Objective　To explore the application of experiential teaching combined with case-based learning (CBL) in the teaching of nursing students in intensive care unit (ICU). Methods　A total of 63 nurses who had internship in the ICU of our hospital from April 2016 to March 2017 were selected as group A

63 nurses from April 2017 to March 2018 were selected as group B

63 nurses from April 2018 to March 2019 were selected as group C

and 63 nurses from April 2019 to March 2020 were selected as group D. Group A adopted conventional teaching method

group B adopted conventional teaching method + CBL

group C adopted conventional teaching method + experiential teaching method

and group D adopted conventional teaching method + CBL + experiential teaching method. All of them had been taught for 3 months. The scores of theory and skills examination

humanistic care

supportive communication and critical thinking ability before and after teaching

and satisfaction with teaching mode were compared among the four groups. SPSS 26.0 was used for one-way variance analysis

SNK-q test and χ2 test. Results　The scores of theory and skill examination in group D were higher than those in the other three groups

and those in group B and C were higher than those in group A (P<0.05). After teaching

the scores of humanistic care

supportive communication and critical thinking ability of the four groups were higher than those before teaching (P<0.05). After teaching

the scores of humanistic care

supportive communication and critical thinking ability of group D were higher than those of the other three groups (P<0.05)

and those of group B and group C were higher than those of group A (P<0.05). The satisfaction scores of teaching skills

teaching content and teaching effect in group D were higher than those in the other three groups (P<0.05)

and those in group B and C were higher than those in group A (P<0.05). Conclusion　On the basis of conventional teaching method

experiential teaching and CBL can improve the performance of nursing students

improve the ability of humanistic care

supportive communication and critical thinking

and improve the satisfaction of nursing students. The combination of the two has a better effect.