Nursing professionals' attitudes toward biostatistics: an international web-based survey

Year 2019, Volume: 5 Issue: 2, 326 - 334, 04.03.2019

Gökhan Ocakoğlu , Mehmet Onur Kaya , Fatma Ezgi Can Sema Atış Aslı Ceren Macunluoğlu

https://doi.org/10.18621/eurj.383180

Cited By: 1

Abstract

Objective: The present
study, an international web-based survey, was focused on four aims: to obtain
nursing professional’s self-reported statistical knowledge levels and how this knowledge varies by
research area, to investigate and specify when biostatistics courses should
be taught in nursing education and to identify the key statistical methods
relevant to nursing education.

Methods: A total of 448 nursing
professionals from five continents and 52 countries participated in our study.
For the data comparison, the Kruskal-Wallis test, the Mann-Whitney U test, the
Pearson Chi Square and Fisher-Freeman-Halton tests were applied.

Results: The results indicate that while nursing professionals place an emphasis on
biostatistics education, the majority state that biostatistics education should
be taken both at the undergraduate and postgraduate level and the participants
also believe that taking a biostatistics course is useful for their occupation.
A biostatistics education should also emphasize the necessity of consulting to
a biostatistician when planning a study.

Conclusion: Our study provides
information regarding self-reported levels of biostatistical knowledge of
nursing professionals by research area and academic position, and provides
guidance regarding the ideal semester for administering a biostatistics course. 

Keywords

Biostatistics course, biostatistics knowledge, nursing education, nursing professionals, web-based survey

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