The Flipped Classroom With Case-Based Learning in Graduate Nurse Anesthesia Education

A pilot study was conducted to compare student academic performance and course satisfaction with the flipped classroom (a type of blended learning) and casebased learning in a graduate nurse anesthesia program. Quiz, test, and student satisfaction survey scores from a neuroanesthesia principles course were compared between 2 first-year nurse anesthesia student cohorts taught in a flipped classroom with case-based learning (n=17) vs traditional lecture-based classroom (n=19). Mean preclass and postclass quiz scores (SD) improved significantly in both the flipped classroom (8.41 [0.870] vs 8.94 [0.243], P=.03, α =.05) and traditional classroom (8.68 [0.58], P=.03, α .05). Between cohorts, no significant differences were found on mean preclass (8.41 vs 8.68, P=.34, α <.05) and postclass quizzes (8.94 vs 9.0, P=.32, α <.05) or examination scores (29.41 [2.00]; 28.31 [2.14]; P=.12, α <.05). Student satisfaction scores were favorable but not significantly different between cohorts. Based on noninferior outcomes in student academic performance and satisfaction, the flipped classroom with case-based learning may be a suitable alternative to the traditional lecture-based classroom in graduate nurse anesthesia education.