title: An empirical typology of hospital nurses' individual learning paths.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A relatively new theoretical concept is proposed in this paper, namely, the individual learning path. Learning paths are created by individual employees and comprise a set of learning-relevant activities that are both coherent as a whole and meaningful to them.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To explore the empirical basis of this theoretical concept.
  
  
  METHODS
  A qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two academic medical centers (university hospitals) and two general hospitals in the Netherlands.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 89 nurses were involved in the study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semi-structured interviews were analyzed qualitatively; cluster analysis was then performed on quantified data from the interviews.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four types of learning path emerged, namely, the formal-external, self-directed, social-emotional, and information-oriented learning paths.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The relatively new theoretical concept of an individual learning path can be observed in practice and a number of different learning-path types can be distinguished. Nurses were found to create their own learning paths, that is, select a theme that is relevant primarily to themselves, conduct a variety of learning activities around this theme, participate in social contexts that might help them, and mobilize learning facilities provided by their organization. These activities go way beyond the notion of employees as self-directed learners merely in a didactic sense (establishing learning goals, choosing the right learning activities for these goals, evaluating to what extent their goals have been met as a result). The findings can be interpreted as evidence of employees acting strategically when it comes to their professional development. Providers of continuing professional education/development need to take this into account.
authors: Dept. of Human Resource Studies, Tilburg University, PO Box 90153, 5000 LE, Tilburg, Netherlands. Electronic address: R.Poell@uvt.nl.
authors: Rob F
authors: RF
authors: Poell
authors: Dept. of Education Studies, University of Nijmegen, PO Box 9104, 6500 HE, Nijmegen, Netherlands. Electronic address: F.VanderKrogt@pwo.ru.nl.
authors: Ferd J
authors: FJ
authors: Van der Krogt
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D017145:Models, Educational; D009426:Netherlands; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013192:Staff Development
keywords: Cluster analysis; Continuing professional development; Individual learning; Workplace learning