Effect of evidence-based education on Iranian nursing students' knowledge and attitude

To adopt an evidence-based approach to education there is a need for research-based evidence to support its effectiveness. This study investigated the impact of evidence-based education on the knowledge and attitude of nursing students. In this quasi-experimental study, all nursing students (n = 41) studying the courses of musculoskeletal and gastrointestinal systems were chosen and assigned randomly to intervention and control groups. The groups were taught through an evidence-based or traditional approach. Students' knowledge and attitude were then evaluated. Data were gathered by three knowledge and two attitude questionnaires with multiple choice and Likert scales and then analyzed. It was shown that there was a significant difference between the average scores for attitude of the groups, but there was no statistically significant difference between the average scores of knowledge. The results suggest the evidence-based approach might be used as a complementary approach to nursing education. It was not only as effective as the usual method but also led to the acquisition of particular skills by students. The results can be used to formulate programs to design and implement evidence-based nursing education.