SUPERVISE: A prototype gamified mentorship program for nursing

Abstract

Objective: Clinical mentorship in nursing education is often constrained by insufficient communication, engagement, and structured interaction between students and mentors. This study aims to describe the development and evaluation of a gamified technological prototype, Support, Understanding, Professional Growth, Enhancing Skills, Reflective Practice, Validation, Improvement, Supportive Environment, and Evaluation (SUPERVISE), designed to enhance the mentorship process for nursing students. Methods: A user-centered design approach was employed, involving phases of user requirements identification, iterative prototyping, and usability testing. Gamification elements were integrated to support engagement and interaction. Usability testing included 43 participants, comprising nursing students and professionals, who evaluated the prototype using the System Usability Scale (SUS) and open-ended feedback. Results: The SUPERVISE application incorporates features such as quizzes, reflective logs, achievement systems, and rolebased access to support communication and interaction among stakeholders. The prototype achieved a mean SUS score of 80.8, indicating excellent usability, although some areas for improvement were identified and subsequently refined in later stages. Conclusion: The integration of gamification elements enhances the structure and dynamics of the mentorship process, promoting user engagement, feedback, and interaction. SUPERVISE demonstrates strong acceptability and potential as a supportive tool for mentorship in nursing education. Further research is needed to assess its long-term impact and scalability.