Nursing students' attitudes toward research: An integrative review

Effectiveness of scientific research education programme on the attitudes of nursing students towards research methods course: a pre and post-implementation study

BACKGROUND

Nursing research is the key to building an evidence-based practice for nursing. It is a necessity for nursing students to be professionals and to be encouraged to conduct research.

AIMS

This research was conducted to determine the effectiveness of a scientific research education program on the attitudes of nursing students towards research methods.

DESIGN

A single group pre and post implementation study.

METHODS

The sample was composed of the third-year nursing students (n = 196). A questionnaire, and the Scientific-Research-Methods-Course-Attitude-Scale (SRMC-AS) were used for the data collection. The intervention consisted of theoretical education, group discussions, and research project writing practices lead by the researchers.

RESULTS

The difference between mean scores of the SRMC-AS baseline measurement (85.18 ± 9.09), 3rd month (91.20 ± 7.59), and 6th month (90.68 ± 11.16) was statistically significant (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The scientific research education program was found effective about positively increasing the attitudes of the students towards the course.

Research in action-developing and evaluating a student research placement experience

BACKGROUND

Evidence based practice is essential in the provision of high-quality contemporary nursing practice. Yet nursing students often lack an understanding of the research process because applied research experience is rarely facilitated in undergraduate nursing programmes. Students research knowledge is mostly gained via classroom based theoretical teaching; however, it is a challenging subject to teach and is often evaluated poorly by students who find the subject uninteresting and difficult to apply to their clinical practice.

AIM

The aim of the study was to explore the experiences of student nurses after undertaking a nurse led primary research study placement.

METHODS

The study explores the students' experiences of a research placement using a phenomenological approach with the data collection method of drawings and narration which were then subject to Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis as a data analysis method.

SETTINGS

This study was undertaken with 18 nursing students who were enrolled in a United Kingdom university, who had recently participated in a nurse-led research study exploring the use of sensors to detect atrial fibrillation in members of the public in a supermarket.

RESULTS

The following themes were developed by the researchers: Practice makes perfect, Enhancing communication, Research attitude, Making a difference, Increased confidence, Enhanced skills, Researcher collaborations, The views of others.

CONCLUSIONS

Students valued the research placement; the experience provided insight into the conduct of research in primary health and allowed students to learn about research in an experiential way which proved to be more effective than usual classroom methods. Students' communication skills were enhanced, through interacting with the public in a different way, who were keen to engage with them because of their student status.

Effective Strategies for Teaching Evidence-Based Practice in Undergraduate Nursing Programs

BACKGROUND

Literature shows that nursing program graduates cannot apply skills related to evidence-based practice (EBP) on graduation. However, the influence of EBP on quality and safety in nursing is well documented and shows that innovative strategies for teaching the content need to be explored.

PROBLEM

Teaching EBP in nursing programs is challenging due to students' attitudes and lack of engagement. These challenges are compounded when the program is accelerated or an undergraduate completion program.

APPROACH

A literature search was conducted to identify best practices for improving the quality of EBP courses. The findings, along with the application of EBP 7 steps, were identified and implemented in the course redesign.

CONCLUSIONS

A structured and sequential approach to learning core skills related to EBP may be an effective method of improving course quality and application of EBP skills upon graduation.

The Impact of Community Learning During a Participatory Nursing Research Project

BACKGROUND

Community learning is one approach to promote research competencies and to involve nurses and nursing students in research. This study examines the impact of community learning according to participants-both those inside and outside the community-in a joint nursing research project at a hospital.

METHOD

A qualitative design was selected using a participatory approach. Data were collected through semistructured interviews, reflections, conversations, and patient input during 2 academic years.

RESULTS

Thematic analysis showed 11 themes, which were organized into three clusters: realization, transformation, and influencing factors. Participants perceived changes in practice and described how their perspectives have changed on care, education, and research. Reconsiderations led to some new or revised strategies, and influencing factors were associated with the contemporary context, degree of involvement, and design/facilitation.

CONCLUSION

The impact of community learning emerged and extended beyond community boundaries, and the indicated influencing factors must be taken into account. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2023;54(3):131-144.].

