Development and Evaluation of a Serious Game on Pressure Injury Prevention for the Training of Patient Relatives: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Background. In recent years, serious games have been used as an educational method in various fields such as economy, marketing, military, education, and health as a training method. Pressure injuries (PIs) are a significant health problem and clinical quality improvement issue throughout the world. Implementation of prevention strategies has gained importance in all healthcare settings due to the negative effects of PIs. Educating patient relatives on PI prevention is essential. Aims. This study aimed to develop a serious game for the training of patient relatives on PI prevention and evaluate the game in terms of knowledge acquisition and its features. Methods. The study was carried out as a single-group quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test design in three stages between August 1, 2020-April 30, 2022. In the first stage educational content, knowledge assessment test, and game evaluation questionnaire were prepared. A web-based serious game (PreSore: Pressure Injury Prevention Game) was developed in the second stage. The participants played the game in the third stage, and data was collected. The study sample consisted of patient relatives (n=55). A knowledge assessment test (pre-test, post-test, and re-test) and a game evaluation questionnaire were administered for the data collection. Results. It was determined that there was a significant increase in knowledge scores after the PreSore game implementation (p < .001). Most of the participants indicated that the information in the game was easy to understand (98.2%), they wanted to share their educational experience with others with the digital game method (96.4%), and they found the game was authentic (94.5%). Conclusions. The study revealed that the PreSore game is a method that could be used to train patient relatives on PI prevention. Integrating the PreSore into daily practice in healthcare institutions and conducting prospective studies are recommended.