Using an Interactive Journal Club to Enhance Nursing Research Knowledge Acquisition, Appraisal, and Application

Nursing practice is intricate and multifaceted. It requires the application of current, health-related research. Nurses are expected to employ evidence-informed practice in making decisions about the clinical care of their clients. A journal club is one method that can help promote an increased awareness of research, educating students to critique and use research findings. In this descriptive pilot study, the use of a journal club was evaluated. University undergraduate nursing students (N=35) across three sites in eastern Canada participated. Although the results are limited, participants found the journal club sessions enjoyable and beneficial for helping them interpret research findings and apply research to clinical practice. More research directed at helping nursing students critique and apply research to nursing practice is warranted.