Effects of peer learning on nursing students' learning outcomes in electrocardiogram education

Abstract

BackgroundNurses should have the ability to interpret electrocardiograms (ECGs) quickly and accurately, but their ECG interpretation skills may be suboptimal. The best evidence for effective teaching methods is lacking. ObjectivesThis study aimed to compare the effects of peer and self-directed individual learning methods on nursing students' learning flow, interpretation skills, and self-confidence in web-based ECG education. DesignThis study employed a nonequivalent control group with a pretest-posttest design.Settings.This study was conducted at two colleges of nursing in the Republic of Korea. ParticipantsNursing students were conveniently assigned to either a peer learning group (n = 45) or a self-directed individual learning group (n = 51). MethodsA self-administered questionnaire was used to measure the nursing students' learning flow and self-confidence in ECG rhythm interpretation. ECG interpretation skills were measured using a web-based interpretation skills test. Data were analyzed using a paired t-test and a two-sample t-test. ResultsNursing students in both groups showed improved learning flow, interpretation skills, and self-confidence after ECG education compared with before learning. However, there were no significant pretest-posttest differences in learning flow, interpretation skills, or self-confidence between the two groups. ConclusionsPeer learning was as effective as self-directed individual learning in improving nursing students' learning flow, interpretations skills, and self-confidence in web-based education. Nurse educators should educate nursing students to have optimal ECG interpretation abilities, and web-based peer or individual learning are effective education methods.