Inquiry in uncertainty-nursing students' learning experience in challenge-based learning: A qualitative study

Currently, nursing students face a significant lack of preparedness in efficiently addressing complex issues. The use of challenge-based learning, a student-centred situational learning method that utilizes practice scenarios to solve complex problems, can help alleviate the challenges in nurse education. However, there remains to be more extensive exploration on the application of challenge-based learning in nurse practice education. This study aims to explore the learning experiences of nursing students in challenge-based learning to gain a deeper understanding of the ways and mechanisms through which challenge-based learning enhances specific learning abilities. This study utilized a hermeneutic phenomenological design, employing semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis. A university in Hunan, China, hosted the nursing skills competition based on the principles of challenge-based learning, targeting senior students from nursing schools in Hunan province. A total of 24 fourth-year students from six colleges, including one male and twenty-three female students. Two themes and seven sub-themes emerged from the study. Theme 1 Constructing a knowledge system in complex scenarios with sub-themes: Case-based education centred on comprehensive knowledge promotes knowledge linkage; Reverse reasoning promotes knowledge differentiation; Making mistakes helps finding the correct path of knowledge; Traps inspire identification of potential problems. Theme 2 Inquiry in uncertainty with sub-themes: Unexpected changes promote exploration of general principles; Combining knowledge with diverse case scenarios promotes flexible thinking; The uncertainty of knowledge fosters independent thinking. The complexity and variability inherent in challenging learning situations promote the construction of students' knowledge systems and the cultivation of an inquisitive spirit. The identification of these mechanisms contributes to the optimization of instructional environment design, the development of a culture of continuous learning and innovation, and effectively tackling complex issues within an ever-evolving global context.