Actitud hacia la investigación de estudiantes de enfermería en un contexto de educación a distancia

Introducción: El cierre de instituciones educativas a nivel mundial debido a la pandemia global de COVID-19 dio como resultado una educación a distancia que ha modificado la apreciación y la actitud de los estudiantes universitarios ante ciertos aspectos educativos. Se desconoce si este cambio afecta la actitud hacia la investigación. Objetivo: Analizar la actitud hacia la investigación de los estudiantes de enfermería en un contexto educativo a distancia. Metodología: Estudio descriptivo transversal correlacional, en 376 estudiantes inscritos de todos los años de enfermería de una universidad mexicana, excluyendo estudiantes de otras escuelas, en estancia académica o bajas. Se midieron variables sociodemográficas y el cuestionario actitud hacia la investigación en universitarios, con previa aprobación de un comité de ética y autorización por consentimiento informado. Resultados: Los estudiantes tuvieron una actitud hacia la investigación de mala a regular, 69-71% manifestó que los principales obstáculos para no investigar fueron falta de tiempo y conocimientos, consideraron que hacer investigación fue estresante y tedioso, 96-98% pensaban que saber citar, redactar y organizarse eran las principales habilidades a tomar en cuenta para investigar, con sentido ético y flexibilidad de pensamiento. Los estudiantes mostraron un decremento en la actitud conforme avanzaban de año en la universidad con p<0.05. Conclusiones: La actitud hacia la investigación de los estudiantes de enfermería a distancia, fue de mala a regular, por lo que el presente sienta las bases para futuras intervenciones en las cuales se trate de mejorar la actitud y disposición a la investigación a distancia.

Attitudes and factors that affect Croatian nursing students' choice of thesis type: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Research in nursing, as in other biomedical professions, is of paramount importance. Nursing students are required to attend research methodology courses during their studies. However, nursing research is lagging behind other biomedical fields.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to examine attitudes and factors that influence the choice of thesis type (original research versus essay-type literature review) among Croatian nursing students.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included nursing students from 8 health sciences studies in Croatia in the 2020/2021 academic year. Data were collected using the Students' Attitudes Toward Research (SAR) questionnaire and questions assessing potential barriers toward research.

RESULTS

There were 912 students (25 % response rate) included in the study. In the regression analysis of the total sample, mentor encouragement (β 0.200; P < 0.001), knowledge (β 0.137; P = 0.011), and sense of ability to conduct research (β 0.191; P < 0.001) were positively associated with the SAR score, while the expectation that a research-based thesis will extend the study duration was negatively associated with the SAR score (β -0.124; P = 0.036). Among bachelor's students, the sense of ability to conduct research (β 0.255; P < 0.001) was positively associated, while the expectation that a research-based thesis will extend the study duration was negatively associated with the SAR score (β -0.157; P = 0.053). Among master's students, mentor encouragement (β 0.415; P < 0.001), knowledge (β 0.261; P < 0.001), and sense of ability to conduct research (β 0.151; P = 0.045) were positively associated with the SAR score. A higher SAR score was associated with a higher likelihood of selecting a research thesis (OR [95 % CI]; P: 1.026 [1.014-1.038]; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study revealed modifiable factors associated with positive attitudes toward scientific research and preference for a research-based thesis among nursing students. Policy-makers should consider our results and change nursing studies' curricula and mentors should encourage students to engage in research and conduct research-based thesis even if there are other thesis options available.

Favorable Attitudes Toward Research in Nursing Students During Internship: A Cross-Sectional Study in Peru

Introduction and objective

Research attitudes among nursing students are essential to improve the quality of care and promote evidence-based practice. The objective of this study was to determine the attitude towards research of nursing students during their undergraduate internship and explore the demographic and study-related factors that may affect these attitudes.

Materials and Methods

In this cross-sectional retrospective study, 100 nursing interns who are >18 years old, currently studying and working, and have a prior academic background were included. To assess the attitudes toward research, the 43-item Likert-like Scale of Attitudes Towards Research questionnaire was used, which has been previously validated in the Peruvian population and includes three distinct dimensions: affective, cognitive, and behavioral.

Results

The mean age was 28.7 ± 5.2 years and 88% were women. Fifty percent had favorable attitudes toward research. The favorable attitude according to the affective, cognitive, and behavioral dimensions was 28%, 11%, and 45%, respectively. Although the youngest age group (20 to 30 years old) had the highest frequency of favorable attitudes (36%), no significant differences were found when compared to other age groups (p = .082).

Conclusions

Nursing students presented favorable attitudes toward research during their undergraduate internship, especially among young students. However, more research is needed to understand how these attitudes are shaped and consolidated during the research process and how they can be further improved to promote evidence-based practice in nursing.

The effect of writing a bachelor thesis on attitudes towards nursing research and development: A cross-sectional comparative study between students and professionals

BACKGROUND

Research is essential to practice nursing and must be duly enhanced during university training. Therefore, writing a bachelor thesis may help to develop research skills and thus transfer this skill set to practical application.

