Objective:To investigate the application effect of the Living Lab concept combined with the teaching model of case-based study (CBS) and reference-induced self-education (RISE) in thoracic surgery nursing teaching.Methods:A total of 132 nursing students who participated in 11 rounds of training (12 nursing students per round) in Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University were included in the study, and according to the teaching method, they were divided into control group and observation group, with 66 nursing students in each group. The students in the control group received routine teaching, and those in the observation group received the Living Lab concept combined with CBS-RISE teaching. Assessment results were compared between the two groups, and the critical thinking ability and degree of satisfaction with teaching were evaluated for both groups. SPSS 22.0 was used to perform the t test. Results:Compared with the control group, the observation group had significantly higher objective question score (48.82±4.21 vs. 46.73±4.54, P<0.05), subjective question score (33.12±3.86 vs. 31.59±3.47, P<0.05), and total score (81.02±7.57 vs. 76.34±7.91, P<0.05). After training, compared with the control group, the observation group had significantly higher total score and scores of the dimensions such as truth seeking, open mindedness, analyticity, systematicity, self-confidence, inquisitiveness, and cognitive maturity ( P<0.05). The observation group also had a higher degree of satisfaction with teaching methods, teaching contents, and teachers compared with the control group ( P<0.05). Conclusion:In thoracic surgery nursing teaching, the application of the Living Lab concept and CBS-RISE can improve the assessment results of nursing students and enhance their critical thinking ability, with a high degree of teaching satisfaction among nursing students.