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Game-Based Learning in Iranian Nursing Students: A Systematic Review

,

Document Type : Review Article

Abstract

Introduction: Evidence indicates that game-based learning (gamification) has been utilized in various ways among students. An integrated review of game-based learning in nursing students is needed. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate game-based learning in Iranian nursing students.
Materials & Methods:  This systematic review was conducted in the autumn of 2024 (2025). A comprehensive search for articles in Persian and English was performed in the following databases: Web of Science, Mag Iran, Scientific Information Database (SID), Scopus, Cochrane, Google Scholar, and PubMed, with no time restrictions. The search strategy utilized keywords including learning, education, game, student, nurse, evaluation, assessment, and Iran (and their English equivalents) by two independent researchers. Descriptive studies conducted on nurses were examined. Ultimately, out of 388 identified articles, 7 articles were reviewed.
Results: In the seven reviewed quasi-experimental studies, game-based learning was found to enhance learning among Iranian nursing students. The types of games used included escape rooms, puzzles, pantomime, pattern recognition games, card games, and gamified platforms.
Conclusion: According to the study findings, game-based learning enhances learning among Iranian nursing students. It is suggested that meta-analysis studies be conducted to compare the effectiveness of different gamification methods.
 
Acknowledgments: We hereby thank and acknowledge all authors whose articles were used to conduct this study.
 
Availability of data and materials: Not Applicable
 
Conflicts of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
 
Consent for publication: Not Applicable
 
Ethical approval and consent to participate: The participants were informed that their participation in the study was voluntary. The participants’ data were analyzed and reported anonymously and confidentially. The study was conducted in accordance with the ethical principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki.
 
Funding: This research did not receive any grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or non-profit sectors.
 
Authors’ Contributions: The authors equally contributed to preparing this article.
 
Open Access Policy: This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0), which permits any non-commercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution, and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original author(s) and source are properly credited. To view a copy of this licence, visit.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
 
 

Keywords

References
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Horizon of Medical Education Development
Volume 17, Issue 1
April 2026
Pages 112-122
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