Comparison of the effects of teaching preoperative patient preparation in theoretical, laboratory, and clinical settings on nursing students’ perceived care competence

The aim of this study was to compare the effect of teaching preoperative patient preparation in theoretical, laboratory, and clinical settings on students’ perceived nursing care competence levels. This single-group, repeated-measures, quasi-experimental study was conducted with second-year nursing students at a faculty of nursing during the 2024–2025 academic year. No sampling was performed, and the study included 145 students who voluntarily agreed to participate. Data were collected using the “Student Information Form” and the “Perceived Competence Scale for Preoperative Nursing Care among Student Nurses.” Data were gathered sequentially in three different settings: after theoretical instruction, laboratory practice, and clinical practice. A statistically significant difference was found between the mean scores of the “Perceived Competence Scale for Preoperative Nursing Care” after the three different teaching methods (p