INTEGRATING TEAM-BASED LEARNING (TBL) AND CASE-BASED LEARNING (CBL) IN TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE (TCM) CLINICAL NURSING EDUCATION FOR ATHLETES

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of integrating Team-Based Learning (TBL) and Case-Based Learning (CBL) in the clinical nursing education of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), particularly focusing on athlete students. Methods: Two classes from the 2020 cohort of TCM nursing students at our institution were selected for this study. These students were randomly divided into a control group (n=57), which followed the traditional lecture-based teaching approach, and an observation group (n=59), which was taught using a combined TBL and CBL approach. We assessed both groups based on their theoretical examination scores, practical application scores, overall educational impact, and student satisfaction. Results: The observation group significantly outperformed the control group in theoretical knowledge tests (P<0.05) and practical assessments involving syndrome differentiation and nursing measures (P<0.05). Additionally, the observation group scored higher in several educational impact categories, including stimulation of learning interest, enhancement of autonomous learning skills, development of teamwork capabilities, improvement in clinical reasoning, literature utilization skills, communication and expression skills, as well as summarization and generalization abilities (P<0.05 for all). Overall satisfaction with the teaching methods was also significantly higher in the observation group (P<0.05). Conclusion: The application of TBL and CBL within TCM clinical nursing education, particularly among athletes, significantly enhances not only theoretical understanding and practical skills but also fosters essential soft skills such as teamwork, communication, and self-directed learning. This teaching strategy appears to be more effective in engaging students, encouraging deeper learning, and preparing them for complex clinical scenarios, suggesting its suitability for broader application in clinical nursing education programs, especially those focused on sports medicine and athlete care.