Use of Artificial Intelligence–Based Chatbots and Self-Efficacy Among Students Taking a Surgical Nursing Course

Introduction: Nursing students use chatbots, and the frequency of their usage correlates with students' intent to engage with and learn from these tools. However, the impact of this intent on academic self-efficacy remains unclear. This study aims to (1) investigate the use of chatbots by students in a surgical nursing course and (2) examine how usage intention influences academic self-efficacy levels.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Türkiye from March 20 to April 20, 2025. The sample consisted of 144 students enrolled in a surgical nursing course. Data were collected through an online survey, which included the Individual Identification Form, the Academic Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Behavioral Intention to Use and Learn Chatbot in Education Scale. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0. Descriptive statistics (including count, percentage, mean, and standard deviation), Pearson correlation analysis, and hierarchical regression were employed for data analysis.
Results: The mean age of students in the surgical nursing course was 21.45±3.46 years, with 84.7% being female. A majority of students (77.1%) regularly used chatbots, and 73.6% utilized ChatGPT as their chatbot. Pearson correlation analysis revealed a weak but statistically significant positive relationship between the total score and five sub-dimensions of the Behavioral Intention to Use and Learn Chatbot in Education Scale and academic self-efficacy (p<0.05). Hierarchical regression analysis showed that chatbot usage in education and behavioral intention toward learning explained 10% of the variance in academic self-efficacy.
Discussion and Conclusion: The study demonstrated that the use of chatbots in education, along with students’ motivation to learn, positively affected academic self-efficacy. The results emphasized the importance of integrating chatbots into nursing education to enhance academic self-efficacy. In this context, it is crucial to advance nursing education through the implementation of artificial intelligence applications.

Keywords: Chatbot; education; self-efficacy; perioperative nursing.