Critical reading in nursing students: effects of an educational strategy

Abstract

Purpose: To validate the of an educative participation promoting strategy in baccalaureate nursing and obstetrics students, about the development of theoretic education texts' critical reading in the nursing education subject.

Materials and methods: A quasiexperimental study was performed. The population consisted of two "natural" seventh semester groups of baccalaureate nursing students. The experimental group (GE) consisted of 22 students in which an educative strategy was applied that pretended to promote students' participation; the control group (GC) consisted of 17 students where a habitual strategy was applied. The former was based on individual homeworks (out of class) and class work in discussion and debate groups as well as plenary sessions. The latter was in the traditional way to work by teacher and students. A previously elaborated and validated instrument was used to calculate the advance degree in critical reading.

Results: Significant differences, statistically significant were found in the basal score of both groups in favor of the control group in the studied indexes: comprehension: GC= 21, GE =-4; interpretation GC= 8 and GE= -14; p<0.0001 in both cases. GC showed no differences after the intervention; however, GE did show significant charges. Comparing both groups after the interventions statistically significant were not found in the studied capacities (both groups equaled). 

Discussion: The role of the teacher was essential to deploy the necessary resources to advance and develop the potential richness of the students submitted to the educational strategy.