Nursing students’ knowledge and attitude about evidence-based practice: A systematic review

This systematic review aimed to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes of nursing students, as well as the factors associated with their perspectives on evidence-based practice (EBP). A thorough and systematic search was performed across several international electronic databases, including Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science. Keywords were sourced from Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), incorporating terms such as "knowledge", "attitude", "evidence-based practice", and "nursing students". The search covered all available records up to August 18, 2024. The studies selected for inclusion in this systematic review were evaluated for quality using the Appraisal Tool for Cross-Sectional Studies (AXIS tool), a specialized appraisal instrument for cross-sectional studies. A total of 1,496 nursing students were included across five cross-sectional studies. Among the participants, 75.367% were female, with a mean age of 23.23 years (standard deviation [SD]=3.76). The studies included in this systematic review were conducted in Poland (n=1), Jordan (n=1), Spain (n=1), South Africa (n=1), and Brazil (n=1). The average knowledge score of nursing students toward EBP in four studies was 52.29 out of 100, reflecting moderate knowledge. The participation in the research method course, academic year, and age with knowledge had a significant positive relationship. As observed in four studies, the average positive attitude of nursing students toward EBP was 69.81 out of 100, indicating a generally high positive attitude of nursing students toward EBP. There was a significant relationship between the academic year and the positive attitude of nursing students toward EBP. Therefore, nursing policymakers and managers can enhance nursing students' knowledge and positive attitudes by focusing on factors such as academic year and participation in research methodology courses.