Collaborate, innovate, change: Designing and delivering an information literacy programme to undergraduate nursing students

Abstract

The importance of information literacy in the nursing curriculum is well documented in the literature. The proliferation of information, the trend towards evidence based practice, and increasing demands for nurses to stay current with emerging research trends necessitates the ability to recognise when information is needed and a capacity to locate, evaluate and use information effectively. The objective of this project was to collaboratively design and deliver curriculum-based information literacy embedded within the nursing programme. Based upon best-practice examples and using the University of Auckland’s graduate attributes as benchmark skills, this project combined the expertise of The University Library staff (Nursing Subject Librarian and a Learning Services Librarian) and academic staff of the School of Nursing. Student-centred learning activities specifically addressed academic skills, nursing-specific competencies, and information literacy/research skills. Responsibility for the development of activities and learning opportunities was shared between the Library and School of Nursing staff based on academic, subject and learning design roles. This paper describes the first year of this project which includes components covering plagiarism and referencing, evaluating websites, academic reading and writing, library catalogue and database searching. There will be collaborative ongoing evaluation of the project by students, academic and library staff. At this stage only interim results are available. It is planned to continue the collaboration to ensure information literacy skills are developed incrementally throughout the 3-year undergraduate nursing programme. It is envisaged that this collaborative approach will improve students’ learning and have a beneficial long term effect on their lifelong learning skills.