Knowledge about the best practice guidelines in the nursing degree: A non-randomized post-test design

Aim: To compare knowledge of Nursing Degree students about Best Practice Guidelines when there are included as teaching content in a subject vs knowledge through having the usual internship experience without teaching specific guidelines contents. Design: Non-randomized post-test-only design with a comparison group. Methods: 143 students of the nursing degree at the Autonomous University of Barcelona were recruited. The intervention group received a classroom training in three Best Practice Guidelines with Problem-Based Learning methodology. The comparison group only attended internship, without specific guidelines contents. Knowledge was evaluated with an ad hoc post intervention questionnaire. The information was collected between 2016 and 2018. Results: The average score of knowledge was low, 5.1 out of 10, and differs between guides. The best results were obtained by the students with internships and that had consulted the guides on some occasions. Synchronized effort and leadership in Academia and Healthcare are needed to favour evidence-based practice. The combination of the consultation of the Best Practice Guidelines in theoretical learning combined with the practice, increases the knowledge of the Best Practice Guidelines and will favour the implementation of evidence-based practice. Some students were involved in questionnaire design.