The Effectiveness of an Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) Educational Program on Undergraduate Nursing Students’ EBP Knowledge and Skills: A Cluster Randomized Control Trial

Daniela Cardoso, Filipa Couto, Ana Filipa Cardoso, Elzbieta Bobrowicz-Campos, Luísa Santos, Rogério Rodrigues, Verónica Coutinho, Daniela Pinto, Mary-Anne Ramis, Manuel Alves Rodrigues and João Apóstolo
Additional contact information
Daniela Cardoso: Health Sciences Research Unit: Nursing, Nursing School of Coimbra, Portugal Centre for Evidence-Based Practice: A Joanna Briggs Institute Centre of Excellence, 3004-011 Coimbra, Portugal
Filipa Couto: Alfena Hospital—Trofa Health Group, Health Sciences Research Unit: Nursing, Nursing School of Coimbra, 3000-232 Coimbra, Portugal
Ana Filipa Cardoso: Health Sciences Research Unit: Nursing, Nursing School of Coimbra, Portugal Centre for Evidence-Based Practice: A Joanna Briggs Institute Centre of Excellence, 3004-011 Coimbra, Portugal
Elzbieta Bobrowicz-Campos: Health Sciences Research Unit: Nursing, Nursing School of Coimbra, 3004-011 Coimbra, Portugal
Luísa Santos: Health Sciences Research Unit: Nursing, Nursing School of Coimbra, 3004-011 Coimbra, Portugal
Rogério Rodrigues: Health Sciences Research Unit: Nursing, Nursing School of Coimbra, Portugal Centre for Evidence-Based Practice: A Joanna Briggs Institute Centre of Excellence, 3004-011 Coimbra, Portugal
Verónica Coutinho: Health Sciences Research Unit: Nursing, Nursing School of Coimbra, 3004-011 Coimbra, Portugal
Daniela Pinto: Health Sciences Research Unit: Nursing, Nursing School of Coimbra, 3004-011 Coimbra, Portugal
Mary-Anne Ramis: Mater Health, Evidence in Practice Unit & Queensland Centre for Evidence Based Nursing and Midwifery: A Joanna Briggs Institute Centre of Excellence, 4101 Brisbane, Australia
Manuel Alves Rodrigues: Health Sciences Research Unit: Nursing, Nursing School of Coimbra, Portugal Centre for Evidence-Based Practice: A Joanna Briggs Institute Centre of Excellence, 3004-011 Coimbra, Portugal
João Apóstolo: Health Sciences Research Unit: Nursing, Nursing School of Coimbra, Portugal Centre for Evidence-Based Practice: A Joanna Briggs Institute Centre of Excellence, 3004-011 Coimbra, Portugal

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Evidence-based practice (EBP) prevents unsafe/inefficient practices and improves healthcare quality, but its implementation is challenging due to research and practice gaps. A focused educational program can assist future nurses to minimize these gaps. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of an EBP educational program on undergraduate nursing students’ EBP knowledge and skills. A cluster randomized controlled trial was undertaken. Six optional courses in the Bachelor of Nursing final year were randomly assigned to the experimental (EBP educational program) or control group. Nursing students’ EBP knowledge and skills were measured at baseline and post-intervention. A qualitative analysis of 18 students’ final written work was also performed. Results show a statistically significant interaction between the intervention and time on EBP knowledge and skills ( p = 0.002). From pre- to post-intervention, students’ knowledge and skills on EBP improved in both groups (intervention group: p < 0.001; control group: p < 0.001). At the post-intervention, there was a statistically significant difference in EBP knowledge and skills between intervention and control groups ( p = 0.011). Students in the intervention group presented monographs with clearer review questions, inclusion/exclusion criteria, and methodology compared to students in the control group. The EBP educational program showed a potential to promote the EBP knowledge and skills of future nurses.

Keywords: education; curriculum; education; nursing; evidence-based practice; knowledge; nursing education research; students; nursing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/1/293/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/1/293/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:1:p:293-:d:474000

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().