Use of peer learning strategies to improve the professional skills of nurses: a phenomenological study

Introduction: Peer learning is one of the tools used to empower nurses in obtaining and improving their clinical and administrative skills. This study was performed to determine the most important peer learning strategies in the field of nursing. Method: This was a qualitative, interpretive, and phenomenological study. The participants were selected from among nurses who worked in emergency wards of general hospitals in Tehran, Iran. Through purposeful sampling with maximum variation, ۳۵ participants were selected. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. The interviews were continued until data saturation. Analytical framework and Atlas-Ti software were used for data analysis. Results: In this study, ۵۲۱ primary cods ۷ main themes, and ۲۱ subthemes were extracted. The main themes included the importance of peer learning, barriers of peer learning, exposure to peer learning, factors affecting peer learning, different peer learning strategies, the role of environment in peer learning, and psychological characteristics of employees. Conclusion: Peer learning has an important role in the improvement of the professional skills of nurses. The results showed that the participants listed the ۳ strategies of learning through observation of the process, through exploring the facts, and from experts as learning while working strategies. Because of the role of the environment in this learning strategy, clear plans must be made for the management of talents, and providing appropriate learning environment, alignment of personnel, and fair pay in hospitals.

Keywords:

Peer learning , Learning strategies , Professional empowerment , Qualitative study , Nurses