Blended nutrition education with real-life scenarios enhances learning and nutritional counseling capabilities in nursing students

This study evaluated the efficacy of a blended teaching model integrating real-life scenarios into nutrition education for nursing students. The study adhered to the CONSORT guidelines. Participants (N = 283) were cluster-randomized into two groups: a blended teaching group (n = 76) receiving self-management activities via WeChat Moments alongside teachers, and a traditional teaching group (n = 207) receiving teacher-based instruction. A battery of survey items was meticulously analyzed, including demographics, educational quality, self-directed learning ability, and the willingness to further study in the nutrition course. Additionally, chapter test scores, final examination grades, nutritional counseling capabilities, and final course grades were evaluate. Blended teaching significantly improved the chapter test average (P = 0.018), willingness to continue learning (P = 0.018), students' evaluation of teaching quality (P = 0.027), and nutritional counseling capabilities (P < 0.001); however, no differences were observed in final exam grades (P = 0.620) or final course grades (P = 0.951). Our research findings clearly show that combining blended teaching with real-life scenarios significantly benefits educational quality. It boosts students' willingness to keep learning, their evaluation of teaching quality, and their self-directed learning awareness, and also favorably impacts the development of their nutritional counseling capabilities.