Other Titles

Research in academia

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this presentation is to discuss assessment results of undergraduate nursing students" evidence-based practice (EBP) competencies and faculty"s EBP teaching practices in the undergraduate nursing courses in one southern United States school of nursing (SON). The consequent development of a curricular framework for infusing EBP in an undergraduate BSN program as a result of the assessment will also be presented. The audience will be engaged in discussing the barriers, challenges and opportunities in the development and planned implementation of the model.

Methods: During the 2015-16 academic year, a thorough assessment of the integration of evidence-based practice throughout the undergraduate curriculum was conducted. The assessment included faculty interviews and student surveys. The interviews included what courses in the undergraduate program are using EBP, and what SON resources and capacities are available for EBP integration. The assessment showed several gaps and opportunities for improvement. One issue with the current curriculum is an inability to identify where evidence-based practice (EBP) is introduced to students, despite the identification of EBP as a core concept for the program. According to the current curriculum, introduction of EBP occurs during the third semester research course. However, scattered projects during the first two semesters utilize EBP skills, without focused content on EBP at an introductory level to inform these assignments. The SON also lacks a clear vehicle to mentor and guide faculty in course designs that infuse EBP and to actively engage students in it.

Results: Guided by the AACN accreditation guidelines and evidence-based practice framework by Flood, Gasiewicz and Delpier (2010) that describes progression of evidence-based practice from novice to advanced levels, a curricular framework emerged.

Conclusion: Findings from the assessments and implementation recommendations based on the new framework were presented to SON in March 2016. A multi-phase implementation of revisions to the undergraduate nursing curriculum to improve student outcomes related to undergraduate EBP was proposed and scheduled to commence Fall 2016.

Author Details

Flor A. Culpa-Bondal, PhD, RN; Debbie Greene; Josie Doss

Sigma Membership

Theta Tau

Type

Presentation

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

N/A

Research Approach

N/A

Keywords:

Evidence-based Curricular Framework, Nursing Students, Undergraduate Research

Conference Name

28th International Nursing Research Congress

Conference Host

Sigma Theta Tau International

Conference Location

Dublin, Ireland

Conference Year

2017

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Review Type

Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host

Acquisition

Proxy-submission

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Assessment and curricular framework development of undergraduate research in the school of nursing

Dublin, Ireland

Purpose: The purpose of this presentation is to discuss assessment results of undergraduate nursing students" evidence-based practice (EBP) competencies and faculty"s EBP teaching practices in the undergraduate nursing courses in one southern United States school of nursing (SON). The consequent development of a curricular framework for infusing EBP in an undergraduate BSN program as a result of the assessment will also be presented. The audience will be engaged in discussing the barriers, challenges and opportunities in the development and planned implementation of the model.

Methods: During the 2015-16 academic year, a thorough assessment of the integration of evidence-based practice throughout the undergraduate curriculum was conducted. The assessment included faculty interviews and student surveys. The interviews included what courses in the undergraduate program are using EBP, and what SON resources and capacities are available for EBP integration. The assessment showed several gaps and opportunities for improvement. One issue with the current curriculum is an inability to identify where evidence-based practice (EBP) is introduced to students, despite the identification of EBP as a core concept for the program. According to the current curriculum, introduction of EBP occurs during the third semester research course. However, scattered projects during the first two semesters utilize EBP skills, without focused content on EBP at an introductory level to inform these assignments. The SON also lacks a clear vehicle to mentor and guide faculty in course designs that infuse EBP and to actively engage students in it.

Results: Guided by the AACN accreditation guidelines and evidence-based practice framework by Flood, Gasiewicz and Delpier (2010) that describes progression of evidence-based practice from novice to advanced levels, a curricular framework emerged.

Conclusion: Findings from the assessments and implementation recommendations based on the new framework were presented to SON in March 2016. A multi-phase implementation of revisions to the undergraduate nursing curriculum to improve student outcomes related to undergraduate EBP was proposed and scheduled to commence Fall 2016.