Abstract
Nursing education in Uganda plays an essential role in preparing healthcare professionals to address the country’s diverse and complex health challenges. However, traditional teaching approaches, which often rely heavily on rote learning, fail to adequately equip nursing students with critical thinking and clinical decision-making skills, essential competencies for effective patient care. Case-based learning (CBL) has emerged as a promising instructional strategy that promotes active engagement, problem-solving, and the application of theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios. This review examines the potential of CBL to transform nursing education in Uganda by fostering critical thinking and enhancing clinical decision-making among students. Evidence from global studies indicates that CBL significantly improves professional students competencies by bridging the gap between theory and practice, encouraging reflective thinking, and providing context-specific learning experiences. In Uganda, the integration of CBL remains limited due to systemic challenges, including resource constraints, large student-to-teacher ratios, and insufficient access to simulation tools. Additionally, cultural and institutional resistance to shifting from traditional teaching methods hinders the adoption of innovative pedagogies like CBL. Despite these barriers, subjective evidence and preliminary studies suggest that when implemented effectively, CBL can lead to improved critical thinking, better clinical judgment or decision making, and enhanced readiness for professional practice among nursing students. To fully realize the benefits of CBL in Uganda, a multi-faceted approach is required. This includes incorporating CBL into nursing curricula, providing educators with targeted training and resources, and investing in infrastructure such as simulation labs and digital learning platforms. Aligning case scenarios with local healthcare challenges can enhance the relevance and effectiveness of CBL in preparing students for the realities of clinical practice. Handling these challenges and fostering a culture of pedagogical innovation, Uganda’s nursing education system can leverage CBL to produce competent and confident nursing professionals capable of meeting the country’s evolving healthcare needs. Keywords: Impact, Case-Based Learning, Critical Thinking, Clinical Decision Making, Uganda, Nursing Education.
Published Version
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