Effectiveness of a Gamified Educational Intervention on Palliative Care Knowledge Among Nursing Students: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Traditional education in palliative care often constrains the development of clinical competencies and positive attitudes that alleviate suffering and enhance patients’ quality of life. Gamification has emerged as an innovative strategy to enhance both knowledge and attitudes in this field. Objective: This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a gamified educational intervention in improving palliative care knowledge among nursing students at a public university. Methods: A single-group, pre–post quasi-experimental study was conducted between October 2024 and February 2025, involving 136 nursing students enrolled in the academic periods May 2024–April 2025 and September 2024–August 2025. Participants were selected using stratified probabilistic sampling. The demographic variables included age, sex, academic level, and the clinical practice area. Palliative care knowledge was assessed using the Spanish version of the Palliative Care Quiz for Nursing (PCQN-SV). The educational intervention comprised a gamified program consisting of ten thematic modules delivered over a 16-week period. Results: The average student age was 22 years (SD = 1.89). The baseline knowledge scores were moderate, with a mean of 11.66 (SD = 2.37). Following the intervention, a significant improvement was observed, with a post-intervention mean of 15.80 (SD = 1.13). Conclusions: The gamified intervention significantly improved palliative care knowledge, particularly in the reinforced content areas. These findings support the incorporation of active learning methodologies such as gamification into nursing education curricula. Future studies should be performed to explore its long-term impact and applicability in clinical practice.