MSN perceptions of practice-based problems and research-based interventions.

Background: Although faculty design Master of Science in Nursing courses to help students acquire knowledge in practice, evidence gaps exist in the literature. The purpose of this study was to describe problems identified by practicing graduate nursing students, match them with themes from the National Institute of Nursing Research, determine if sufficient published literature exists to guide research-based interventions, and identify gaps.

Method: Using the National Institute's research themes as the framework, 215 de-identified student papers were selected using two courses-a research methods/biostatistics and an ethics course. The Krippendorff method was used to identify practice-based problems and research-based interventions with gaps in the literature.

Discussion: Students identified pain, sleep difficulties, delirium, falls, hospital-acquired infections, noise, hypothermia, and stress as priority practice-based problems.

Conclusion: A lack of clear or administratively enforced clinical guidelines or educational strategies was identified as an area with information gaps in the literature.