The effects of reciprocal peer practice with digital platform on undergraduate nursing students’ operational skills, critical thinking, and self-efficacy: a quasi-experimental study

BACKGROUND: Teacher-centered models in fundamental nursing education face issues including high student-instructor ratios and limited personalized feedback, hindering nursing students' clinical competency development. Peer-assisted learning with digital platforms is a promising solution. However, there remains a lack of research exploring the impact of structured digital platforms designed for peer practice in fundamental nursing education. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured digital platform for reciprocal peer practice in fundamental of nursing education. METHODS: We conducted a quasi-experimental study involving 72 s-year undergraduate nursing students. The intervention group utilized reciprocal peer practice with the WeChat Mini Program, which was based on the BOPPPS teaching model (Bridge-in, Objectives, Pre-assessment, Participatory Learning, Post-assessment, Summary), while the control group participated in traditional group training in 3 weeks. Pre- and post-assessments were conducted using validated instruments. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 23.0, employing independent samples t-test and Mann-Whitney U test to compare the effects between the groups. RESULTS: The intervention group showed statistically significant improvements in the operational skills (Z = -3.566, p < 0.001). Additionally, participants in the intervention group showed improvements in the critical thinking (t = 2.386, p = 0.020). While both groups reported gains in self-efficacy, the intervention group exhibited a more pronounced improvement in self-efficacy (t = 3.152, p = 0.002) with reduced variability. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study highlight the potential for integrating digital tools for peer-assisted learning in nursing education, particularly within institutions facing faculty shortages or those seeking to modernize their pedagogical approaches.