Undergraduate mental health nursing students' reflections in gaining understanding and skills in the critical appraisal of research papers - An exploration of barriers and enablers

Abstract

Aim: To explore a cohort of mental health nurses' views and experiences in developing and applying critical appraisal of research skills to identify helping and hindering factors.

Background: In accordance with evidence-based practice principles, there is an expectation that student (mental health) nurses will become competent in understanding research to make judgements about its trustworthiness and applicability in the clinical setting. This process is termed the 'critical appraisal of research' and it is deemed important to healthcare professionals because it facilitates the use of evidence from research to underpin practice.

Design: The study incorporated qualitative secondary research using thematic analysis and a poststructural lens.

Methods: Following undertaking a module including tuition on the critical appraisal of research, a cohort of student mental health nurses' submitted essay reflections focusing on critical appraisal experiences were thematically analysed. The thematic analysis included both deductive and inductive components in adjunct to a poststructuralist analysis to explore influencing factors of language, meaning and subjectivity.

Results: The study identified there are both pedagogical factors and wider societal considerations influencing the critical appraisal of research experiences. Psychological and emotional factors, incorporating anxiety components were identified as a key barrier to engagement and understanding which has not previously been identified in comparable research. Enablers to the understanding and application of critical appraisal skills were identified as peer learning, accessing academic supervision, gaining a satisfaction of personal learning and self-directed learning with library skills support.

Conclusions: The findings indicate that there are specific pedagogic considerations which can be applied when supporting mental health student nurses in developing and gaining skills in the critical appraisal of research. It is recommended that these are applied universally for nursing students and considered for other populations of healthcare students.

Keywords: Critical appraisal; Nursing students; Reflection; Research literacy.