Cognitive changes with psychomotor skill acquisition through blended learning among nursing students: A qualitative...

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Medical Simulation
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• Deliberate practice and teacher feedback are key for psychomotor skill acquisition.
• Blended learning, combining face-to-face and online components, is gaining traction in education.
• While used for cognitive learning, blended learning's impact on psychomotor skill acquisition in nursing is understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe cognitive changes in nursing students acquiring psychomotor skills via blended learning.
• To explore the effectiveness of blended learning in developing practical nursing competencies.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative descriptive approach using inductive analysis.
• Eleven second-year nursing students participated in a blended learning program for bed-making skills.
• Videotaped practice sessions and semi-structured interviews were used to capture students' thought processes.

Main Results:

• Six cognitive change categories emerged: perceived ease, unthinking practice, translation difficulties, purposeful technique, self-evaluation, and unique approach development.
• Students demonstrated cognitive shifts throughout the skill acquisition process.
• Metacognitive skill development was observed as crucial for psychomotor skill mastery.

Conclusions:

• Blended learning environments facilitate self-paced psychomotor skill development through practice and audiovisual resources.
• Metacognitive skills are essential for psychomotor skill acquisition in blended nursing education.
• Developing metacognitive skills early in nursing programs enhances practical abilities and patient care.