Techniques to Promote Reflective Practice and Empowered Learning.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Pedagogy
• Medical Humanities

Background:

• Healthcare environments present complex ethical and critical demands.
• Nurse educators must equip students with essential skills, behaviors, and attitudes.
• Innovative, evidence-based, multimodal techniques were integrated into a Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) program.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the impact of creative, multimodal teaching techniques in an RN to BSN program.
• To enhance learning, complex skill development, reflective practice, teamwork, and compassion.
• To prepare nursing students for the challenges of modern healthcare.

Main Methods:

• Principles of popular education for engaged teaching-learning were applied.
• Nursing students engaged in co-constructing knowledge through four creative techniques.
• Equitable access to content was facilitated for all students.

Main Results:

• Poem reading fostered connectedness among students.
• Mindfulness practices cultivated self-awareness.
• String figure activities demonstrated indigenous knowledge and teamwork.
• Cartooning was used to address difficult subject matter.

Conclusions:

• Nursing curricula can foster organizational skills for managing priorities.
• The methods support reflective practice, empathy, and authenticity in nursing.
• Creative teaching approaches are vital for developing essential nursing competencies.