Factors associated with self-directed learning among undergraduate nursing students in Vietnam.

Aim: This study purposed to determine nursing students' self-directed learning abilities and related factors.

Background: Self-directed learning is a significant and practical approach for nursing students in their lifelong learning.

Design: In this study, a descriptive cross-sectional study was used to assess the level of SDL undergraduate of 411 undergraduate nursing students from four academic years.

Methods: The Self-directed Learning Abilities and Related Factors Questionnaire was used to measure the Self-directed Learning Abilities of the Nursing Students. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data and a logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the factors influencing self-directed learning abilities.

Results: Of the 411 nursing students, most belonged to the female group. Moreover, most of the nursing students have permanent residence in rural areas. The average score of general self-directed learning abilities of nursing students was 3.88 ± 0.3. Only 33.8 % of the respondents had a high level (mean score ≥ 4) of self-directed learning abilities. There was a significant relationship between place of residence, grade obtained in previous level education, current grade point average, academic workload, assessment methods, learning resources and self-directed learning abilities (p<0.05).

Conclusions: The self-directed learning ability level was low in this nursing student sample. Therefore, this study may increase nursing educators' attention to designing appropriate strategies to improve students' self-directed learning abilities.