The effect of video assisted instruction on central venous catheter application skills, anxiety and satisfaction in nursing students: a randomised controlled study

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of video-assisted instruction on central venous catheter (CVC)-related psychomotor skills (blood collection, drug administration, and dressing care), anxiety levels, and student satisfaction. Video-assisted teaching has been identified as a potential tool for improving psychomotor competencies, enhancing knowledge retention, and reducing anxiety in clinical practice. The research employed a randomised controlled trial design. The study was conducted at the Atatürk University Faculty of Nursing between May and July 2024 using a cluster-based pre-test/post-test controlled experimental design. Internship groups within a single academic branch were assigned to intervention or control conditions to reduce cross-student contamination. Sixty-six students were included in the study. Both groups received standard theoretical and laboratory-based instruction. In addition, the experimental group was shown training videos. Post-tests were applied one week after the training. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS 27, with significance set at p <0.05. Analyses were conducted at the individual level, and cluster effects were not statistically adjusted. The post-test scores of students in the experimental group for the "Blood Drawing," "Drug Administration," and "Dressing Care" skills increased significantly (p < 0.05). No significant difference was found in the control group. No statistically significant difference was observed between groups in terms of satisfaction (p>0.05). There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of post-test anxiety levels (p>0.05). However, baseline anxiety scores differed significantly between groups and may have influenced anxiety-related outcomes. Video-assisted teaching may improve psychomotor skills in CVC care; however, its effects on anxiety reduction and student satisfaction remain inconclusive. Integrating video-assisted methods with other strategies may enhance both skill acquisition and emotional well-being in nursing education. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT07385729. The study was retrospectively registered on 29 January 2026.