Research and evidence based practice: Using a blended approach to teaching and learning in undergraduate nurse education

Summary 

Aim

The following paper provides insights into the challenges of teaching research and evidence based practice to undergraduate student nurses. It provides a critical discussion as to the factors driving the inclusion of this subject area in pre-registration nurse education curricula as well as the reported challenges in teaching research at this level. The authors of this paper offer their own approaches to overcoming such barriers and as such provide some innovative means by which student engagement and interest can be enhanced.

Approach

Work to date which looks at evaluating approaches to teaching and learning in the field of research and evidence based practice has offered a number of approaches, which address traditional problems relating to student attitudes toward the subject, knowledge and understanding and appreciating the application of evidence in practice. However, from theories of teaching and learning it is known that solutions to these problems are not straightforward and educationalists must develop content and delivery carefully to encompass the needs of what is often a heterogeneous group of learners.

Conclusions

The paper concludes that the application of a blended approach to teaching and learning may offer a solution to the reported problems to date.

Keywords: Research, Evidence based practice, Teaching and learning, Blended learning, Information technology, E-learning