Abstract
BackgroundThe practice of nursing involves the application of knowledge, skills, and values - while
remaining present in the moment, true to oneself and focused the needs of patients.
Key to this is having a clear sense of professional identity yet provision for this within
nursing curricula is often limited or overly prescriptive. This study aimed to explore
how LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® could be used to support the formation of professional
identity for nursing students.
Methods
The study utilised an action research methodology incorporating three intervention and
data collection iterations. During each iteration, participants were invited to undertake
a LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® session exploring their individual and shared perceptions
of professional identity. Participants took part in open-format interviews in which they
were asked to examine how LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® supported their exploration of
professional self. The interviews were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis and
the application of transformative learning as a theoretical lens.
Results and Conclusions
Participants identified a high degree of frustration surrounding forming their
professional identity and the perception that they had thus far been ill-equipped for this.
The LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® session provided them with a safe and open space to
engage in the transformative exploration of their professional selves. The mechanisms
by which LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® supported these transformative experiences were
complex, intricate, and interrelated. It enabled participants to engage in a deeply
critical and emancipatory discourse through light-hearted play, parody and metaphor.
This exploration was rooted in the overarching and embedded process of building
models, sharing stories and co-constructing meaning.
Original Contribution to Knowledge
The study demonstrates the mechanisms and processes by which LEGO® SERIOUS
PLAY® supports transformative learning, particularly in relation to professional identity
formation. This has direct application for helping educators to incorporate LEGO®
SERIOUS PLAY® into educational programmes. It also informs curriculum developers
and HEIs of the need to utilise more open and emancipatory approaches such as
LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® in developing their students' professional identities.
| Date of Award | 20 Nov 2025 |
|---|---|
| Original language | English |
| Awarding Institution |
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| Supervisor | JEREMY BROWN (Director of Studies), JOHN SANDARS (Supervisor) & JUNE JONES (Supervisor) |