The power of moulage: Teaching with wound moulage simulations in nursing education

• Three-dimensional wound moulages enhance nursing students' perception of engagement in wound care compared to high-quality paper replications. • Three-dimensional wound moulages receive better ratings by nursing students’ than high-quality paper replications. • The choice of wound moulage used in nursing education influences students’ perception of engagement in practical training. Realistic simulations enhance nursing education by fostering engagement. Three-dimensional wound moulages may improve engagement compared to high-quality paper replications, but their impact remains unclear. This study explores the impact of 3-dimensional wound moulages compared to high-quality paper replications on nursing students' perception of engagement in practical training. A randomized controlled study was conducted with second-year nursing students (N = 196) at the Berne College of Higher Education, Switzerland. Participants were assigned to an intervention group (3-dimensional wound moulages, N = 105) and a control group (high-quality paper replications, N = 91). Engagement was measured using a modified Presence Questionnaire, and statistical analyses were performed using Welch's t-test. Students using 3-dimensional wound moulages reported significantly higher engagement (M = 3.12) than those using paper replications (M = 2.37, t(154.12) = 9.32, p < 0.001). This research emphasizes the importance of simulation fidelity in nursing education. Compared to high-quality paper replications, the use of 3-dimensional wound moulages enhances students' perception of engagement during practical training.