Authors
1 Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
2 Community Based Psychiatric Care Research Center, Department of Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
3 Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
4 Department of Foundations of Education, College of Education and Psychology, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
Abstract
Introduction: Working in the complex and ever changinghealthcare settings forces the nurses and nursing students to beequipped with lifelong learning skills. One of the lifelong learningskills is self-directed learning. This study aimed to explore theM.Sc. nursing students’ self-directed learning activities.Methods: A qualitative design using conventional content analysisapproach was used in this study. Semi-structured interviews wereconducted with twelve Iranian M.Sc. nursing students who wereselected using purposive sampling.Results: Data analysis indicated that the M.Sc. nursing studentsperformed different activities in their self-directed learning.These activities were categorized into four main themes andten subthemes. The main themes were “sensory perceptions”,“knowledge construction”, “problem-centered orientation”, and“interaction with others”.Conclusion: According to the findings, the M.Sc. nursing studentsperformed different intellectual and experiential self-directedactivities for promoting their learning. Besides, the students’perseverance and inquisitiveness played an important role in theirself-directed learning in the challenging clinical environments.Keywords: Self-directed learning; Qualitative study; Nursing student
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