A phenomenographic investigation into Information Literacy in nursing practice - preliminary findings and methodological issues

Abstract

Background: Information Literacy is essential to 'evidence-based practice'; without the ability to locate evidence, evidence-based practice is rendered extremely difficult if not impossible. There is currently little evidence to show how Information Literacy is experienced by nurses or what its parameters are within evidence-based practice and therefore whether Information Literacy educational interventions are actually promoting the correct knowledge and skills.

Objective, design and methods: Using phenomenographic interviews the author will attempt to discover how nurses experience Information Literacy. Insights from the findings will be used to map out its parameters and to put forward a theoretical model for a course or module to develop it effectively.

Results: This article presents preliminary findings, including 7 draft categories of description of how Information Literacy is experienced in nursing.

Conclusions: This pilot study indicates that the complete findings may be of significant potential value in the promotion and development of Information Literacy education in nursing. It is argued that such insights into how nurses actually experience the phenomenon of Information Literacy can be used to develop potentially more effective, research-based, educational interventions.

Keywords: Evidence-based practice; Information Literacy; Information seeking behaviour; Nursing education.