Effectiveness of a structured life skills training program among Indian nursing students

Nursing education programs increasingly emphasize the importance of life skills alongside clinical competencies to prepare students for the multifaceted demands of modern healthcare. However, there remains a gap in understanding the most effective strategies for integrating life skills into nursing curricula. Therefore, it is of interest to evaluate the impact of a structured life skills training program on first-year B.Sc. Nursing students' proficiency in selected life skills in Tamil Nadu, India. A true experimental pretest-posttest design was employed, with 257 first-year B.Sc. Nursing students from six selected colleges in Trichy district, Tamil Nadu, participating. The intervention, an eight-week Life Skills Training Program, was delivered to the experimental group, while the control group received no intervention. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire comprising socio-demographic variables and the Life Skills Assessment Scale. Statistical analysis included chi-square tests, one-way ANOVA repeated measures, and correlation analysis. Significant differences were observed between the experimental and control groups in various life skills, including self-awareness, empathy, interpersonal relationships, and creative thinking (p < 0.001). Age, place of stay, number of friends, hobbies, reason for choosing nursing, and interest in the course showed significant associations with pretest life skills scores (p < 0.05). Positive correlations were found between certain life skills, emphasizing their interconnectedness (p < 0.05). The structured life skills training program demonstrated effectiveness in enhancing the life skills proficiency of first-year B.Sc. Nursing students. The study underscores the importance of integrating life skills development into nursing education curricula to better prepare students for the complexities of patient care. Tailored interventions based on individual characteristics may further optimize outcomes. Future research should explore longitudinal effects and additional factors influencing life skills development among nursing students.