Computer laboratory: The key to access the electronic databases in learning evidence-based practice

The Evidence-Based Practice can be defined as the integration of the best available research evidence with information related to patient preferences, the level of competence of clinicians, and the resources available to make decisions related to patient care. Skills in using computers and interrogating electronic resources are among one the most important barriers to using the Evidence-Based Practice process. The Nursing Degree Course of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, seat of Reggio Emilia, included in the study plan a three-year Evidence-Based Practice laboratory for to develop skills related to the ability to use electronic health resources available on the web. This study describe the nursing students’ perception relative to their skills about the use of computer lab for research of scientific evidence in electronic databases learned during the laboratory’s three-year Evidence-Based Practice. The sample is composed of 164 students attending the third year of the Nursing Degree Course in Reggio Emilia. The data collection tool was used is the Italian version of Evidence Based Practice Competence Questionnaire. A high percentage of students believe they are able to formulate structured clinical questions using the PICO methodology and more than half of the sample feels they are able to perform research on scientific evidence in a structured and systematic way on the main databases. The nursing students’ perception relative to their skills about the use of the computer lab for the research of scientific evidence in electronic databases learned during the laboratory’s three-year EBP, are positive.