Scoping Review Protocol on the Use of Digital Serious Games for Patients and Caregivers Education in Acute Care Settings
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Abstract
Objective: To map and categorize the existing evidence on the use of digital serious games for patient and caregiver education in acute care settings.
Method: This scoping review will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. A comprehensive search will be conducted in 11 databases and Google Scholar to include grey literature. Inclusion and exclusion criteria are defined according to the Population, Concept, and Context methodological framework. Study selection and data extraction will be performed by 2 reviewers. Findings will be synthesized and presented descriptively to characterize the scope, nature, and key features of existing evidence on digital serious games for patient and caregiver education in acute care.
Discussion and Research Spin-offs: The results will contribute to clarifying key concepts related to serious games in acute care, identifying gaps in the existing literature, and providing a foundation to guide future research on the development, implementation, and evaluation of these innovative educational tools in these settings. The review will also offer clinicians an overview of current educational tools, target populations, and design characteristics of digital serious games used in acute care, supporting informed and reflective integration into practice.
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