Bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and clinical competence is a central challenge in nursing education. This before-after study compared the effectiveness of a blended learning strategy, i.e., combining asynchronous video lectures and low-fidelity simulation training, vs. video lectures on nursing students’ self-perceived competence in airway management. The study involved third-year students in a bachelor's nursing program in Italy. Students who agreed to join the study could choose between the two educational interventions. Anonymous questionnaires before and after the intervention were administered to document students’ characteristics and changes in perceived relevance, readiness to perform, and learnability of four key procedures, i.e., arterial blood gas analysis, non-invasive ventilation, tracheostomy suctioning, and manual ventilation with an AMBU bag. Both groups showed significant improvements in perceived readiness and learnability, especially for less frequently practiced procedures during the clinical internship. Simulation further enhanced the considered indicators compared to video lectures alone. Additionally, students reported a shift in perceived facilitators, with simulation and video lessons emerging as useful strategies to enable learning. These findings support the integration of low-cost digital and experiential methods to boost confidence and competence in essential nursing skills, especially in settings with limited clinical exposure.