Assessment tools for evaluating nursing students' knowledge on HIV prophylaxis: A scoping review.

AIM: To map instruments assessing nursing students' knowledge of HIV prophylaxis and critically appraise their measurement properties using the COSMIN framework.

DESIGN

Scoping review.

METHODS

This scoping review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines. Systematic searches were performed in PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, Embase and Google Scholar (gray literature) through August 28, 2025. Eligible studies included those reporting instruments designed to measure HIV prophylaxis knowledge among nursing students. Study selection and data extraction were conducted independently by two reviewers. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed using the MMAT, while the quality of the measurement instruments was evaluated using the COSMIN checklist.

RESULTS

Of 1286 records screened, nine studies met the inclusion criteria. The included studies were published between 2014 and 2025, involving a total of 2302 nursing students. Only four of the nine included studies provided adequate information regarding the validation process of the instruments. Most tools were administered online and employed Likert scales, predefined scoring systems, or assertive questions. Only one study conducted post-testing to assess knowledge retention.

CONCLUSIONS

This review documents the recent emergence of instruments measuring PrEP/PEP knowledge among nursing students and highlights important methodological and implementation gaps. The limited use of these tools in educational interventions signals the need for future studies to evaluate their responsiveness and utility in improving HIV prevention competencies in nursing education.