Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Nurse Education in Practice, cilt.93, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, SSCI, Scopus)
Aim: To evaluate the effect of crossword puzzle activities on nursing students’ willingness to work with older adults and their competence in gerontological nursing. Background: Although crossword puzzles are widely used learning tools, their effects in these areas have not been sufficiently investigated. Design: A parallel-design randomized controlled trial with a waiting list. Methods: Participants included 102 s-year nursing students with 51 assigned to the experimental group and 51 to the control group. Data were collected using Willingness to Work with Elderly People Scale and the Gerontological Nursing Competence Scale. The experimental group completed a crossword puzzle activity once a week for three weeks following standard lectures. The data were analyzed using independent and paired samples t-tests. Results: The gerontological competence post-test mean scores in the experimental group were significantly higher than those in the control group (p = 0.031), with a medium effect size (d = 0.43). Gerontological nursing competence (p = 0.033) and willingness to work with older adults (p = 0.004) significantly increased from pre- to post-test in the experimental group. However, no significant group difference in willingness to work with older adults was found after the intervention (p = 0.654). Conclusion: The present study concluded that the crossword puzzle activity was associated with promotion in enhancing gerontological nursing competence among nursing students. However, no significant effect was observed on willingness to work with older adults. Crossword puzzle activities could be integrated into nursing education programs to strengthen competence in gerontological care.