EXPOSURE OF UNDERGRADUATE NURSING STUDENTS TO TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE: A QUANTITATIVE STUDY

Abstract

The healthcare field is constantly expanding, resulting in new scientific developments that improve the care of patients and support the development of improved medical interventions. As the area grows, opportunities to develop new, evidence-based methods of patient care increase. Due to the extensive time nurses spend with their patients, awareness of these changes and opportunities for collaboration increases so that interventions can be implemented. Introducing these ideas early in a nurse’s undergraduate education may benefit newly graduated nurses who can recognize areas for patient improvement that may require a multidisciplinary approach and can better advocate for their patients. Introducing the concepts of translational science to undergraduate nursing students is one strategy for increasing their competency in applying evidence to practice.