Journal club as a method for nurses and nursing students’ collaborative learning: a descriptive study

Background: Nurses and nursing students need competence to produce evidence based care. Journal clubs have been suggested as learning methods for promoting these competences. There is a lack of knowledge about journal clubs implemented for nurses’ and nursing students’ collaborative learning. Aim: The aim of the present study was to explore nurses’ and nursing students’ experiences of journal clubs implemented as learning methods for collaborative learning. Method and material: A six-phased journal club model was used in this study. The journal clubs (n=41) were implemented in 2010-2011. The population consisted of nurses at psychiatric, geriatric, surgical or internal disease wards and students attending geriatric, psychiatric, medical nursing, health psychology or home care study modules. The sample consisted of nurses (n=216) and students (n=235). The data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. Results: Nurses (90%) experienced the journal clubs to be advantageous, to meet their expectations and facilitate discussion regarding the implementation of research into clinical practice. Nurses (80%) gained new knowledge and would utilise the knowledge in their work. Students (75%) experienced their competences to search, evaluate and communicate scientific knowledge to improve and the collaboration with the nurses to be advantageous. Students, however, experienced journal clubs as demanding and several developmental needs were reported. Conclusion: Journal clubs support competences and discussion required for producing evidence based care and can be recommended as learning methods for nurses’ and nursing students’ collaborative learning. Further research is needed to assess the effects of journal clubs on learning as well as clinical nursing outcomes.

Author(s): Laaksonen Camilla

Abstract | Full-Text | PDF

Share this