Teaching research utilization to baccalaureate nursing students

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Evidence-Based Practice
• Healthcare Innovation

Background:

• Undergraduate nursing curricula increasingly emphasize research utilization.
• Bridging the gap between research findings and clinical practice is crucial for quality patient care.
• Developing critical appraisal and implementation skills is essential for future nurses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe an undergraduate nursing research course focused on research utilization.
• To outline the process of developing critical appraisal and clinical innovation skills.
• To provide a model for integrating research into nursing practice at the undergraduate level.

Main Methods:

• Students engaged in critical appraisal of research articles.
• Coursework centered on the principles of research utilization.
• Students worked in teams to develop proposals for clinical innovations.

Main Results:

• Students developed skills in critiquing research literature.
• Teams successfully created proposals for implementing clinical innovations.
• The course facilitated understanding of the research utilization process.

Conclusions:

• Undergraduate nursing students can be effectively trained in research utilization.
• A structured course focusing on critical appraisal and innovation proposal development is feasible.
• This educational approach prepares nurses to be agents of change in clinical practice.