JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

The increasing frequency of disasters has heightened the demand for effective healthcare training. Traditional training methods frequently fall short in simulating real-world scenarios or motivating learners, thereby generating interest in gamification—an engaging, practice-oriented educational approach—specifically for disaster nursing education.

Objective:

This review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of gamified teaching methodologies in disaster nursing education and to identify the outcome indicators utilized in existing studies.

Methods:

Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic review was conducted on 16 (quasi-)experimental studies published up to February 2025, sourced from eight databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, and CNKI. The study protocol was registered in PROSPERO [Registration Number CRD420250652129].

Results:

The studies included in this review comprised one randomized controlled trial (RCT) and 15 quasi-experimental designs. Six gamified formats (e.g., simulations, and virtual scenarios) exhibited positive outcomes. The effectiveness of these formats was assessed through various metrics, including theoretical knowledge (14 studies), practical skills (11 studies), learner satisfaction (9 studies), and knowledge retention (4 studies). All formats demonstrated improvements in knowledge and skills, with high levels of satisfaction reported. However, data on long-term retention were limited.

Conclusions:

Gamified teaching methodologies significantly enhance competencies and engagement in disaster nursing, presenting a viable alternative to traditional training methods. Nevertheless, there is a notable absence of standardized evaluation metrics, long-term outcome assessments, and rigorous RCTs. While the findings are promising, broader implementation necessitates further validation, particularly for approaches that have been less studied. Clinical Trial: The study protocol was registered in PROSPERO [Registration Number CRD420250652129].