Impact of Information and Communication Technologies on the Development of Clinical Competencies in Nursing Students: A Systematic Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47606/ACVEN/MV0315Keywords:
information and communication technologies, clinical skills, nursing education.Abstract
Introduction: Information and Communication Technologies have transformed nursing education by providing virtual simulation, immersive realities, mobile applications, and multimodal resources that enhance acquisition of procedural, cognitive, and communicative clinical competencies. Objectives: To evaluate the impact of ICT use on the development of clinical competencies in undergraduate nursing students. Materials and Methods: A PRISMA-guided systematic review was conducted across PubMed, MDPI, SciELO, and ScienceDirect for the period 2015-2025. Empirical studies assessing student-level outcomes in undergraduate nursing programs were included; reviews and theoretical papers were excluded. After title and abstract screening and application of eligibility criteria, 27 studies were analyzed using qualitative and thematic synthesis. Results: Interventions were heterogeneous and included immersive and non-immersive virtual reality, screen-based simulation, mobile applications, serious games, and e-learning platforms. Consistent improvements were observed in procedural skills such as CPR, vascular access, transfusion procedures, and injections, particularly in hybrid designs that combined virtual practice, immediate feedback, and haptic practice. Knowledge, self-confidence, motivation, and learner satisfaction also increased. Effects on clinical reasoning were mixed and appeared contingent on quality of debriefing and instructional scaffolding. Conclusions: ICTs are effective tools for strengthening procedural clinical competencies in nursing when embedded within hybrid learning sequences featuring standardized assessment and guided debriefing. Multicenter randomized trials, longitudinal studies, and cost-effectiveness analyses are required to consolidate the evidence base.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Génesis Viviana Solis-Amaguaya , Amanda Cristhina Freres-Salvatierra , Karla Alexandra Sovenis-Goya , Gabriela Elizabeth Poma-Ortega
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