Self-directed learning readiness and learning styles among Omani nursing students: Implications for online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic compelled many academic institutions to resort to distance learning and online education, requiring a higher degree of student self-direction and motivation to learn. This study explored self-directed learning (SDL) readiness among nursing students in Oman, their learning styles (LS), and the association of demographic variables and LS with SDL. METHODS: The study, which followed a descriptive, cross-sectional design, surveyed 236 Omani nursing students via an online questionnaire containing two standardized scales: the Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale for Nursing Education and the Learning Style Scales. RESULTS: Nursing students were identified as having a low level of SDL (mean = 149.58). Probation status (ß = -0.165; p = 0.021) was negatively associated with SDL. In terms of LS, solitary (ß = 0.217; p = 0.001), competitive (ß = 0.201; p = 0.005), imaginative (ß = 0.19; p = 0.012), and perceptive LS (ß = 0.437; p = 0.0) were positively associated with SDL. An analytical LS was negatively associated with SDL (ß = -0.155; p = 0.022). CONCLUSION: Academic probation status and an analytical LS both yielded lower SDL scores. Perceptive, solitary, competitive, or imaginative learners tended to have higher SDL scores. Deliberate planning and strategies are necessary to help probation students cope with academic demands, especially with the advent of intensified digital education. Because no single learning environment can fulfill the needs of every LS, nurse educators must implement SDL-aimed teaching and learning strategies that appeal to a variety of learners.

An Integrative Review on Knowledge and Attitudes of Nurses Toward Palliative Care: Implications for Practice.

To effectively participate in provision of palliative care, nurses need to possess a combination of knowledge, skills, and positive attitudes in equal measure in a way that is sensitive and meaningful and in a dynamic manner. The aim of this review was to examine nurses' knowledge and attitudes about palliative care, to identify gaps to improve care of patients and families facing death. An integrative review method guided this review. After implementation of a search strategy, data from 26 studies were analyzed and synthesized. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool was used to assess the methodological quality of the studies. Data were extracted using a common table, and themes were generated from the available peer-reviewed studies using narrative synthesis. Findings revealed knowledge deficit but favorable attitudes toward palliative care among nurses. Education and the clinical experience of nurses in palliative care influenced their knowledge and attitudes toward palliative care. There is a need for mandatory inclusion of basic palliative care content in nursing school curricula and more in-depth postgraduate curricula. In clinical practice, there is a need to reinforce palliative care education by creating expert nurse support networks to model excellence in palliative care.