Efficacy of Self Directed Learning Program to Improve Technical Institute of Nursing Students Management Competencies

TL;DR: In this article, the authors study the efficacy of self-directed learning program to improve technical nursing students' management competencies, which include leadership, communication, critical thinking and professionalism.

Abstract: The technical nursing students courses contents give opportunity to apply nursing theory and skills in clinical settings, except nursing administrations course have no clinical application, so they required improving their management competencies. Dimensions of management competencies include four core competencies namely leadership, communication, critical thinking and professionalism. Self-directed learning is the amount of responsibility a student accepts for their own learning. The self-directed learner takes control and accepts the freedom to learn what they consider important for themselves. Readiness for self directed learning is the degree to which the student possesses the attitudes, abilities and personal characteristics necessary for self directed learning. Objective: the aim was to study efficacy of self directed learning program to improve technical institute nursing students management competencies. Setting: The study was conducted at Technical Institute of Nursing at Tanta University. Subject: The study subject (130) technical nursing students include second year students in academic year at 2015-2016. Tool: three tools used including self rating scale of self direct learning readiness, management competencies skills scale and knowledge test on self directed learning. Result: Preprogram about half of nursing students had high level of self directed learning readiness, no one or few of technical nursing students have good levels of all dimensions of management competencies, and all technical nursing student had weak level on domains of self directed learning. Compared to immediate and post 3months the majority of technical nursing students had high level of total self-directed learning readiness and good skill level of management skill competencies. except communication dimension (66.9%) were at good level with significant improvement at p 0.05. Conclusion: technical nursing students at Tanta University Faculty of Nursing showed unsatisfied level of skill for all management competencies dimension, they have great need to attend educational training program about self directed learning to improve their management competencies. Recommendation: conduction pre-employment orientation and periodic educational training program and workshop about management competencies and to use self directed learning.