Preferred Instructional Methods of Millennial Nursing Students

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Workforce Development

Background:

• The nursing profession faces a persistent shortage, necessitating strategies to enhance student success and retention.
• Understanding the learning preferences of the Millennial generation is crucial for effective nurse education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify instructional methods that facilitate learning for Millennial nursing students.
• To determine potential barriers to education encountered by this demographic.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative interviews were conducted with Millennial students in an associate degree in nursing program.
• Students were asked to identify effective and ineffective learning strategies.

Main Results:

• Lectures and interactive questioning were identified as beneficial instructional methods.
• Collaborative group work was reported as the least effective learning strategy.

Conclusions:

• A blended approach incorporating both active and passive learning strategies is optimal for Millennial nursing students.
• Tailoring educational methods to generational learning styles can improve nursing program outcomes.