Effectiveness of Problem Based Learning in Developing Knowledge of Undergraduate Nursing Students

Background: Problem based learning (PBL) is an innovative and learner-centered teaching approach that improves nurses' theoretical knowledge, trains them practically, develops their critical and problem-solving skills to be used for overcoming environmental constraints during clinical practice. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of PBL in developing knowledge of undergraduate nursing students. Methods: This study conducted a pretest-posttest experimental design among B.Sc. Nursing students of Saida Waheed FMH College of Nursing Lahore. Lottery method of random sampling was used to recruit the participants for experiment group and control group. A PBL-based treatment for the experimental group and a series of lectures was traditionally delivered to the control group on the topic of Diabetes Mellitus. Data was collected using MCQs-based questionnaire during pre-test-post-test processes. Results: This study identified the problem-based learning as more effective teaching method than lecture method after observing a significant difference between the scores of post-tests of lecture method (LM) and problem-based learning. The participants of the experimental group significantly gained more knowledge scores than the members of LM. Conclusion: The intervention of PBL method has significantly improved more knowledge of the participants of experimental group than the members of LBL. It reflects that PBL is a more important and effective teaching method in developing knowledge of nursing students than lecture method.