The effect of learning by teaching in nursing skills education on the learner's knowledge and skill levels: a quasi-experimental study.

BACKGROUND: Learning by teaching is one of the active learning models that focus on the learner. For nursing students to have these competencies and skills, contemporary, versatile, and student-active teaching methods and techniques should be employed in nursing education. Examine the effect of learning by teaching in the skills training of nursing students on their knowledge and skill levels. METHODS: A quasi-experimental design without a control group was employed. The study was conducted between November 2022 and February 2023 with 206 fourth-year nursing students. Students received training on "intravenous catheterization and drug administration through the catheter" and "intramuscular and subcutaneous drug administration" using the learning-by-teaching method through group work for 14 weeks. During this training process, they carried out their skills training using PowerPoint presentations, posters, and banners, which they prepared on certain topics, skill videos, and application models. At the beginning and three weeks after end of the education process, a questionnaire was applied to the students who completed the training on the subjects they taught, and their skill levels were evaluated with the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). RESULTS: The mean age of the students was 21.8 ± 1.31 years (min.:20 and max.: 28), 68.4% (n = 141) were female, and their Grade Point Average was 3.05 ± 0.27. There was a statistically significant difference between the students' mean pre-test and post-test scores in all tests (p < 0.05). A statistically significant difference was determined between the students' mean pre-test and post-test scores from theoretical and skills measurements in all study groups (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: It was determined that the learning-by-teaching method was effective in the knowledge and skill levels of students in nursing skills education in all learning subjects determined in the study.