Effect of gamification on infection control precaution behaviors of managerial nurses

Objective: This study aimed to examine the effect of gamification on infection control behaviors among nurse managers. Methods: A quasi-experimental, single-group pre-test-post-test design was employed. The study population comprised all nurse managers at Akdeniz University Hospital (N = 51). Following a power analysis conducted via G-power software, all managers who met the inclusion criteria were invited to participate, resulting in a final sample of N = 39. Initial (pre-intervention) and final (post-intervention) observations were conducted via the 53-item Infection Control Measures Checklist, which covers four domains: Isolation Precautions and Personal Protective Equipment Use, Hand Hygiene, Prevention of Healthcare-Associated Infections, and Waste Management. Following the intervention, the 15-item Gamification in Mobile Health Applications Evaluation Scale, with its four subscales (Perceived Enjoyment, Flow, Creative Thinking, and Experienced Emotion), was administered. Non-parametric methods were used for the analysis, as the data did not meet the assumptions for normal distribution (Kolmogorov-Smirnov p>.05). The Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Friedman test, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis, and Spearman correlation tests were performed. Results: A significant difference was found between the pre- and post-intervention mean scores for all subscales of the Infection Control Measures Checklist (p < .05). No significant differences were found in the pre- and post-intervention scores based on the nurse managers' demographic variables, including age, marital status, education level, years of experience, years in a managerial role, or work unit (p >.05). Significant correlations were detected between the GAMEX subscale scores (Perceived Enjoyment, Flow, Creative Thinking, and Experienced Emotion) and the total and subscale scores of the Infection Control Measures Checklist(p< .05). Conclusion: The significant improvement between pre- and post-intervention scores on the Infection Control Measures Checklist and its subscales indicates that the gamified experience prompted behavioral change among nurse managers. The results suggest that the experienced gamified application successfully improved awareness regarding infection control. Keywords: Gamification Application, Manager Nurses, Infection Control Measures, Gamification Evaluation Scale, Mobile Health Applications