THE IMPACT OF PROBLEM BASED LEARNING ON STUDENTS COGNITIVE

PERFORMANCE IN MEDICAL-SURGICAL NURSING

Primary Authors: Maria Silvana Dhawo, S.Kep,Ns, Dyah Trifianingsih,S.Kep,Ns,M.Kep Co-Author:

Dwi Martha Agustina,S.Kep,Ns,M.Kep

Affiliation: Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Kesehatan Suaka Insan, Banjarmasin

ABSTRACT
Purpose: STIKES Suaka Insan applies Problem Based Learning (PBL) as a new teaching method to
answer the challenge of the 21st century of nursing education. However, measuring the impact of PBL
on students’ cognitive performance has not been yet evaluated in this nursing school. The ultimate aim
of this study is to examine the impact of PBL by comparing the students’ cognitive performance in the
PBL group and the traditional lecture group in BS Nursing students level III.
Method: This study used a historical control group with comparative descriptive design with a
convenience sample. The two groups used for this study included (1) traditional group comprised of
forty (40) nursing students level III from the previous year (2013) who received the traditional teaching
with a didactic or lecturer-centered learning process and (2) PBL group which consists of forty (40)
nursing students level III (2014) from the same institution where they studied the same content but
different teaching approach. The t-test statistical analysis employed to analyze the data.
Result: The mean score in knowledge of the PBL (66%) group was significantly higher than the
previous group who were taught using interactive lecture (36%).
Conclusion: The study indicates that the intervention of the PBL increased the students’ performance
in the cognitive level about cerebrovascular accidents (CVA) in medical surgical nursing subject to a
significant level. The findings provided grounds for looking at PBL teaching method in a new sight.
Keywords: Problem Based Learning, Traditional Lecture, Nursing Students, Cognitive Performance.