Self-directed learning and professional values of nursing students

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Professional Development

Background:

• Professional nursing values are crucial for developing nursing professionals.
• Self-directed learning (SDL) can motivate the enhancement of these values.
• Understanding the link between SDL and professional values is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the associations between self-directed learning and professional nursing values.
• To investigate the influence of self-directed learning on nursing students' professional values.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional descriptive study with 800 nursing students.
• Utilized the Self-Rating Scale of Self-Directed Learning and the Nurses Professional Values Scale-Revised.
• Path analysis was employed to assess relationships.

Main Results:

• Self-directed learning demonstrated significantly positive effects on professional nursing values.
• Male nursing students exhibited higher levels of self-directed learning.
• A positive correlation was found between SDL and professional nursing values.

Conclusions:

• Self-directed learning is an effective pedagogical strategy for fostering professional nursing values.
• Nursing educators should acknowledge and address sex-based differences in learning styles.
• Interventions promoting SDL can strengthen professional identity in nursing students.