Perception of Undergraduate Nursing Students Regarding Research

Abstract

Background: Nursing research is an important part of undergraduate nursing curricula that improves optimum care for patients through evidence-based practice (EBP). It helps nursing students think critically and utilize the results of research findings in clinical settings to achieve positive patient outcomes. Nursing research at the undergraduate level has been considered a neglected part of Pakistan.

Objective: This study was conducted to determine the perception of nursing students regarding research.  

Methodology: A quantitative, cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out among undergraduate nursing students (n= 131) at two colleges. The convenient sampling technique was adopted with a margin error of 5% and a confidence interval of 95%. Data was collected by distributing a questionnaire to the participants with their own consent.

Results: The findings of the study revealed that the majority of the nursing students responded that research is useful to their profession, and they had an overall positive perception of research. The response of the participants towards the research anxiety domain was that most of them (n=88, 67.2) expressed that research is a complex subject, stressful, and difficult to understand arithmetic research.

Conclusion: Most of the participants agreed that research at this level is useful and may have a good impact on evidence-based practice. It is recommended that the nursing administrator and educators implement research-related workshops from the first year of the undergraduate degree, as it is beneficial for future nursing students and improves evidence-based practice.