Objective To investigate the mastery of nursing knowledge for diabetic patients with disease deterioration between Chinese and Australian nursing students and possible influencing factors

and to provide a reference for improving nursing teaching method in China. Methods　From May to June

2016

a self-designed online knowledge questionnaire was used to investigate the mastery of clinical emergency knowledge among the third-grade nursing students in Chongqing Medical University in China and Flinders University in South Australia. A total of 303 questionnaires were collected

among which 243 valid questionnaires (164 from Chinese students and 79 from Australian students) were included in statistical analysis

with an effective collection rate of 80.20%. SPSS 19.0 software was used for statistical analysis

and the paired t-test or the chi-square test was used for data comparison. Results　Australian nursing students had a significantly higher score of clinical emergency knowledge than their Chinese counterparts (t=4.115

P=0.000). Compared with the low-score group (score<12)

the high-score group (score≥12) had a significantly higher proportion of students with a family/medical history of diabetes

clinical experience in diabetes care

or self-learning as the main method (P<0.05). As for learning method

Australian nursing students tended to use online self-learning (60 students

75.95%) and do assignments (56 students

70.89%) and participate in class discussion (51 students

64.56%)

while Chinese students tended to receive theoretical teaching (138 students

84.15%)

consult clinical teachers (138 students

84.15%)

and receive simulation/experimental teaching (123 students

75.00%). Conclusion　Chinese nursing students have lower degrees of willingness for self-learning and mastery of knowledge for disease deterioration than Australian nursing students. Focus on specialized practice

development of online teaching

and cultivation of the awareness and ability for self-learning may help to improve the mastery of clinical emergency knowledge among nursing students.