Content area
Background
Nursing pharmacology, essential for patient safety, benefits from innovative teaching methods that enhance student engagement and understanding. This study evaluates the effects of integrating pop culture and artificial intelligence (AI) into nursing pharmacology case studies, aiming to improve learning outcomes.
Method
A total of 80 AI-assisted, pop culture-infused case studies that illustrated pharmacological principles were developed using diverse media narratives. Student performance on related exam questions was compared using a paired t test.
Results
Scores for pop culture-based questions (M = 0.91 [SD = 0.065]) improved significantly compared with traditional questions (M = 0.84 [SD = 0.087]), with a large effect size (Cohen's d = 1.01, p < .001), indicating enhanced engagement and retention.
Conclusion
Incorporating pop culture and AI into pharmacology education significantly enhanced student engagement and understanding, suggesting a promising approach to making learning more accessible, enjoyable, and relevant. [J Nurs Educ. 2025;64(X):XXX–XXX.]
Nursing pharmacology is an essential part of nursing education, imparting knowledge critical for safe patient care. It includes the intricate dynamics of drug action, from pharmacokinetics to pharmacodynamics, and is central to effective clinical practice. Traditional pedagogy in pharmacology often is grounded in didactic approaches, which sometimes are difficult to maintain student engagement, foster critical thinking, and deepen understanding of the subject matter (McHugh et al., 2021). Student engagement refers to the degree to which students are attentive, interested, and motivated to participate in learning activities during their education (Axelson & Flick, 2010). Innovative approaches that resonate with students' experiences are needed to surmount these educational hurdles (Dalavaye et al., 2023). The complexity of nursing pharmacology, combined with the diverse learning needs of students, underscores the necessity for innovative teaching methods. The integration of pop culture and media has emerged as a potential solution to these challenges, offering a more engaging and relatable learning experience (Gary, 2020).
Pop Culture as an Educational Tool
Pop culture encompasses a wide range of accessible and familiar media content, offering unique opportunities for educators to enhance teaching and learning. By integrating pop culture into educational content, instructors can make complex pharmacological concepts more understandable and engaging for students. The use of popular movies, TV shows, and iconic characters in medical and nursing education has shown promising results for improving educational outcomes. Studies demonstrate that this approach not only improves student engagement but also enhances their understanding and retention of medical concepts (Gary, 2020).
Educational Theories Supporting Innovative Teaching Methods
Educational theories such as constructivism and experiential learning theory offer robust frameworks that can significantly enhance the effectiveness of innovative teaching methods in nursing pharmacology. Constructivism posits that learning is an active, constructive process where learners build new ideas or concepts based on their current and past knowledge (Brandon & All, 2010). In the context of nursing pharmacology, this theory suggests that students learn best when they can form their own understanding of pharmacological concepts by connecting new information with their existing knowledge base, which often includes elements of pop culture. By using characters or scenarios from pop culture that students are already familiar with, educators can facilitate the construction of knowledge, making abstract or complex pharmacological concepts more concrete and relatable.
Experiential learning theory, on the other hand, emphasizes the process of learning through experience (Yardley& Teunissen, 2012). It proposes that knowledge results from the combination of grasping and transforming experience. When pop culture is integrated into the learning experience, students can engage with the material through a familiar context, making the experiences more vivid and the pharmacological principles more memorable. For example, analyzing a medical scenario portrayed in a popular TV show can enable students to apply theoretical knowledge in a simulated, yet familiar, practical setting, thereby reinforcing their understanding through active participation and reflection.
In applying these theories to the teaching of pharmacology, educators can move beyond just traditional lecture-based learning and embrace a more student-centered approach. This approach allows students to play a more active role in their learning process, engage in critical thinking, and apply their knowledge in contextually rich scenarios that mimic real-life situations. The alignment of pop culture with educational content can transform passive learning into an interactive and dynamic process, fostering a deeper understanding of pharmacological principles and their applications in the health care environment (Dalavaye et al., 2023).
Enhancing Case Studies With AI
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force in the educational sector, fundamentally altering the way educational content is developed and delivered (Wartman & Combs, 2019; Liu et al., 2023). Tools like OpenAI's ChatGPT harness the power of machine learning and natural language processing to generate creative and engaging content that can be tailored to the specific needs of students (Liu et al., 2023). With its ability to understand and produce human-like text, generative AI enables educators to craft or enhance diverse and inclusive educational materials, such as pop culture case studies, that resonate with a diverse audience. This technology not only supports the creation of rich, multicultural narratives but also enhances the development of mnemonic devices and learning tools, making education more accessible and personalized.
