Undergraduate Nursing Students’ Experiences and Perceptions of Experiential Learning

Background: Nursing students actively learn with hands-on clinical experiences; however, a similar approach may enhance their didactic coursework. The purpose of this educational initiative was to conduct an experiential learning project for senior (4^th year) undergraduate nursing students in a nursing evidence-based practice and research course. Method: In response to data suggesting that university students lack recommended health care, nursing students developed and delivered an educational intervention about the campus student health center and the importance of primary care in young adults. Results: Students learned about evidence-based quality improvement initiatives, data collection, analysis, and dissemination through this project. All students successfully met the course objectives. Although course evaluations were generally positive, some students found the research process to be challenging and time-consuming. Conclusion: Innovative projects can effectively teach nursing students about research methods and their applications, while addressing community needs. This approach encourages student autonomy and engagement with academic literature.