Effect of a Chatbot on Nursing Students' Self-Efficacy in Pediatric Medication Administration

This study looked at whether a chatbot can help nursing students feel more confident about giving medicines to children. Giving medicines to children is difficult because doses depend on the child's weight, and mistakes can be harmful. Third-year nursing students starting their pediatric clinical placement took part. They were divided by chance into two groups. Both groups received the usual training. One group also used a chatbot that helped with medicine dose calculations and answered questions about giving medicines to children, based on a trusted nursing textbook. The other group used only the usual references. Students' confidence in giving medicines to children was measured with a questionnaire before and after the placement. The study compared how much each group's confidence changed to see whether the chatbot added a benefit beyond the usual training.

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Key information

Conditions

Nursing Education Medication Administration Patient Safety Self-Efficacy

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Üsküdar Univercity

Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye)

About this study

This was a two-group, parallel, pre-test-post-test randomized controlled trial evaluating the effect of a chatbot-supported clinical training on nursing students' self-efficacy in pediatric medication administration. The trial was reported in accordance with the CONSORT statement.

All eligible third-year nursing students entering the pediatric clinical placement were invited (complete enumeration), and 106 students who consented were enrolled. Participants were allocated to an experimental group (n=53) and a control group (n=53) using fixed block randomization (block size = 6).

Both groups received the routine curriculum. The experimental group additionally used a web-based chatbot before and during the placement. The chatbot contained two modules: a dose calculator (computing required drug amount and volume from the child's weight, prescribed dose, and drug concentration) and a question-answer assistant. The chatbot's content was drawn solely from a validated pediatric nursing reference textbook rather than free AI-generated responses. The control group accessed standard clinical references only. After the study, the control group was also offered access to the chatbot.

Data were analyzed using independent- and paired-samples t-tests and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with the pre-test score as a covariate.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Third-year nursing student
Entering the pediatric (child health and diseases) clinical placement for the first time
Owning a smartphone or computer
Providing voluntary informed consent to participate

Exclusion criteria

Previous completion of a pediatric clinical placement
Prior participation in a similar educational intervention

Treatment and study plan

Chatbot-supported training

Behavioral

A web-based chatbot accessible via mobile and desktop browsers, containing two modules: an advanced dose calculator that computes required drug amount and volume from the child's weight, prescribed dose, and drug concentration; and a question-answer assistant that responds to pediatric medication questions using content drawn solely from a validated pediatric nursing reference textbook.

Primary outcomes

Self-efficacy in pediatric medication administration

Time frame: Baseline (before the pediatric clinical placement) and post-intervention (after completion of the placement, approximately at the end of the clinical rotation). Baseline (Day 1) and post-intervention (Week 8)

Self-efficacy measured with the Medication Administration Self-Efficacy Scale in Children for Nursing Students (MASSCNS), a 16-item, 5-point Likert scale with total scores ranging from 16 to 80. Higher scores indicate greater self-efficacy. Change from pre-test to post-test was compared between groups.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Tugba KARAKUS TURKER

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Effect of a Chatbot-Supported Clinical Training on Nursing Students' Self-Efficacy in Pediatric Medication Administration: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Acronym: CHATPED

Important dates

Study start: 2026
Primary completion: 2026
Study completion: 2026
First posted: Jul 14, 2026
Registry last updated: Jul 14, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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