Current Study Rationale
Despite the growing body of research supporting the use of pop culture in education, a gap remains in specifically applying these methods to nursing pharmacology. This study explored the potential benefits of incorporating pop culture case studies into nursing pharmacology education, hypothesizing that this approach can significantly improve test scores. Integrating pop culture into nursing pharmacology education has the potential to revolutionize teaching practices in the field. By making the learning experience more enjoyable and memorable, this approach can contribute to improved student engagement, understanding, and long-term retention of complex pharmacological concepts. Incorporating pop culture and generative AI into nursing pharmacology case studies can significantly improve nursing students' test performance compared with traditional teaching methods.
Method
Pop Culture Case Study Development
In developing an innovative educational intervention, the researcher crafted approximately 80 pop culture case studies designed to engage students in scenario-based discussions (Table A; available in the online version of this article). These case studies draw upon well-known narratives from various media to present real-world pharmacological challenges in a context that combines entertainment with education. The aim was to distill complex concepts into memorable learning experiences, capitalizing on the storytelling prowess of pop culture.
| The Good Place (TV, 2016): |
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Mr. Chidi Anagonye is a 35-year-old Black cis-male, and he is a vegetarian. He is a moral philosophy professor. He reports numbness and tingling in his hands and feet. He also reports recent memory loss and mood changes. He noted that he recently made vegetarian chili with Easter candy instead of vegetables while he was confused and depressed.
What vitamin deficiency do you suspect he has? What laboratory values would you expect to see? How severe is his deficiency likely to be based on symptoms? Would oral or intramuscular preparation be a better choice for him? |
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| How the Grinch Stole Christmas (TV, 1966): |
| Mr. Grinch is a male of undetermined age and race who has experienced a great deal of stress around the holidays. Max, his doggy assistant, has assessed his blood pressure and found it to be high.
He has a history of asthma and diabetes. Which beta blocker would be a better choice for him? What nursing intervention should be performed before administering this medication to him? What education should you provide about this medication? He returns to the clinic and report shortness of breath and peripheral edema. Echocardiogram shows that his heart has “grown three sizes that day.” Which adverse effect may he be experiencing? |
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| Pirates of the Caribbean (Movie, 2003): |
| Mr. Jack Sparrow (age 40) has been captain of his ship, the Black Pearl, for many years and has not had consistent access to fruits or vegetables. He presents today at the clinic in the port town after capsizing his boat again with gum disease and poor wound healing.
What vitamin deficiency is he likely to have? What disease does he likely have? |
| Schitt's Creek (TV, 2015) |
| David Rose is a 35-year-old White cis-male who identifies as pansexual. After finding out that his family will be unable to leave the town of Schitt's Creek, he becomes upset and runs away to a local farm. While working on the farm, he gets a tick bite.
What antibiotic often is used for tick bites? David commonly wears a lot of black, long outfits. His clothing style will help protect him from which side effect of the antibiotic? What medications interact with this antibiotic? |
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| Signs (Movie, 2002) |
| Morgan Hess is a 10-year-old male with a history of asthma. After an encounter with extraterrestrial creatures, he develops an acute asthma attack.
What are some SIGNS of an asthma attack? What medication would he benefit from? What would be a contraindication to this medication? If he overused this medication, what could happen? What receptor is being targeted? |
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| The Simpsons (TV, 1989) |
| Lisa Simpson is a 9-year-old girl with a history of allergies. Her allergies have become so severe, she cannot comfortably play the saxophone. The provider prescribes loratadine for Lisa to manage her allergies.
Lisa asks what are the benefits of loratadine? What other antihistamines could be given instead of loratadine? Do all drugs used to treat an allergy-induced runny nose make a person drowsy during the daytime? |
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| Pride and Prejudice (Book, 1813; Movie, 2005) |
| Ms. Jane Bennet (the eldest of the Bennet sisters) walked to Netherfield Estate in the rain at the behest of the wealthy Caroline Bingley and her eligible brother Mr. Charles Bingley. Jane develops a cough and falls ill, requiring her to stay with the Bingley Family for a couple of days.
If cough medicine existed in the late 18th century, what medications could her younger sister, Elizabeth Bennet, bring her? |
| 2. What education would you provide about the medications? |
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| Community (TV, 2009) |
| Abed Nadir is a 20-year-old Palestinian-Polish American. He is having trouble coping with changes in his Greendale College study group. He expresses fear, apprehension, and dread. He is diagnosed with generalized anxiety.
