Effects of an educational system on conception and skills of nursing students in clinical training

An education system is a collection of programs, methods and materials accordantly facilitating the achievement of special educational goals for learners. Designing an education system is prescribing or predicting desired educational methods to achieve expected changes in students’ knowledge, skills and emotions. With respect to the necessity of a particular type of learning or approach for each stage of knowledge acquisition, compound education methods may ease students to attain learning goals. The Purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to determine the effects of a compound education method of clinical training on conception and skill levels of sophomore nursing students in their cardiac clinical training. What was named compound educational method in this study had been derived from theories of David Asubel, Hilda Taba and Floyd Robinson, through which a mix of two data-processing teaching methods, namely, inductive thinking and advanced organizer models were applied. 57 students were randomly divided into 2 control (28) and experimental (29) groups and taught during a 12-day lesson plan (1 credit unit of clinical training in cardiac ward). 3 main advanced organizers (clinical examination, chest X-ray study and assessment of cardiac patients) and oxygen therapy, respiratory physiotherapy as well as ECG reading were instructed and practiced. Some topics were also studied through clinical conference as well as group discussion and 8 critical situations for decision-making were practiced. All subjects were tested on the 1st, 7th and 12th day of training. For the control group, the routine educational program was provided. Data collection tools included feedback cards, observation form for skill assessment and a questionnaire for drug information. Pre-and posttest scores were significantly higher in the experimental group than the control group in all educational domains. The compound method seems more effective on improving the cognition and skills of nursing student.