The survey of information needs and the use of information resources among nursing students in emergency clinical education

Nursing students need a wide variety of health information to meet their clinical and educational needs. This study aims through information needs approach to discover which aspects of the process of emergency nursing were more considered by students and they prefer which sources of information. We expect this study impacts on identifying of the information needs and leads to improve clinical education quality, student’s access skills to the information resource to meet their information needs and better management of patients by students. This descriptive-analytic survey was done on 131 pre graduating nursing students in 2008-2009. All of seventh and eighth semester nursing students of Semnan University of medical sciences and Islamic Azad University who were training at emergency units of affiliated hospitals were selected. We used from the questionnaire and data were analyzed by descriptive statistics bilateral and two variable correlation test in significant level of 1%. Findings showed that greatest information sources used daily the students were nursing staff (65.6%), patients (64.9%) and attend physician (52.7%). Most of the statistic society greatly needed to therapeutic and diagnostic Information. The correlation test showed significant correlation between diagnostic and therapeutic needs (P=0.00, r=0.340). Also 35.1% the students greatly needed management information. The results showed that in the process of emergency the students more considered to medical cases and they neglected from legal aspects and organizational framework and most of them preferred human resources among several sources. Evidence-based decisions require access to information resources as well as an understanding of how to use them effectively. According to lack of use update information resources, facilities such as access to books and equipped computer systems should be provided in emergency setting. While further education about how to use these sources should be presented.