CHATBOT USE ON NURSING STUDENTS

Concept maps are visual tools that help students organize information and understand how ideas are related to each other. Although concept mapping is widely used in nursing education, many nursing students find it difficult to create effective concept maps. Recently, artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT have begun to be used in education and may help support students during learning activities. However, it is not yet clear whether using chatbots improves students' ability to create concept maps. This study aimed to examine whether using a chatbot (ChatGPT) helps nursing students develop better concept map construction skills. The study was conducted as a randomized controlled trial with second-year nursing students taking a surgical nursing course during the 2024-2025 spring semester. A total of 108 students were randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a control group. All students received the same theoretical education about postoperative care of cardiac surgery patients from the same instructor. Students in the intervention group received brief training on how to use ChatGPT and were allowed to use the chatbot while creating case-based concept maps. Students in the control group created concept maps using only textbooks and course materials. Students' knowledge, concept map quality, and attitudes toward concept mapping were evaluated. The results showed no significant difference between the two groups in terms of postoperative care knowledge or overall concept map scores. However, students who used ChatGPT had more positive attitudes toward concept mapping. Students also reported that the chatbot helped them understand complex information more easily and supported them during the concept map creation process.In conclusion, using a chatbot did not improve concept map performance scores, but it had a positive effect on students' attitudes and learning experiences. Chatbot-assisted learning may be a useful supportive tool in nursing education. Further studies with larger groups of students and longer follow-up periods are needed to better understand its effects on learning outcomes.