Learning strategies among nursing students at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City

Background: Learning strategies play a crucial role in developing professional competencies and practice skills for nursing students. It is important for universities to understand students’ learning strategies in order to provide effective support. This study aims to examine the learning strategies of nursing students at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh city (UMP) and explore the relationship between educational environment factors and students’ learning strategies. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) and Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaires. The online survey involved 331 nursing students from year 1 to year 4. Pearson/Spearman correlation was used to analyze the relationship between educational environment factors and learning strategies. Results: The mean score of students’ learning strategies ranged from 4.1 to 4.9. It was found that 98.2% of students had satisfactory learning strategies, with the highest rate in time management and learning environment (99.7%), and the lowest in critical thinking and studying with peers (73.4%). Most learning strategies showed moderate to very strong positive correlations with each other (r = 0.29 - 0.81, p < 0.001). Factors such as teaching methods, lecturers, and learning atmosphere had weak to moderate positive correlations with most students’ learning strategies (r = 0.15 - 0.45, p < 0.01). Conclusions: Nursing students at UMP generally demonstrate effective learning strategies. However, interventions in teaching and learning environments are needed to enhance students’ critical thinking skills and promote collaborative learning. Developing these skills will improve education quality and prepare students for their future professional careers.