Effectiveness of a Case-Based Teaching Strategy on Knowledge of Post-Operative Cardiac Surgery Care among Undergraduate Nursing Students: A Pre-Experimental Study
Keywords:
Cardiothoracic nursing, Case-based learning, Nursing education, Post-operative care, Undergraduate studentsAbstract
Background: The post‑operative period following cardiac surgery demands vigilant monitoring and timely identification of complications. Undergraduate nursing students frequently encounter difficulty translating theoretical knowledge into safe clinical decision‑making in cardiothoracic settings. Educational strategies that promote contextual and analytical learning may enhance preparedness.
Objective: To determine the effectiveness of a structured case‑based teaching strategy in improving knowledge related to post‑operative cardiac surgery care among undergraduate nursing students.
Design: Pre‑experimental one‑group pretest–posttest study.
Setting: Undergraduate nursing college affiliated with a university.
Participants: Fifty fourth‑semester B.Sc. Nursing students.
Methods: Participants completed a 30‑item structured knowledge questionnaire before and after exposure to two structured case‑based teaching sessions. The sessions incorporated realistic patient scenarios involving post‑coronary artery bypass graft management. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a paired t‑test.
Results: The mean knowledge score increased significantly from 14.62 (SD = 3.41) in the pretest to 23.88 (SD = 2.96) in the posttest (t = 15.47, p < 0.001).
Conclusion: The structured case‑based teaching strategy significantly enhanced knowledge regarding post‑operative cardiac surgery care. Incorporating contextual learning approaches into cardiothoracic nursing education may strengthen student preparedness for complex clinical environments.
