[The journal club as a teaching strategy to develop evidence-based practice for undergraduate students in nursing].

INTRODUCTION

Contemporary nursing practice requires constant updating of knowledge, especially in regards to research results found in academic or scientific papers.

CONTEXT

As part of the university curriculum in nursing, students must develop their skills in relation to the understanding and evaluation of research evidence.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to explore the appreciation and effects of a new teaching approach, the use of a journal club within a nursing research course, with undergraduate students in nursing sciences.

METHOD

As part of a qualitative exploratory descriptive design, a questionnaire with open-ended questions about their appreciation and perception of the effects of the journal club was administered to the participating students (n = 41) at the end of the course.

RESULTS

Participation in the journal club appears to have provided an introduction to the scientific area of nursing, to have improved several skills related to the evaluation of scientific articles and has increased motivation to adopt evidence-based practice.

CONCLUSION

The use of a journal club within an undergraduate research course in nursing was a relevant teaching method that aroused great interest in the undergraduate students in nursing.