OBJECTIVES

1) To ascertain whether writing a bachelor thesis has a bearing on attitudes towards nursing research and development; 2) to establish a comparison between groups (students and nurses), and 3) to analyse other factors (work experience, advanced training, research experience) that may influence the relationship between nurses and nursing research and development.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional comparative study.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

The participants totalled 204: 38 nursing students and 166 nurses.

METHODS

Data were gathered using the instrument Nurses' Attitudes towards Research and Development within Nursing devised by Björkström and Hamrin (2001) version II validated in Spanish. This instrument consists of 33 statements grouped into 7 factors, whose responses offer 5 alternatives on a Likert scale.

RESULTS

Most participants were female (86.3 %), with a mean age of 36 (SD = 11.65). The participants who have written a bachelor thesis obtained a higher score (Mdn = 4.14; range = 2.06) than those who have not (Mdn = 3.98; range = 2.13), with a significant difference (U = 3959.5; p = 0.012) and a moderate effect size (Hedges's g = 0.40). The students are those who obtained the highest scores. Amongst the nurses, educational training is the element that is most positively correlated with attitudes towards nursing research and development (r = 0.340).

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that writing a bachelor thesis engenders greater interest and a favourable attitude towards nursing research and development and displays that the most interested group is the students, followed by nurses holding a degree in nursing, and lastly those with a Diploma of Higher Education in nursing. Nurses' educational training is the most influential aspect, standing above researcher or professional experience.

Service Learning in the Nursing Bachelor Thesis: A Mixed-Methods Study

The Final Degree Project (FDP) is a module that, although intended for the completion of a bachelor thesis (BT), consists of theoretical and clinical teaching. Therefore, introducing service learning (SL) can support student adjustments to the real-world professional role. This study plans to evaluate a teaching innovation project that combines BT and SL through Kirkpatrick's four-level model (reaction, learning, behaviour and results). It takes the form of a convergent parallel mixed-methods design study. The participants were 15 final-year students obtaining a Bachelor of Nursing degree, 4 BT supervising mentors and 4 nurses. At the request of a hospital institution, in their BT, students completed a review of evidence-based nursing protocols. For data collection, the researchers used: an SL questionnaire, student narratives, mentor field diaries and nurse interviews. According to student opinion, the results showed high satisfaction rates (4.44 out of 5), the most developed skills were Independent Work and Information Management, but they signal the need to reinforce the research methodology skills. Finally, positive feedback from all participants is that using SL promotes both the opinion that the BT is useful and also promotes a collaboration between academic and clinical settings.

Could the academic advisor, intrinsic motivation, and time management influence students’ attitudes towards research work on campus?

BACKGROUND: Research is essential and necessary for those who love learning, whether they belong to a research institution or not. Numerous elements influence researchers’ attitudes towards good research work, but in this study we focus on the most significant ones: advisor support, intrinsic motivation, timing, and planning. OBJECTIVES: The current study aims at motivating readers to help improve students’ attitudes towards research work within the university context. METHOD: The target demographic of the current research comprises masters and doctoral students from three major public institutions in Xian, China. We aimed to examine the effects of the variables and the study employed correlation and stepwise regression. RESULTS: The results show that advisor support influences attitudes towards research positively and significantly (β= 0.20, p < 0.01). Likewise, intrinsic motivation has a positive and significant effect on attitude towards research (β= 0.18, p < 0.01). Time attitudes significantly influenced attitudes towards research (β= 0.14, p < 0.05). Furthermore, time planning also positively and significantly influenced the attitude towards research (β= 0.15, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: To achieve an excellent attitude towards research work, students need a cooperative academic advisor who will intrinsically motivate them in their research activities. However, they must manage their academic time and be equipped with time management skills.

The barriers and facilitators of developing clinical competence among master's graduates of gerontological nursing: a qualitative descriptive study

BACKGROUND

Clinical competence development is a main goal of specialized nursing courses. Nonetheless, some master's graduates of gerontological nursing programs have inadequate Clinical competence. The aim of this study was to explore the barriers and the facilitators to clinical competence development among the master's graduates of gerontological nursing.

METHOD

This qualitative descriptive study was conducted in 2020. Participants were twenty nursing master's students, master's graduates, and instructors of gerontological nursing. They were purposively selected from several faculties of nursing and midwifery in Tehran, Isfahan, and Kashan, Iran. Semi-structured interviews were held for data collection and the conventional content analysis proposed by Graneheim and Lundman was used for data analysis. Data were managed using the MAXQDA 10 software.

