Psychiatric nursing is a specialty where nursing students experience many difficulties in applying what they have learned in theory to clinical practice. Therefore, a situation-oriented case-based strategy is required to help them overcome the limitations of psychiatric nursing clinical practice and reduce their burden. This study aimed to measure the effectiveness of a psychiatric nursing clinical practice program using situation-oriented case-based learning. Participants comprised 63 nursing students in psychiatric nursing classes. The students were asked to create a scenario of interaction between a nurse and patient based on a case study. Empathy, therapeutic communication ability, and attitudes toward mental illnesses were measured. We analyzed the effectiveness of the program by comparing changes in the nursing students' empathy, therapeutic communication ability, and attitude toward mental illness after the program. The participants showed significant increases in empathy and therapeutic communication abilities. However, there were no significant changes in attitudes toward mental illnesses. Based on the results of this study, it is expected that situation-based learning will be effective for students who have difficulties in certain aspects, such as COVID-19, or wher...