17069R1a-1 Mixed-Methods Research for the Development of Measurement Instruments and Effectiveness of a Life and Professional Skills Enhancement Program for Nursing Students

Abstract

Professional nurses play a crucial role in public healthcare and supporting universal health coverage goals. In the post-COVID-19 era, characterized as the BANI World, healthcare systems face complex challenges. These changes have impacted healthcare professionals, particularly nurses. Consequently, nursing education must adapt its strategies to foster essential competencies and skills that enable nursing students to meet contemporary healthcare demands. This study aims to: 1) Explore and define the meaning and components of life and professional skills essential for nursing students. 2) Develop and validate a specific measurement tool for these identified skills. 3) Create and evaluate the effectiveness of a learning program aimed at enhancing life and professional skills among nursing students. This mixed-methods research consists of three phases. The first phase employs an exploratory sequential design, involving in-depth interviews with a purposive sample of nursing lecturers, professional nurses, and fourth-year nursing students. The second phase involves developing a measurement instrument for these skills. The third phase is a quasi-experimental design that aims to examine the effectiveness of the Life and Professional Skills Enhancement Program. Sixty nursing students will be divided into experimental and control groups, with 30 in each group. This research is anticipated to provide a robust, context-specific measurement tool and a practical program for fostering critical life and professional skills in nursing students. The findings will contribute significantly to nursing education by enhancing curricula, preparing competent and adaptable nursing professionals for the evolving healthcare landscape, and ultimately promoting sustainable quality of care and well-being within the profession