RESULTS

The main barriers to clinical competence development were students' neglectfulness towards learning, inefficiency of educational system, and ineffective management. The main facilitators to clinical competence development were effective educational planning and management improvement.

CONCLUSION

There are different personal, educational, and managerial barriers and facilitators to clinical competence development among master's graduates of gerontological nursing. Effective educational planning and management improvement are needed for clinical competence development among master's students and graduates of gerontological nursing.

Effects of a multifaceted neurological assessment educational program in nursing students: A randomized crossover study

AIM

This study aimed to verify the effects of a multifaceted neurological assessment educational program on neurological assessment-related knowledge, skills, communication ability and self-efficacy in nursing students.

BACKGROUND

Nurses should be equipped with optimal neurological assessment competency to ensure quality care for patients with neurological symptoms.

DESIGN

This study involved a waitlist control group with a randomized crossover design.

METHODS

Fourth-year nursing students were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 28) or a waitlist control group (n = 27). Pre- and post-intervention differences in neurological assessment knowledge, skills, communication ability and self-efficacy between the intervention and the waitlist control group were analyzed using generalized estimated equations.

RESULTS

The nursing students in the intervention group showed significantly improved knowledge, skills, communication ability and self-efficacy scores compared with those in the waitlist control group. Scores related to knowledge, skills and communication ability were maintained and self-efficacy scores had further increased at 2 weeks after the educational program in the intervention group.

CONCLUSIONS

Our multifaceted neurological assessment educational program is useful for improving nursing students' knowledge, skills, communication ability and self-efficacy.

From Evidence Synthesis to Transfer: Results from a Qualitative Case Study with the Perspectives of Participants

The increase in health research brings challenges to the production, synthesis, and use of research findings in clinical practice. In the case of undergraduate training in nursing, it is necessary to think about the curricular contents and create opportunities to develop skills for learning evidence-based practice. The objective of this study was to analyze nurses’ perspectives regarding the effects of their participation in a project of translation of knowledge into clinical practice during undergraduate nursing education, specifically involving knowledge, attitudes, and competencies related to the use of evidence. This is a qualitative case study grounded in the knowledge-to-action theoretical framework. The participants were 13 nurses who were involved in a project about the translation of knowledge into clinical practice during the last term of their undergraduate course. The data were collected by applying interviews between December 2020 and April 2021. Content analysis was carried out by using the qualitative data analysis software tool webQDA^®. The following categories emerged from the content analysis carried out on the material gathered during the interviews: understanding evidence; learning how to use evidence; transferring evidence; adjusting to the context; and observing the advantages of evidence-based practice. Extracurricular activities were perceived as an opportunity to understand what evidence is and observe in loco the advantages of health care for clients, teams, and services. During the project, the participants developed cross-sectional competencies and envisaged changes to their professional activity as a result of changes in their attitude regarding evidence and its use. We concluded that the opportunity to develop evidence-related activities allows for the development of skills and influences the attitude towards evidence-based practice and knowledge use.

Developing research knowledge and capability in undergraduate nurses: evaluation of targeted placements

Background

There are few opportunities for undergraduate nurses to undertake experiential learning about research design and conduct. The project aim was to implement and evaluate a placement to support the development of research knowledge and skills.

Methods

Establishment of a four-week placement, with allocation to a registered quality improvement/service evaluation project. Evaluation was obtained through questionnaires; student experience (pre, post and one year), supervisor experience and organisational impact (presentations, conference and grant submissions).

Results

24 students (five cohorts) were allocated to 17 projects (2017-2019). 100% of students enjoyed the placement, gained research knowledge and insight into clinical care. At one year (n = 15), 88% of students would consider undertaking a service evaluation and 65% (n = 11) would consider further post-graduate study. All supervisors (n = 20) reported the initiative valuable for student development. All project results were shared with relevant local teams to enable service planning and results from five projects been presented at eight national and international conferences. Three projects have contributed directly to further research grant submissions.

Conclusion

The programme supports the development of undergraduate nurses to be research ready and facilitates organisations to address high-priority safety and quality topics. Further resources are required to be able to increase placement capacity.

Nursing students' learning from involvement in research projects: an integrative literature review

OBJECTIVE

To identify the learning outcomes and skills obtained of undergraduate nursing students involved in research projects.

