Application effect of Kolb's experiential learning theory in clinical nursing teaching of traditional Chinese medicine

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the practical application and effect of Kolb's experiential learning theory in the clinical nursing training of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). METHODS: This study is a quasi-experimental study. Eighty clinical nurses from a class-III grade-A general hospital were enrolled in 2020 and 2021, respectively, as research subjects. The subjects in the control group were trained in “theory explanation, clinical practice, summary and Q&A, [and] centralized examination.” The subjects in the experimental group were first grouped according to Kolb's experiential learning style. The training followed a “problem–exploration–practice–exploration–theory–explanation–summary–centralized examination” structure based on Kolb's experiential learning cycle, the training place is Conference Room 1 of the hospital. The training time is from February to August 2020 and 2021. The application effect of the experiential learning theory was evaluated by analyzing course evaluation questionnaires and the final examination results. RESULTS: The total score of the course evaluation questionnaire of the experimental group was 112.23 ± 5.88. The difference compared with the control group was statistically significant (P < .01). In the experimental group, the theoretical score was 85.27 ± 3.29, and the operational score was 85.36 ± 3.01. The differences compared with the control group were statistically significant (P < .01). CONCLUSION: The application of Kolb's experiential learning theory to the training of TCM clinical nursing can make the clinical practice of TCM nursing more “scientific” and the training more effective, and it can improve the subjective initiative of students.