title: An integrative review of the characteristics of meaningful learning in healthcare professionals to enlighten educational practices in health care.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Knowledge does not transfer automatically, but requires an active, personal progress through meaningful learning. As posited by the constructivist paradigm, the aim of this study was to identify the characteristics of meaningful learning by analysing definitions and correlated methods found in the literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  An integrative review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Articles were sought on MEDLINE, CINAHL and SCOPUS; no language, time or study-design restrictions were adopted. Only papers referring explicitly to the diverse types of learning were taken into account; 11 articles were included in this review.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Findings from the literature revealed three different types of meaningful learning: (1) meaningful learning as 'active building-up process'; (2) meaningful learning as 'change'; 3-meaningful learning as 'outcome of experience'. A focus on constructivism and meaningful learning provides a new outlook on healthcare professionals in learning, including nurses, who are gradually taking on greater responsibility in self- and ongoing education.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences University of Genoa I-16132 Genoa Italy.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cadorin
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences University of Genoa I-16132 Genoa Italy.
authors.forename: Annamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bagnasco
authors.affiliation: Centre of Excellence for Nursing Scholarship 78 I-00192 Rome Italy.
authors.forename: Gennaro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rocco
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences University of Genoa I-16132 Genoa Italy.
authors.forename: Loredana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sasso
keywords: Constructivist paradigm; healthcare professionals; integrative review; meaningful learning; nurse; significant learning