METHODS

This was an integrative literature review, based on a research protocol in the CINAHL Complete databases; Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials; Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews; Cochrane Methodology Register; MedicLatina; MEDLINE, Scopus and JBI, including primary and secondary studies, published between 2015 and 2020.

RESULTS

A total of five heterogeneous articles were included, which were categorized using Kirkpatrick's (adapted) model. Seventeen learning outcomes acquired through participation in research projects were identified, from the learning of new knowledge and skills to the development of new attitudes and behaviors.

FINAL CONSIDERATIONS

The involvement of nursing students in research projects is important to their professional development. Future investment in research on this topic can help cement the potential of this type of student involvement.

Experiential Learning for Undergraduate Nursing Students: Engagement With a University Health Center

BACKGROUND

Finding the right method to influence student engagement with research can provide a unique opportunity to positively affect students' perceptions of nursing research. Therefore, the purpose of this educational program was to implement an experiential learning opportunity for junior-year nursing students.

METHOD

Faculty developed a program that focused on the development of a research study in association with the university health center. A retrospective chart review that focused on various social behaviors was identified as an appropriate research project.

RESULTS

Students who were enrolled in the course were divided into five groups. Each student reviewed and collected data from 18 charts. Data collection and entry occurred concurrently.

CONCLUSION

Students acknowledged they learned about the research process and enjoyed the experience. This program enhanced students' experiences with research. [J Nurs Educ. 2021;60(5):289-292.].

Directions of the 100 most cited nursing student education research: A bibliometric and co-citation network analysis

AIMS

To identify and analyze the 100 most cited articles on nursing student education (NSE) that were published in nursing journals.

BACKGROUND

The citation frequency of an article indicates its scientific impact. Analyzing highly cited articles on NSE enabled researchers to identify mainstream research types and acquire relevant information and knowledge.

DESIGN

A retrospective bibliometric analysis with co-citation network analysis.

DATA SOURCES

We searched for journal articles on NSE from the Web of Science, and analyzed the 100 most cited articles (date of search: June 3, 2020).

REVIEW METHODS

The theme, article type, journal, country, source of institutional articles, and publication year were counted and analyzed. The citation relationships among the most 100 cited articles of NSE were calculated and visualized.

RESULTS

Articles included in this study were mostly empirical quantitative studies with a cross-sectional design, and were published in international nursing journals between 2000 and 2020. Their authors were mostly from the United States and the United Kingdom. According to the co-citation network analysis, four main research directions were identified: workplace mental health, simulation learning, spiritual care, and medication administration.

CONCLUSION

Workplace mental health was the major research topic on NSE. This research topic has spanned two decades (2000-2020). These articles were mainly published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing and Nurse Education Today. Some recent research topics, such as simulation learning and spiritual care were also identified. Findings provide a fresh review of the highly cited NSE articles, including the visualization of the NSE network.

Research-based occupational therapy education: An exploration of students' and faculty members' experiences and perceptions

INTRODUCTION

One argument for introducing research in bachelor`s degree in health care is to ensure the quality of future health care delivery. The requirements for research-based education have increased, and research on how research-based education is experienced is limited, especially in bachelor health care education programmes. The aim of this study was to explore how occupational therapy students and faculty members experienced and perceived research-based education.

METHODS

This qualitative, interpretative description consisted of three focus group interviews with occupational therapy students in their final year (n = 8, 6 and 4), and three focus group interviews with faculty members affiliated with occupational therapy programmes in Norway (n = 5, 2 and 5). Interviewing both students and faculty members enabled us to explore the differences in their experiences and perceptions.

RESULTS

Five integrative themes emerged from the analysis: "introducing research early", "setting higher expectations", "ensuring competence in research methods", "having role models" and "providing future best practice". Research was described as an important aspect of the occupational therapy bachelor program as it helps ensure that students achieve the necessary competence for offering future best practice. Students expressed a need to be introduced to research early in the program, and they preferred to have higher expectations regarding use of research. Competence in research methods and the importance of role models were also highlighted.

CONCLUSIONS

Undergraduate health care students are expected to be competent in using research. Findings from our study demonstrated that the participants perceived the use of research during training as important to ensure future best practice. Increasing the focus on research in the programme's curricula and efforts to improve students' formal training in research-specific skills could be a starting point towards increased use of research in the occupational therapy profession.

Pre-licensure nursing students' attitudes toward clinical research, education research, and pedagogical research participation in the United States

BACKGROUND

Researchers worldwide have found that nursing students tend to have favorable attitudes toward clinical research. However, little is known about their attitudes toward education research and pedagogical research participation.