What are some treatment options for Abed? What nursing education would you provide about these options? |
To construct these case studies, the researcher executed a multi-tiered methodology for character and scenario selection. Initially, the researcher identified characters from pop culture who have encountered health conditions akin to those being studied or whose experiences closely mirrored the pharmacological principles being taught. This method provides a visual and narrative anchor for the students, enhancing their engagement and comprehension. For some case studies, the researcher integrated mnemonic devices into the case studies by selecting characters whose names resonate with or share initials with the medications under discussion, thereby aiding students' recall of crucial pharmacological information.
In the narration of these scenarios, the researcher aimed for brevity and humor, ensuring that the content not only was pedagogically sound but also was delivered in a captivating manner. Moreover, the researcher made a concerted effort to represent a diverse array of characters, encompassing various races, ethnicities, genders, and sexual orientations. This deliberate inclusion reflects the diverse fabric of the global patient population and promotes an inclusive learning atmosphere. By doing so, students are afforded the opportunity to see themselves and their future patients in the curriculum, enhancing their cultural competency and empathy.
AI Enhancement
In the development of pop culture case studies for nursing pharmacology, ChatGPT was instrumental in expanding the cultural breadth of the materials. Leveraging its extensive language models trained on a vast corpus of text, Chat-GPT was used to help identify source material that reflects a wide array of cultural contexts. By inputting parameters that specify particular cultural nuances, character profiles, and medical scenarios, ChatGPT provided a variety of narratives and dialogues that were then refined into case studies (Table B; available in the online version of this article). These AI-generated materials were sometimes further adapted to create powerful mnemonic devices, ensuring that each case study was not only educational but also memorable. This approach ensured that the case studies were culturally relevant and linguistically diverse, thereby catering to the needs of a globally dispersed student population. In this process, generative AI served not only as a creative partner but also as a cultural bridge, making it possible to integrate a spectrum of global narratives into nursing pharmacology education.
| Prompts for using ChatGPT to aid in the creation of case studies:
Identify the Character and Show/Movie: Choose characters from widely recognized TV shows or movies. The character's name should share a similar sound or rhyme with the generic name of a drug relevant to the portrayed medical condition or a hypothetical condition that fits the storyline. Select the Drug: Pick a generic drug whose name rhymes with the character's name or shares the first letter or syllable. Briefly describe the drug's primary use, mechanism of action, and key side effects. Develop the Scenario: Craft a short narrative or scenario in which the character encounters a health issue that requires the selected drug. Ensure the scenario is engaging and educative, highlighting how the drug affects the condition. Educational Objective: Outline the learning objectives for the case study, such as understanding drug mechanisms, identifying side effects, or recognizing drug interactions. Interactive Element: Suggest an interactive element that could be included in the case study, such as a quiz question or a decision point where students choose the best course of action based on the character's condition and available treatment options. “Identify characters from a variety of ethnic backgrounds featured in well-known dramas or comedies who could be integrated into educational case studies about chronic diseases. Provide details about their backgrounds and explore how their experiences with structural issues such as racism could influence their health care treatment preferences and outcomes.” “Could you compile a detailed list of LGBTQ+ characters from well-known fiction across various media—such as television shows, movies, books, or theatrical plays—who have experienced significant medical issues as part of their storyline? Please include the name of the character, the title of the work, the nature of their medical issue, and how this issue affects their role or development within the story. Also, highlight any notable interactions or relationships that are influenced by their medical condition.” “Find characters in fiction who are dealing with rare diseases. Create a brief profile for the characters and suggest how they could be used to teach about orphan drugs and the challenges in treating rare conditions.” “Search for characters from a range of media sources, including films, television series, and novels, who represent a diverse array of gender presentations (e.g., cisgender, transgender, nonbinary, and genderqueer) and are depicted with specific medical conditions. Provide a brief description of each character, noting the character's gender identity and medical condition. The aim is to ensure that these vignettes are inclusive and address the unique pharmacological needs of individuals across different gender identities, thereby enhancing understanding of personalized patient care in pharmacology education.” |
Participants
The participants were 79 students enrolled in a prelicensure nursing pharmacology course in an accelerated nursing program. Detailed demographic data were not collected for this study.
