Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of an integrated theoretical and practical educational approach on nursing students’ understanding of children’s rights and perceptions of child maltreatment, as well as their motivation and efficacy to learn. The study used a single-group pretest-posttest design to assess changes in perceptions following an action learning-based curriculum focused on child maltreatment in pediatric nursing education. Data from participating nursing students were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, and one-way ANOVA using SPSS 21.0. The results indicated a significant increase in the students’ awareness of children’s rights (t=-2.71, p=.008) and recognition of child abuse (t=-5.73, p<.001) following the intervention. This study underscores the effectiveness of action learning in cultivating a deeper understanding of child rights and abuse among nursing students, highlighting its potential as an educational strategy in nursing curricula.