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Using Learning Outcome Measures to assess Doctoral Nursing Education
Published on: June 22, 2010
You're Teaching Evidence-Based Practice to BSN Students…But Are They Learning?
Rebecca L Serfass1, Amy Hagedorn Wonder
1About the Authors Rebecca L. Serfass, RN, BA in psychology, conducted this study to fulfill the requirements for a baccalaureate honors project, Indiana University School of Nursing, Bloomington. Amy Hagedorn Wonder, PhD, RN, is an assistant professor, Indiana University School of Nursing, Bloomington. The authors thank Dr. Darrell Spurlock, Jr., for his statistical assistance and manuscript support. For more information, contact Dr. Wonder at awonder@iu.edu.
Nursing students showed improved evidence-based practice (EBP) knowledge from sophomore to junior years. However, knowledge gains plateaued between junior and senior years, indicating a need for curriculum evaluation to support progressive EBP skill development.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Education
- Evidence-Based Practice (EBP)
Background:
- Baccalaureate nursing programs aim to instill evidence-based practice (EBP) knowledge.
- The effectiveness of educational strategies in fostering progressive EBP knowledge development throughout nursing curricula remains largely unevaluated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the progression of evidence-based practice (EBP) knowledge among baccalaureate nursing students.
- To determine if EBP knowledge advances, stagnates, or declines during the nursing program.
Main Methods:
- A study was conducted across multiple campuses of a traditional baccalaureate nursing program.
- Student EBP knowledge was evaluated at different academic levels (sophomore, junior, senior).
Main Results:
- A statistically significant improvement in EBP knowledge was observed between the sophomore and junior levels.
- No significant improvement in EBP knowledge was found between the junior and senior levels.
Conclusions:
- Targeted EBP education shows effectiveness in early nursing education but may require curriculum adjustments for sustained growth.
- Objective evaluation of student learning is crucial for faculty to understand and enhance the impact of nursing curricula on progressive EBP knowledge development.
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