Data Analysis
To evaluate the educational efficacy of pop culture in nursing pharmacology, a comparative analysis was conducted using a paired t test on the performance of 79 nursing students on three nursing pharmacology exams. A paired t test was used to compare the means of student performance on two distinct question types: (a) 50 questions associated with pop culture-infused case studies; and (b) 59 traditional questions devoid of such context across three exams. The questions aimed to assess both the recall of specific pharmacological information from the case studies and the application of this knowledge in solving clinical problems. The non-case study questions were multiple-choice questions based on nursing pharmacology content covered in the classroom but did not include contextualized scenarios or references to pop culture.
The students were assessed in a consistent testing environment for each exam to mitigate extraneous variables that could affect the outcome; this controlled setting ensured the reliability of the data collected. Upon completion of the exams, scores were recorded and segregated into two categories aligned with the sets of questions. For each student, an average score was calculated for each set of questions (case study versus no case study), and a paired t test was used to compare students' average scores on the two types of questions.
The researcher received approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) to use secondary classroom data for this study. The IRB reviewed and approved the research protocols to ensure the ethical use and confidentiality of the data, confirming that all necessary measures were taken to protect the rights and privacy of the participants.
In preparing this manuscript, AI tools were used to develop and refine certain elements. Specifically, ChatGPT was used to assist in the development and enhancement of some of the pop culture case studies included in the study. Additionally, Chat-GPT was used to aid in editing and refining this manuscript and preparing the data for analysis.
Results
Results of the paired samples t test indicated a significant difference between conditions, t(78) = −12.48, p < .001, Cohen's d = 1.01. The mean scores for non-pop culture questions (M = 0.84 [SD = 0.087]) were statistically significantly lower than those for pop culture case study questions (M = 0.91 [SD = 0.065]), as indicated by the negative t value compared with the mean scores on the non-pop culture questions. Using Cohen's conventional standards for interpreting effect sizes, the size of the difference between the two groups was large, indicating that the pop culture case studies appeared to have a strong effect on student test performance.
Discussion
The data from this study suggest that using pop culture as a teaching tool in nursing pharmacology has a positive effect on student learning. Students scored significantly higher on questions linked to pop culture scenarios than on traditional questions. This suggests that when pharmacological concepts are taught using references to familiar media, students seem to understand and remember the material better. These findings support educational strategies that promote active and relatable learning experiences over pure memorization or lecture-based learning.
Incorporating generative AI, specifically ChatGPT, into the development of these pop culture case studies has been instrumental in enhancing the richness and relevance of the educational material. By generating content that is not only engaging but also culturally and contextually diverse, AI tools allow for a broader exploration of pharmacological principles in a manner that resonates with a diverse student body. The integration of AI has enabled the crafting of more complex, nuanced case studies that effectively mimic real-world scenarios, thereby improving the educational effect.
However, the study, while revealing promising results, is not without limitations. First, the sample size of 79 students, although adequate for statistical analysis, is relatively small and drawn from a single educational institution, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other populations or settings. Additionally, the novelty effect of introducing pop culture into the curriculum could contribute to heightened interest and engagement that may not be sustained over time. Furthermore, there is an absence of a control group engaging in an activity of similar nature and complexity to the pop culture case studies. The questions not associated with the pop culture case studies were not associated with any additional engaging context, which could potentially influence the results. This means that while the enhanced scores associated with pop culture case studies are informative, they cannot be conclusively attributed to the pop culture aspect alone without considering the effects of an equivalent, alternative educational activity. Future studies could include a control group engaged in an alternative but similarly engaging educational activity to more precisely evaluate the specific effects of pop culture and generative AI in nursing pharmacology education.
Conclusion
The findings of this study underscore the potential benefits of innovative teaching approaches that make educational content more accessible and relevant to students. This could lead to a shift in how pharmacology is taught, with a greater emphasis on methods that connect with students on a cultural level, ultimately aiming to improve their academic performance and prepare them for real-world applications in health care.
Looking ahead, there is substantial potential for further research on the distinct effects of AI-assisted versus non-AI-assisted educational materials. A comparative study could be designed to specifically measure how the inclusion of AI in the case study development process affects student outcomes compared with traditional methods. Such studies would not only validate the effectiveness of AI enhancements in educational settings but also provide deeper insights into how different teaching tools can be optimized for various learning environments.
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In preparing the manuscript, AI tools were used to develop and refine certain elements. Specifically, ChatGPT (OpenAI: Chat-GPT 4.0 2023–2024) was used to assist in the development and enhancement of some of the pop culture case studies included in the study. Additionally, ChatGPT was used to aid in editing and refining this manuscript and preparing the data for analysis.
From Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions, Boston, Massachusetts.
Disclosure: The authors have disclosed no potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise.
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