Objective To explore the application effect of PDCA cycle model in the teaching of operational error for nursing students in the overall teaching .Methods One hundred and fifty-three nursing students from June 2011 to May 2012 were chosen as the control group , and received the conventional teaching . One hundred and fifty-nine nursing students from June 2012 to May 2013 were chosen as the study group , and received the PDCA cycle model of teaching . The scores of performance assessment of operation in the departments and department of nursing were collected , and the questionnaire on the operational error during the practice was used , and the data were analyzed .Results The scores of operation assessment of nursing in the departments and department were respectively (82.64 ±2.37), (73.06 ±3.04) in the control group, and were lower than (83.67 ±3.44), (74.53 ±3.52) in the study group, and the differences were statistically significant (t=-3.368 4,-3.941 3, respectively;P<0.05).The rate of nursing error was 40.5% in the control group, and was higher than 28.9% in the study group, and the difference was statistically significant (χ2 =4.6292,P<0.05).No difference was found in the time of the occurrence of nursing error between two groups (P>0.05).The nursing error occurred mainly in the early practice , and rarely at the end of practice. Conclusions Application of the PDCA cycle model in the teaching of operational error for nursing students in clinical teaching is effective and feasible , and the guidance of the nursing ’ s teaching through the scientific management concept is helpful to reduce the error rate of clinical operation and improve the system of teaching management .