Abstract

LUCAS, A N T  and  SCHMUTZ, A M S. The use of postmortem exposure to improve the learning of anatomy and physiology in nursing students. Afr. J. Health Prof. Educ. (Online) [online]. 2025, vol.17, n.3, pp.2-7. ISSN 2078-5127.  https://doi.org/10.7196/AJHPE.2025.v17i3.2248.

BACKGROUND. Anatomy and physiology are crucial subjects in medical and nursing education curricula. However, many students find these subjects challenging owing to their complexity. To bridge the gap between theory and practice, a study was conducted to explore the use of postmortem exposure (PME) as a visual teaching strategy to enhance students' understanding of anatomy and physiology. OBJECTIVE. To explore how PME influences the learning of anatomy and physiology among enrolled nursing students. METHODS. The study adopted a qualitative methodology within an interpretivist paradigm. Data were generated through individual telephonic semi- structured interviews with the study participants. An inductive thematic analysis process was followed to identify themes in the data. RESULTS. The findings suggest that enrolled nursing students have difficulty comprehending anatomy and physiology when practical sessions are lacking. PME was identified as a valuable teaching tool that enhances students' knowledge acquisition and retention of these subjects. The findings suggest that PME influences various aspects of students' learning, including their knowledge, skills, behaviour and emotions in clinical practice. CONCLUSION. The study concludes that PME helps enrolled nursing students to apply theoretical knowledge in clinical settings and has a positive impact on their learning of anatomy and physiology. Educators are encouraged to consider using PME as a teaching tool to improve their students' understanding of anatomy and physiology.

Keywords : postmortem exposure; anatomy and physiology; nursing students; health professions education; nursing education.

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