Understanding and acceptance of open, laparoscopic, and robotic surgery among nursing students: implications for educational curricula based on a mixed-methods study

PMCID: PMC12176940

PMID: 40533608

DOI: 10.1007/s11701-025-02373-7

Journal: Journal of robotic surgery

Publication Date: 2025-6-18

Authors: Özkan E, Çankaya A, Özsoy H

Key Points

• Nursing students showed varying levels of surgical technology knowledge, with mean knowledge scores of 5.26 for open surgery, 2.49 for laparoscopic surgery, and 3.69 for robotic surgery
• Over 56.7% of students were unaware of the advantages and disadvantages of different surgical methods
• Simulation-based training and curriculum updates are critical for improving nursing students' understanding of advanced surgical technologies

Summary

This study investigated nursing students' knowledge and perceptions of open, laparoscopic, and robotic surgical techniques across two Turkish universities. Using a mixed-methods approach with 423 participants, researchers found significant variations in students' understanding of surgical technologies, with 90.5% familiar with open surgery, 70.7% with laparoscopic surgery, and 62.4% with robotic surgery.

The research revealed critical knowledge gaps in advanced surgical technologies, particularly in robotic and laparoscopic procedures. While students demonstrated positive attitudes toward technological innovations in surgery, their actual comprehension was limited. The study emphasizes the urgent need to integrate comprehensive technological surgical training into nursing education curricula, highlighting that enhanced educational strategies can improve future healthcare professionals' readiness for modern surgical practices.