Nursing students learning to utilize nursing research in clinical practice

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Clinical Practice
• Research Skills Development

Background:

• Clinical practice is crucial for nursing students' skill acquisition.
• Integrating research skills into clinical settings enhances learning outcomes.
• Traditional learning methods may not fully prepare students for evidence-based practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a specific learning assignment on nursing students' research skills.
• To assess how this assignment influences students' learning during clinical practice.
• To gather student feedback for improving the learning assignment.

Main Methods:

• A learning assignment involving oral presentation of nursing research articles and leading discussions.
• Data collection via a questionnaire with six open-ended questions administered before and after clinical practice.
• Content analysis of 50 returned questionnaires from 80 nursing students (63% response rate).

Main Results:

• The majority of students reported improved understanding of research concepts and scientific article structure.
• Students indicated the assignment stimulated ideas for nursing care development.
• Key benefits for clinical practice included enhanced patient encounters, interaction, and responsibility-bearing.

Conclusions:

• The learning assignment effectively enhanced nursing students' research comprehension and clinical skill development.
• Student-centered learning activities, like research presentations, positively impact practical nursing abilities.
• Incorporating student feedback is vital for refining educational strategies in nursing.