OBJECTIVES

The purposes of this study were to: describe nursing students' attitudes toward clinical research, education research, and pedagogical research participation; explore the association of select demographic and academic factors with students' attitudes; and identify facilitators and barriers of pedagogical research participation.

DESIGN

A convergent mixed-methods design with questionnaire variant was used.

SETTINGS

Pre-licensure students from nursing programs throughout the United States.

PARTICIPANTS

Four hundred and thirty-six pre-licensure students, aged 18 or older, who were active members of the National Student Nurses' Association (NSNA).

METHODS

Research participants were recruited using the NSNA e-mail distribution list. Nursing students completed a demographic survey and three instruments that measured attitudes toward clinical research, education research, and pedagogical research participation.

RESULTS

Quantitative findings indicated that nursing students had generally positive attitudes toward clinical research, education research, and pedagogical research participation. Prior experience as a research assistant or a research participant was significantly associated with students' attitudes on all three measures. Factors identified by students to enhance pedagogical research participation were the potential to improve practice, research topic interest, and opportunities for personal and professional development; while time-related concerns were identified as barriers to research participation. Qualitative data supported these findings, and also revealed some negative attitudes toward pedagogical research participation, concerns about current educational practices, and confusion about the definition of education research.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings from this study provide nurse educators with students' perspectives of education research, which may be used to develop a student-driven framework to enhance the implementation of pedagogical research. Further research is warranted to more fully understand these phenomena with explicit attention to international students' perspectives.

Embracing evidence-based nursing and informational literacy through an innovative undergraduate collaborative project

Background Nurse educators are challenged to design courses that maintain rigor, promote student learning, maximize resource utilization, and ultimately prepare graduates for clinical practice. Purpose An innovative teaching strategy was used to educate BSN level students in nursing inquiry with a collaborative project. Methods Course faculty incorporated information literacy (IL) and evidence-based practice (EBP) competencies into an undergraduate research course by taking the traditional practicum research project and redesigning it as a longitudinal scoping review (ScR) collaborative project. Results At course conclusion, students verbalized having a deeper appreciation for nursing research, confidence in performing a literature search, and conducting a research critique. Conclusions The students' contributions towards the ScR through their collaborative project work fostered personal growth in IL and EBP competencies through a meaningful project that can extend beyond the classroom to possibly influence patient care.

Psychometric Evaluation of the Nursing Students' Attitudes Toward Nursing Education Research Questionnaire

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

While nursing students' attitudes about research are generally positive, little is known about their attitudes toward education research. The purpose of this study was to test the psychometric properties of the newly developed Nursing Students' Attitudes toward Nursing Education Research Questionnaire (NSANERQ).

METHODS

The 25-item NSANERQ was adapted from an existing tool measuring nursing students' attitudes toward nursing research. Content and construct validity, and internal consistency and test-retest reliability were evaluated. Content validity was assessed using a panel of five experts. Internal consistency reliability and construct validity were assessed in a sample of 156 senior, junior, and sophomore baccalaureate nursing students with a mean age of 20.55 years. A separate sample of 49 freshmen baccalaureate nursing students with a mean age of 18.35 years was used to assess test-retest reliability. Both samples were predominantly female, White, and non-Hispanic/non-Latino.

RESULTS

The NSANERQ demonstrated excellent content validity (S-CVI = 0.92), good internal consistency reliability (α = .88), and acceptable test-retest reliability (r = 0.71) over 2 weeks. Exploratory factor analysis resulted in a six-factor solution, which was confirmed through confirmatory factor analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

The NSANERQ is a valid and reliable instrument that can be used to measure students' attitudes toward nursing education research.

Nursing Students' Attitudes Toward Nursing Education Research and Participation in Pedagogical Research

BACKGROUND

Nursing students overall have positive attitudes toward research, but no studies have explored students' attitudes toward education research or pedagogical research participation.

PURPOSE

The purposes of this study were to explore nursing students' attitudes toward research in general, education research, and participation as subjects in pedagogical research; describe the relationships among these attitudes; and identify associated factors.

METHODS

A mixed-methods, descriptive, cross-sectional study design was used.

RESULTS

Nursing students' (N = 195) attitudes about research in general, education research, and participation in pedagogical research were predominantly positive and directly correlated. Age was significantly associated with attitudes about education research and research participation, whereas program year was associated only with research participation. The most prevalent barrier to research participation was time.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings provide valuable insight about nursing students' attitudes toward research that may be used to design protocols to enhance student participation in pedagogical research.