An exploratory study of Maltese student nurses' information-seeking approaches

Abstract

The importance of information-seeking in nursing care is widely acknowledged. This study sought to explore information-seeking performance of nursing students at the Institute of Health Care in Malta. The sample consisted of nine cohorts of students, with a cohort from each year of each of the three programmes of nurse education delivered at the Institute of Health Care (n=l82). Drawing upon While et al's study (1995), a written simulation exercise presenting the scenario of an elderly man being admitted to a ward was used. Using a quantitative approach to data analysis and through statistical tests the data from different cohorts of students were compared. In tum, the findings from this study were compared to the findings of While et al (1995). The findings indicated significant differences in performance at information-seeking of students from the three different programmes of nurse education delivered at the Institute of Health Care, together with weaknesses in the performance of the three groups of final year students. Analysis of the data from different groups of students along the years of a programme, suggests progress in students' performance as they progressed along a programme of nurse education. Overall the performance of students from the degree programme was more favourable than that of students from the diploma and certificate programmes. Information-seeking of students in this study differed to that reported by While et al (1995). Tentative explanations for this are discussed. Further research is recommended since this study explored students' performance at information-seeking only, which inspite of its centrality is only one of the pre-requisites for effective care. Moreover this study explored performance in a simulated situation which may differ to performance in the real situation. A number of recommendations are made.