Problem-Based Learning in a Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Practicum: A Four-Year Instructional Evaluation in an Accelerated Second-Degree Bachelor of Nursing Science Program

บทคัดย่อ

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a student-centred instructional strategy promoting active learning, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills in psychiatric and mental health nursing education. This study aimed to describe the implementation of an adapted PBL instructional model and to evaluate course-evaluation outcomes in a psychiatric and mental health nursing practicum across four academic years (2021–2024). Academic year 2021 served as the pre-implementation (baseline) year and 2022–2024 represented the PBL implementation period.

A repeated cross-sectional instructional evaluation was conducted across four independent yearly cohorts comprising a total of 214 nursing students enrolled in a psychiatric and mental health nursing practicum course at a private university in Pathum Thani Province, Thailand (2021: n = 45; 2022: n = 62; 2023: n = 71; 2024: n = 36). Two instruments were administered: the PBL Input-Process-Output Evaluation Questionnaire of Thawarawong (2008), administered in academic year 2022 only, and the Curriculum Instructional Evaluation Questionnaire, administered across all four years. Descriptive statistics, the coefficient of variation, and Pearson trend correlations were applied.

The overall PBL evaluation score in 2022 was 4.58 out of 5.00 (Very Good). Process and Output dimensions achieved the highest mean scores (4.62), while Input scored 4.47. Year-to-year analysis showed higher mean scores across the study period: overall mean scores rose from 4.85 to 4.95, analytical thinking from 4.87 to 4.94, problem-solving from 4.91 to 4.94, and self-directed learning from 4.85 to 4.94. Trend correlation coefficients ranged from r = 0.791 to r = 0.868, indicating positive year-to-year trends. PBL implementation was associated with consistently positive course-evaluation outcomes, with higher mean scores observed across the study period. Because the analysis was based on annual mean values from different cohorts, these findings are interpreted as positive year-to-year evaluation trends rather than as confirmation of within-student improvement or of causal effects on clinical competency.