Students connecting critical appraisal to evidence-based practice: a teaching-learning activity for research literacy

This article describes the implementation of an innovative research literacy teaching-learning activity. The Research in Practice Challenge activity promoted the importance and relevance of evidence-based practice with second-year nursing students in an undergraduate research course. Students appraised the evidence within policies and practice guidelines identified by managers in practice. Collaboration among students, faculty, managers, and the librarian enabled completion of the activity. Essential skills of identifying research problems in practice, searching the literature, and critically evaluating evidence were applied. Ultimately, students were asked to respond to the question: "Does this policy or guideline need revision, and how, based upon current evidence?" Effectiveness of this activity was garnered from the students' responses to course evaluations and analysis of teaching notes. Course evaluation revealed that students valued how the activity highlighted the relevance of research literacy for their practice. Further recommendations for research literacy teaching and learning are suggested.