Theory–practice integration and meaningful learning in nursing education in Ecuador: a systematic review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62697/rmiie.v5i4.459Keywords:
Nursing, meaningful learning, continuing education, theory-practice integration, clinical simulation, professional competenciesAbstract
Nursing education requires effective integration of theoretical foundations, clinical practice, and meaningful learning, particularly in response to the growing demands for quality, safety, and humanization of patient care. This study describes the relationship among these components within the Ecuadorian context and their implications for the development of clinical competencies. A systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 guidelines by searching SciELO, Latindex, PubMed, Redalyc, and Google Scholar, as well as official documents issued by Ecuadorian institutions related to health and higher education. Publications in Spanish and English from 2015 to 2024 addressing meaningful learning, active methodologies, problem-based learning, clinical simulation, critical thinking, professional competencies, and educational technologies were considered. Of the 145 records initially identified, 38 studies were selected for analysis. The findings revealed limitations related to the availability of clinical placement sites, simulation infrastructure, and faculty training, alongside favorable experiences associated with the use of active and participatory methodologies, clinical simulation, and strategies aimed at developing critical thinking. A growing presence of emerging technologies, including virtual reality, augmented reality, digital platforms, and artificial intelligence, was also identified. The results indicate that meaningful learning requires the integration of knowledge, practical experiences, and contextualized clinical situations. Strengthening this approach requires specialized faculty, adequate infrastructure, problem-solving-centered methodologies, the ethical and pedagogically grounded integration of technologies, and continuing education and postgraduate programs that foster professional autonomy.
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