Students’ attitudes toward specific content areas can shape their academic performance and future professional competence. Identifying students who hold negative perceptions of subjects such as research methods allows educators to determine whether additional support is needed. This study examined attitudes toward research among a diverse sample of master’s-level social work students (n = 113). Participants completed a demographic questionnaire and three subscales of the Revised Attitudes Toward Research Scale (R-ATR) at the beginning and end of the semester to (1) assess changes in research-related attitudes and (2) determine whether demographic characteristics predicted these changes. Students’ positive research dispositions were associated with perceptions of research usefulness and lower levels of research-related anxiety. Overall, research anxiety decreased over the semester, and several demographic variables were linked to variation in gain scores. Findings highlight the utility of the R-ATR for monitoring students’ attitudes in research courses and future engagement in evidence-based practice. Recommendations are offered to strengthen students’ capacity to engage in evidence-based practice by enhancing their ability to integrate research knowledge into decision-making and outcome evaluation.
Consumer (i.e. patient/carer) engagement in the education of healthcare students is a strategy employed by education providers to improve the real-world application of university learning. It is also equally useful in enhancing the engagement of patients and their carers in educating the future healthcare workforce. While education providers in rural settings intend to engage consumers more in the development and delivery of education, practical strategies are lacking to make this happen. To address this gap, we have developed a checklist informed by both literature and lived expertise to guide education providers in engaging with consumers.
Simulated-practice learning placements were initiated as a response to a placement capacity crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic, offering an alternative enabling quality educational experience remotely. Its continued integration into undergraduate nursing programmes is representative of its success in preparing students for clinical practice. This systematic narrative review aims to provide a critical overview of the existing literature around simulated-practice learning in undergraduate nursing students following the COVID-19 pandemic. The 12 articles in the systematic review were heterogenous. The review uses Popay et al. (2006) approach in its synthesis Three primary themes included 1) adoption and institutional integration of simulated-practice learning placements; 2) simulated-practice learning design; 3) benefits and barriers. Simulated-practice learning placements provides a safe environment that allows those attending to experience a wide range of nursing practices. Financial strain was identified as a key barrier, as well as staffing, expertise, and additional workload. Simulated-practice learning placements present a valuable and viable approach to deliver comprehensive and equitable learning experiences. They can, therefore, be used to complement, and not replace, clinical practice.
