The Application Effect of the 5E Instructional Model in the 'Basic Nursing' Course in Characteristic Industry College

Background Basic Nursing is a core course in the nursing program, and traditional teaching methods are often insufficient to effectively promote students' knowledge integration and development of critical thinking, especially in Characteristic Industry College emphasizing the integration of industry and education. The constructivist-based 5E Instructional Model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate) is believed to enhance student engagement and thinking skills. This study aims to evaluate the implementation effect of this model in the 'Basic Nursing' course at a Characteristic Industry College focused on intelligent health care. Methods A retrospective cohort study design was used, selecting 2021 nursing students at Henan University of Chinese Medicine as the control group (n = 60) and 2022 students as the Observation group (n = 60). The control group received traditional teaching, while the experimental group was taught using the 5E Instructional Model. Teaching effectiveness was assessed through course grades (formative and Summative Assessment) and the Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory-Chinese Version (CTDI-CV). Data were analyzed using t-tests and chi-square tests in SPSS 26.0. Results The experimental group had significantly higher total course scores (88.57 ± 5.30) than the control group (80.74 ± 2.94) (P < 0.01), with particularly strong performance in Formative Assessment such as Reflective Notes, group collaboration, and practical innovation. The experimental group also showed a significantly higher total CTDI-CV score (281.25 ± 34.47) compared to the control group (254.77 ± 18.28) (P < 0.001), with notable improvements in dimensions like open-mindedness, analytical ability, and systematization. Conclusion The 5E Instructional Model can effectively enhance students' knowledge integration, clinical practice skills, and critical thinking, making it suitable for nursing courses in Characteristic Industry College. It is recommended as an effective supplement to traditional teaching to promote the systematic improvement of the quality of nursing education.