Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate, Vital Signs
Conditions
Brief summary
This randomized controlled study evaluated the effect of NotebookLM-supported instruction on undergraduate nursing students' learning of vital signs. First-year nursing students were randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a control group. Students in the control group received vital signs instruction using the traditional teaching approach included in the existing nursing curriculum. Students in the intervention group received the same course content supported by educational materials created through NotebookLM, including podcasts, flashcards, review questions, and mind maps. The educational use of NotebookLM was evaluated within the PICRAT model, which considers students' engagement with technology and the effect of technology on teaching practices. Academic achievement related to vital signs was assessed immediately after instruction and again six weeks later.
Detailed description
Vital signs assessment is a fundamental component of nursing care and one of the first essential clinical skills taught in undergraduate nursing education. Accurate measurement and interpretation of body temperature, pulse, respiratory rate, and blood pressure are important for recognizing changes in a patient's physiological condition and supporting timely clinical decision-making. However, nursing students may experience difficulties in accurately interpreting vital signs, consistently monitoring critical parameters, and reporting changes in patient condition. Technology-supported educational approaches may help improve students' engagement, knowledge acquisition, and retention of clinical information. NotebookLM is a generative artificial intelligence-supported learning tool that enables educational content to be presented through multiple formats, such as audio summaries, flashcards, review questions, and mind maps. The educational integration of NotebookLM in this study was structured according to the PICRAT model. The PICRAT model evaluates technology integration through two dimensions: students' relationship with technology, classified as passive, interactive, or creative, and the effect of technology on the teacher's existing practice, classified as replacement, amplification, or transformation. This study used a randomized controlled, parallel-group design. First-year undergraduate nursing students who voluntarily agreed to participate were randomly assigned to an intervention group or a control group using a computer-based randomization procedure. The control group received vital signs education through the traditional teaching methods used in the existing nursing curriculum and did not receive any additional educational intervention. The intervention group received a 20- to 30-minute orientation on the use of NotebookLM one day before the vital signs lesson. Following the orientation, students were provided with access to a NotebookLM page prepared by the instructor. The page included educational materials related to vital signs, such as an audio podcast, flashcards, a topic review test, and a mind map. Students were encouraged to interact with these materials before and during the lesson. Classroom instruction in the intervention group used a NotebookLM-supported interactive teaching approach designed to promote active student participation. To reduce variation related to the instructor, the lessons for both groups were delivered by the same educator. The educational content covered the measurement and assessment of blood pressure, apical pulse, peripheral pulse, body temperature, and respiratory rate. Academic achievement was assessed using a 26-item multiple-choice achievement test developed to measure nursing students' knowledge and measurement skills related to vital signs. Each correct answer was scored as one point and each incorrect answer as zero points, resulting in a total score ranging from 0 to 26. The first assessment was administered face-to-face after completion of the educational intervention. The same test was administered again six weeks later to evaluate the retention of learning. Test scores were used only for research purposes and did not affect the students' course grades or academic evaluation. The primary objective of the study was to determine whether NotebookLM-supported instruction improved nursing students' academic achievement in vital signs education compared with traditional teaching. The study also examined whether the effect of the intervention was maintained at the six-week follow-up assessment.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALNotebookLM-Supported Vital Signs Instruction
Participants received a 20- to 30-minute orientation on the use of NotebookLM one day before the vital signs lesson. They were then provided with access to an instructor-prepared NotebookLM page containing educational materials on vital signs, including an audio podcast, flashcards, a topic review quiz, and a mind map. Students were encouraged to use these materials before and during the lesson. The classroom session was delivered using a NotebookLM-supported interactive teaching approach to promote active student participation. The lesson was delivered by the same instructor who taught the control group.
BEHAVIORALTraditional Vital Signs Instruction
Standard curriculum-based instruction on vital signs delivered using traditional teaching methods without NotebookLM-supported materials.
Sponsors
Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Intervention model description
Participants were randomly assigned to either a NotebookLM-supported instruction group or a traditional instruction control group and remained in their assigned group throughout the study.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Being a first-year undergraduate student enrolled in the Department of Nursing at Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, Fethiye Faculty of Health Sciences. * Being between 18 and 65 years of age. * Voluntarily agreeing to participate in the study and providing informed consent. * Having access to email and an internet-enabled device, such as a smartphone or computer, capable of accessing and playing the NotebookLM educational materials if assigned to the intervention group.
Exclusion criteria
* Withdrawing consent at any time during the study. * Having previously received education or training on vital signs.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Mean Score on the Vital Signs Academic Achievement Test Immediately After the Educational Intervention | Immediately after completion of the educational intervention | Academic achievement related to vital signs will be assessed using the 26-item Vital Signs Academic Achievement Test developed by Tanrıkulu et al. Each correct answer is scored as 1 and each incorrect answer is scored as 0. The total score ranges from 0 to 26, with higher scores indicating a higher level of academic achievement related to vital signs. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Mean Score on the Vital Signs Academic Achievement Test at the 6-Week Follow-up | 6 weeks after completion of the educational intervention | Academic achievement related to vital signs will be assessed using the 26-item Vital Signs Academic Achievement Test developed by Tanrıkulu et al. Each correct answer is scored as 1 and each incorrect answer is scored as 0. The total score ranges from 0 to 26, with higher scores indicating a higher level of academic achievement related to vital signs. This assessment will be used to evaluate the retention of learning. |
Countries
Turkey (Türkiye)
Outcome results
None listed