Learning to learn self-regulation in practice: a 2 cohort evaluation.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Higher Education Pedagogy
• Professional Socialization

Background:

• The shift of nurse training to higher education altered student nurse status, making them supernumerary.
• This change has impacted the student learning experience, hindering integration into professional practice communities.
• Existing curricula may not adequately prepare students for independent learning in clinical settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a 35-day practice orientation program for pre-registration nursing students.
• To identify the need for developing self-regulated learning skills in novice nurses.
• To explore strategies for enhancing student nurses' professional socialization and practice integration.

Main Methods:

• Evaluation of a 35-day practice orientation program across two cohorts.
• Analysis of student learning experiences within the Common Foundation Programme.
• Assessment of students' self-directed learning abilities in a clinical practice setting.

Main Results:

• Novice pre-registration students often lack the self-directed ability to spontaneously engage in nursing care.
• The current orientation program highlights a need for explicit skill development in self-regulated learning.
• Students require structured opportunities to develop self-assessment and self-regulation competencies.

Conclusions:

• Pre-registration nursing students need explicit instruction in self-regulated learning strategies.
• Effective professional socialization requires equipping students with skills to navigate their supernumerary role.
• Curricula should prioritize the development of self-directed learning to enhance practice-based education for future nurses.