I Can Do This – Collaboration on a Global Nursing Assignment to Increase the Self-Efficacy of Pre-nursing Students for Research Skills

Abstract

This study asked whether pre-nursing students who took Nursing 102 (the Introduction to Professional Nursing class), which included information literacy instruction by a health sciences librarian and writing assistance from peer tutors, felt better prepared in basic research skills and had a more global understanding of nursing than they did before they took the class. In Nursing 102, instruction in the skills needed to prepare an American Psychological Association (APA) paper and group presentations on an assigned country were used to increase pre-nursing students’ self-efficacy in basic computer and library skills as well as global health awareness. In cooperation with the instructors, the health sciences librarian presented a one-hour session to each class on using the library website and searching in CINAHL. Later, students met the librarian by appointment in small groups. Peer tutors at the campus writing center helped students refine and edit their writing. A computer self-efficacy scale and comments from students, faculty, and the librarian assessed results. Of the potential participants, 209 of 301 enrolled in Nursing 102 between fall 2011 and spring 2013 completed a pretest and posttest. Results of a paired t-test indicated the average score on the computer self-efficacy test increased from 34.80 to 40.30, and the change was statistically significant at the p ≤ .05 level. The instructors and librarian noted subjective improvements in the retrieval and use of scholarly resources by students. The introduction to research skills and the global nursing assignment in Nursing 102, with participation of classroom faculty, the health sciences librarian, and the campus writing center peer tutors, appeared to help increase pre-nursing students’ self-efficacy for basic computer and library skills, their retrieval of scholarly sources, and their understanding of global health systems.

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