Effect of the peer mentoring program on the therapeutic communication skills of students taking pediatric nursing courses
Journal of Pediatric Nursing, cilt.90, ss.255-263, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, SSCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 90
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.pedn.2026.06.021
- Dergi Adı: Journal of Pediatric Nursing
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Health Research Premium Collection (ProQuest)
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.255-263
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Communication, Mentoring, Nursing student, Pediatrics, Therapeutic
- Gazi Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Background Nurses caring for pediatric patients require advanced therapeutic communication skills to foster safe, effective, and developmentally appropriate interactions. Aim To evaluate the effect of a peer mentoring program on the therapeutic communication skills of nursing students enrolled in a pediatric nursing course. Design A pre/post test experimental design ( ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT07105605 ). Methods The study was conducted between April 1 and September 15, 2025, with 84 third-year nursing students at public university in Türkiye. Participants were randomly assigned to a control group ( n = 42) or an intervention group ( n = 42). Data were collected using the Descriptive Characteristics Form, Therapeutic Communication Skills Scale for Nursing Students, and Therapeutic Communication Material Evaluation Checklist. A mixed-design repeated-measures ANOVA was used, and effect sizes were calculated with partial eta-squared. Results Both groups improved over time; however, students who received peer mentoring demonstrated significantly greater improvements. In Therapeutic Communication Skills 1 and total test scores, significant time and group × time interaction effects were observed, indicating stronger improvement in the intervention group. In Therapeutic Communication Skills 2, only the main effect of time was significant. No significant effects were found for nontherapeutic communication skills. Material Evaluation Checklist scores were significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group ( p < 0.001). Conclusion Peer mentoring appears to be a promising educational strategy for enhancing therapeutic communication knowledge and skills in pediatric nursing education and may serve as a valuable alternative to traditional teaching approaches. Implications to practice Incorporating peer mentoring into pediatric nursing education may strengthen students' therapeutic communication competencies and provide a practical adjunct to traditional teaching approaches. This strategy has the potential to improve students' readiness for child- and family-centered communication in clinical practice.