Clinical trials

Peripheral intravenous catheters (PIVCs) are widely used invasive devices in hospital settings and are associated with a broad range of complications, among which infiltration is one of the most common and clinically significant. Infiltration, defined as the leakage of intravenous fluids or medications into surrounding tissues, may result in local tissue damage, pain, infection, delayed treatment, and increased healthcare costs. Despite its high prevalence and impact on patient safety, early recognition and appropriate management of infiltration remain challenging, particularly among nursing students. Conventional educational approaches that rely predominantly on theoretical instruction may be insufficient to develop the clinical reasoning and decision-making skills required for timely identification and management of such complications. Therefore, there is a growing emphasis on the use of innovative, learner-centered educational strategies that promote active participation and experiential learning. Simulation-based education, including in situ simulation and standardized patient methodologies, has been shown to provide realistic, safe, and effective learning environments that enhance both technical and non-technical skills. In situ simulation enables training within real clinical settings using existing resources and team structures, while standardized patients facilitate the development of communication, clinical assessment, and decision-making competencies. This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of standardized patient and in situ simulation-based training, compared with traditional teaching methods, in improving nursing students' ability to recognize PIVC-related infiltration and enhance their clinical decision-making skills. Secondary outcomes include learning satisfaction and self-confidence. By integrating evidence-based simulation approaches into nursing education, this study seeks to strengthen clinical competence and contribute to improved patient safety outcomes.

Peripheral intravenous catheters (PIVCs) are widely used for vascular access and represent one of the most common invasive procedures in hospitalized patients. Despite their clinical utility, PIVCs are associated with various complications, among which phlebitis is one of the most frequent and clinically significant. Phlebitis, characterized by inflammation of the venous wall, may occur during catheterization or within 24-96 hours after catheter removal and is associated with symptoms such as pain, erythema, swelling, and increased local temperature. Reported incidence rates vary widely in the literature, ranging from 1.5% to 80%, indicating a substantial burden on patient safety and healthcare systems. PIVC-related complications contribute to prolonged hospital stays, increased healthcare costs, delayed treatment, and reduced patient comfort, while also increasing the workload of healthcare professionals. In this context, early recognition of phlebitis and effective clinical decision-making are critical competencies for nursing students. However, traditional teaching approaches that primarily focus on theoretical knowledge may be insufficient to develop these complex clinical skills. Innovative, learner-centered educational strategies, such as video-based learning and simulation-based education, offer dynamic and interactive learning environments that promote active engagement and experiential learning. Video-based learning enhances accessibility, flexibility, and student engagement, while simulation-based approaches-particularly those involving standardized patients-provide realistic, safe environments for developing clinical, communication, and decision-making skills. This randomized controlled study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of standardized patient simulation and video-based learning, compared with traditional education, in improving nursing students' ability to recognize PIVC-related phlebitis and enhance their clinical decision-making skills. Secondary outcomes include learning satisfaction and self-confidence. By integrating evidence-based educational strategies, this study seeks to advance nursing education and contribute to improved patient safety by fostering clinically competent and confident future nurses.

As the professional group that has the most frequent contact with patients, nurses are critical to the sustainability of safe care. Literature demonstrates that nursing practice is prone to error due to heavy workloads, time pressures, complex clinical tasks, inadequate rest, inappropriate working conditions, and the physiological strain of demanding shifts. When these conditions strain both physical and cognitive resources, the risk of errors during treatment administration increases. Medical errors remain one of the most devastating realities of healthcare. Data from the World Health Organization reveals the significant morbidity and mortality caused by errors on a global scale. Numerous studies have demonstrated that student nurses have a significant rate of errors, and those with limited clinical experience are particularly at risk in fundamental areas such as medication administration, asepsis, and patient identification. Increasing patient numbers, short stays, rapid turnover, and the intense pace of clinics negatively impact student nurses' ability to provide safe care, prompting both educators and students to seek stronger pedagogical solutions. This is where simulation-based training comes into play. Simulation is emerging as a contemporary teaching approach that enables students to develop their clinical skills, communication, decision-making, and self-efficacy in a risk-free, safe, and structured environment. It is increasingly being used because it supports knowledge and skill transfer, reduces fear and anxiety, strengthens self-confidence, and provides the opportunity to experience errors. In-situ simulation and standardized patient practice offer strong potential for reducing students' error proneness by providing an experience closest to real-world clinical situations. However, the lack of a study in the literature examining the effects of these two methods, particularly on the medical error proneness and attitudes of final-year nursing students, is a significant gap. This study aims to strengthen a critical area of nursing education. The aim is to evaluate the impact of in-situ simulation and standardized patient practice on final-year nursing students' medical error proneness and attitudes toward medical errors and to reveal how they transform students' competencies in providing safe care.