Reflective Learning as a Pathway to Professional Self-Actualization in Simulation-Based Learning: A Qualitative Case...

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Education
• Medical Simulation
• Professional Development

Background:

• Simulation-based learning (SBL) is vital for healthcare education, bridging theory and practice via reflective debriefs.
• The impact of reflective learning on intrinsic motivation and professional self-actualization requires further investigation.
• This study explores reflective learning's influence on self-actualization within the Critical Care Flight Paramedic Program (CCFPP).

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine how reflective learning, guided by humanistic principles, impacts self-actualization in CCFPP students.
• To understand the mechanisms through which reflective learning influences intrinsic motivation, professional growth, and self-actualization.
• To apply Self-Determination Theory (SDT) as a framework for analyzing these influences.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative case study employing a relativist-constructivist framework.
• Grounded in humanistic learning principles.
• Data collection via semistructured interviews with 11 participants, analyzed through thematic analysis within the SDT framework.

Main Results:

• Reflective learning significantly enhances professional self-actualization by promoting autonomy, competence, and relatedness.
• The intensive SBL environment accelerates student transformation.
• Reflective learning effectively bridges theoretical knowledge with practical, real-world applications.

Conclusions:

• Reflective learning is crucial for fostering professional self-actualization in CCFPP students.
• Integrating humanistic principles into SBL, especially debriefings, cultivates competent and motivated healthcare professionals.
• This approach supports students' journeys toward achieving professional self-actualization.