Impact of nursing learning environments on adaptive competency development in baccalaureate nursing students

Kolb's experiential learning theory (ELT) was used as a framework to study 179 generic baccalaureate students' perceptions of the contributions of different types of nursing learning environments to development of adaptive competencies described in the theory. In addition, students in each of the 4 years of the program were asked to describe their perceptions of the importance of Kolb's adaptive competencies for successful functioning in nursing settings as well as to rate their personal levels of skill on each competency. Nursing learning environments were thought to contribute most to divergent and convergent competencies, reflecting the importance of both people-oriented and scientific skills in nursing. Clinical experiences and the senior preceptorship experience contributed significantly more to the development of these competencies than typical nursing classes and nonnursing classes. Students considered assimilative competencies--such as testing theories--and ideas and accommodative competencies--such as leading and influencing others--relatively unimportant to successful functioning in nursing learning environments. Implications for nursing education are discussed.