lectures and will be trained using digital flashcards on the fluid-electrolyte topic via the Brainscape platform, with an interval of spaced repetition. Post-tests (Fluid-Electrolyte Knowledge Test, and the Student Self-Efficacy Scale) will be administered at the end of the process.

Digital Flashcard Group 1 (D1)

Digital Flashcard Training & Post-test Only OTHER

Students in Group-D2 will receive standard lectures and will be trained using digital flashcards on the fluid-electrolyte topic via the Brainscape platform without taking a pre-test. Post-tests (Fluid-Electrolyte Knowledge Test, and the Student Self-Efficacy Scale) will be administered at the end of the process.

Digital Flashcard Group 2 (D2)

Standard Lecture Only & Pre-test/Post-test OTHER

A pre-test will be administered to students in Group-K1. Students will receive only standard lectures and traditional learning materials without any digital flashcard intervention. Post-tests (Fluid-Electrolyte Knowledge Test, and the Student Self-Efficacy Scale) will be administered at the end of the process.

Control Group 1 (K1)

Standard Lecture Only & Post-test Only OTHER

Students in Group-K2 will receive only standard lectures and traditional learning materials without taking a pre-test and without any digital flashcard intervention. Post-tests (Fluid-Electrolyte Knowledge Test, and the Student Self-Efficacy Scale) will be administered at the end of the process.

Control Group 2 (K2)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Being enrolled in the Surgical Nursing Course
• Agreeing to participate voluntarily in the research
• Not having previously received fluid-electrolyte education through any digital flashcard application

You may not qualify if:

• Having previously taken the Surgical Nursing Course
• Failing to attend any of the measurement sessions

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Saglik Bilimleri Universitesi: lead

Study Sites (1)

University of Health Sciences

Ankara, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

Related Publications (6)

• Sun M, Tsai S, Engle DL, Holmer S. Spaced Repetition Flashcards for Teaching Medical Students Psychiatry. Med Sci Educ. 2021 Apr 6;31(3):1125-1131. doi: 10.1007/s40670-021-01286-y. eCollection 2021 Jun.

  PMID: 34457956 BACKGROUND

• Santos-Ferreira D, Guimaraes B, Ladeiras-Lopes R, Goncalves-Teixeira P, Diaz SO, Ferreira P, Goncalves F, Cardoso RG, Ferreira MA, Chaves PC, Fontes-Carvalho R, Leite-Moreira A. Digital flashcards and medical physiology performance: a dose-dependent effect. Adv Physiol Educ. 2024 Mar 1;48(1):80-87. doi: 10.1152/advan.00138.2023. Epub 2023 Nov 30.

  PMID: 38031724 BACKGROUND

• Dunlosky J, Rawson KA, Marsh EJ, Nathan MJ, Willingham DT. Improving Students' Learning With Effective Learning Techniques: Promising Directions From Cognitive and Educational Psychology. Psychol Sci Public Interest. 2013 Jan;14(1):4-58. doi: 10.1177/1529100612453266.

  PMID: 26173288 BACKGROUND

• Brocker, A., Sills, S., & Park, H. (2024). Self-efficacy and skill performance in undergraduate student nurses: A systematic review. Nurse Education Today.

  BACKGROUND

• Kornell, N. (2009). Optimising learning using flashcards: Spacing is more effective than cramming. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 23(9), 1297-1317.

  BACKGROUND

• Borhani F, Vatanparast M, Zadeh AA, Ranjbar H, Pour RS. Virtual education effect on cognitive learning and attitude of nursing students towards it. Iran J Nurs Midwifery Res. 2011 Fall;16(4):321-4.

  PMID: 23450257 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Evaluation Studies as Topic

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Investigative Techniques; Health Care Evaluation Mechanisms; Quality of Health Care; Health Care Quality, Access, and Evaluation

Study Officials

• Cansu YESİLFİDAN

  Saglik Bilimleri Universitesi

  STUDY DIRECTOR

Central Study Contacts

Cansu YESİLFİDAN, Ph.D. Candidate

CONTACT

+90 538 819 2590; c.cansucil@gmail.com

Neslihan ILKAZ, PhD

CONTACT

+90 555 694 8662

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 12, 2026
• First Posted: October 9, 2026
• Study Start: September 25, 2026
• Primary Completion: October 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): November 1, 2026
• Last Updated: October 9, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-10

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)