Building Scholarship for Evidence-Based Practice in Undergraduate Nursing Students

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Evidence-Based Practice
• Research Methodology

Background:

• Journal clubs are valuable pedagogical tools in undergraduate nursing education.
• Integrating research skill development is crucial for evidence-based practice (EBP).
• Students require structured opportunities to learn critical appraisal of nursing research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of journal clubs in an undergraduate nursing research course.
• To enhance students' ability to critically appraise nursing research articles.
• To foster an understanding of how nursing research informs evidence-based practice.

Main Methods:

• Undergraduate nursing students participated in a journal club format.
• Participants critically appraised assigned nursing research articles.
• Key appraisal components included identifying clinical problems, literature searching, research design, evidence levels, data collection, sample size, and outcomes translation.

Main Results:

• Journal club members demonstrated improved critical appraisal skills over the semester.
• Students gained confidence in evaluating the quality and relevance of nursing research.
• Participants developed an appreciation for the research process and its role in EBP.

Conclusions:

• Journal clubs are an effective strategy for teaching critical appraisal skills in undergraduate nursing.
• This pedagogical approach enhances students' understanding and application of evidence-based practice.
• Experiential learning through journal clubs builds confidence in utilizing nursing research.