The Comparison of Lecture-Based and Web-Based Education on Nursing Students’ Learning in the Management of Radiation Injuries

Background: Extensive application of radioactive materials to medical and military purposes justifies the necessity of training military nurse students regarding the management of radiation injury. The current study aimed at comparing the effect of two methods (lecture and web-based) of training on the management of radiation-injured patients among military nurse students from 2013 to 2014. Materials and Methods: The current semi-experimental study was conducted on 60 military nursing students in two military nursing schools in Tehran, Iran selected purposively. Subjects of the study were divided into two groups of 30 as lecture and web-based teaching. The effect of education was measured on three levels of knowledge, comprehension, and application; before, immediately after, and four weeks after completion of teaching. The data were analyzed with SPSS software version 21, using Repeated Measures (RM)-ANOVA and t-test. Results: Mean and standard deviation of scores in all learning levels (knowledge, comprehension, and application) in both groups had a significant difference between before and after the intervention (P<0.001). No significant difference was observed in the total mean scores of the two groups before intervention. In the post-test, immediately after training, mean scores of the web-based group had a greater increase, but no significant difference was observed (P=0.12). In the retention stage (four weeks after training), it was observed that the lecture-based method was more effective (P=0.01). Conclusion: According to the obtained results, learning increased in both methods . Therefore, it is recommended to use the combined teaching method to educate nursing students.