Readiness for Self-Directed Learning among Undergraduate Nursing Students

Abstract

Introduction: Self-directed learning is a type of instructional strategy and plays an important role in nursing education, associated with academic achievement, communication self-efficacy, assertiveness, responsibility, and students’ clinical competencies.
Objective: To identify the level of readiness among undergraduate nursing students.
Methodology: Descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among the undergraduate nursing students of Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences from October 2023 to April 2024. All the nursing students of Bachelor of Nursing Science and Bachelor of Science in Nursing program were included in the study. Total enumerative sampling technique was used with total sample size of 202. Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale was used to identify the students’ readiness. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaire. Bivariate logistic regression analysis was carried out. Ethical approval obtained from Nepal Health Care Cooperative Institutional Review Committee.
Results: The mean ± SD age of the participants was 22.7 ±2.9. The mean score of self-directed learning readiness was 112.6. More than half 104(51.48%) of them had low level of readiness for self-directed learning. A significant positive correlation was found between self-management and desire for leaning (r=0.46, p value <0.001); self-management and self-control (r=0.46, p value <0.001) and desire for learning and self-control (r=0.48, p value <0.001). None of the students’ characteristics were significantly associated with the readiness of Self-directed learning.
Conclusion: More than half of the students have low level of readiness for Self-directed learning. No any students’ sociodemographic and academic characteristics were significantly associated with the readiness for Self-directed learning.