A mixed methods study examining a socioemotional skills training program based on active learning methodologies in...

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Professional Development
• Socioemotional Learning

Background:

• Socioemotional skills are vital for nursing students to improve patient care, safety, and job satisfaction.
• Existing educational programs often lack sufficient training in these critical areas.
• This study addresses the need for targeted socioemotional skills development in nursing curricula.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a dedicated socioemotional skills training program for nursing students.
• To assess the impact of active learning methodologies on skill acquisition.

Main Methods:

• A convergent mixed-method design was employed, combining quantitative and qualitative approaches.
• Quantitative phase: quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with 116 nursing students using the Communication Skills Questionnaire (HABICOM).
• Qualitative phase: descriptive-exploratory study involving 44 students in six focus groups.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements in overall socioemotional skills were observed post-training.
• Key areas of enhancement included non-verbal communication and information transmission.
• Younger female students and those with less prior experience showed notable gains.

Conclusions:

• The socioemotional skills training program effectively enhanced essential competencies in nursing students.
• Active learning strategies, such as flipped classroom and simulation, were highly valued and effective.
• Recommendations include extending training duration and incorporating more real-life case studies and simulations.