Distinct patterns in study techniques and intrinsic challenges in nursing students' self-directed learning: an exploratory, comparative qualitative study.

Self-directed learning supports nursing students' professional development by enabling them to deepen their theoretical knowledge, particularly in complex foundational subjects such as anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry. Becoming a self-directed learner is therefore crucial for academic success and continued professional growth. However, intrinsic (student-related) factors can challenge students' efforts to engage in effective self-directed learning, especially in these demanding subjects. Despite this, little is known about which intrinsic factors first-year nursing students perceive as hindering their self-directed learning in biosciences, and whether these differ between younger and mature students. Understanding these intrinsic factors in detail is thus essential for nurse educators who support nursing students' learning in anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry. The aim of the study was to explore and compare intrinsic factors that challenge young and mature nursing students' engagement in self-directed learning of anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry. An exploratory qualitative design was employed. Written responses from 98 first-year nursing students were collected in November 2024. Each response was approximately 150 words in length. The students answered an open-ended question about contextual and intrinsic factors hindering self-directed learning in anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry, submitted via the university's digital learning platform. The responses were analysed using qualitative content analysis, with a comparative component between two age-defined groups (younger and mature students). Four categories of intrinsic factors that challenge first-year nursing students' self-directed learning in anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry were identified: (1) Challenges with effective study techniques in self-directed learning, (2) Challenges with motivation in self-directed learning, (3) Health-related constraints on self-directed learning, and (4) Procrastination in self-directed learning. The results revealed intrinsic factors that challenged self-directed learning in anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry among nursing students. The results underscore the need for nurse educators and institutions to recognize and address the intrinsic factors when designing learning environments and support strategies, in order to better facilitate effective self-directed learning in foundational subjects in nursing.