Depression is the origin of ill health problems in college students. It advances as one of the leading causes of mental health issues. During their college life, freshmen encounter many firsts. These include a new environment, friends, exposure to social norms and culture. The students may struggle and experience difficulty if they cannot deal with these challenges. They can become a vulnerable population. Therefore, the overall purpose of this study is to conduct a baseline assessment of college students' experiences in the university. More so, this study 1) describes the characteristics of a sample of freshmen allied medical sciences students, 2) describes the levels of perceived social support from family and friends, spiritual experiences, and depressive symptomatology among allied medical sciences freshmen; and 3) to assesses the possible association among described positive influences (spirituality, family support, peer support) to depressive symptomatology. The study utilized a cross-sectional analytic quantitative design. In selecting respondents, a consecutive sampling technique was utilized. Respondents eligible to participate included first-year full-time students in the university taking up Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Bachelor of Medical Technologist (BSMT), and Bachelor of Science in Radiological Technologist (BSRT). A total of 110 undergraduate students participated in the study. Most of the students were females younger than 20 years old. The overall perceived social support from family and friends yielded average scores. The higher the scores, the greater the perception of social support from family and friends. For their spirituality, it showed that participants scored lower, indicating a high level of spiritual experiences. Lastly, the depression scale yielded high scores indicating that the participants had signs of severe/major depression, as based on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scoring. The relationships between Depressive Symptoms and Perceived Social Support from Family (PSS-Family) and Friends (PSS-Friends), and Spirituality Experiences were also evaluated. It showed that Depression and PSS-Friends yielded a statistically significant relationship. However, there was no statistically significant relationship between Depression and PSS-Family. For the spirituality experiences, the test revealed that there is also a statistically significant relationship with depression. Overall, the study concludes that college life is a period of increased challenge for young allied medical health students. Their courses accompany complex and challenging responsibilities that increase tensions and anxiety. The results from these processes may cause or worsen stress when not given priority and could lead to depressive symptomatology. It was reflected that freshmen students' peer support and spiritual experiences appear to be closely associated with depressive symptomatology.
Social Support ; Spirituality ; Depression

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to develop and to pilot-test a tailored introductory Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) training program for registered nurses. Despite the recognized importance of EBP in nursing, many practicing nurses lacked formal training and confidence in its application. This study addressed the gap in accessible and entry-level EBP education designed specifically for EBP competency among nurses.

METHODS

A quasi-experimental one-group pretest-post test design was employed in this study. A convenient sample of 23 registered nurses from a tertiary educational institution in Angeles City, Pampanga, Philippines had participated in the pilot testing. The introductory EBP Training Program was developed based on core EBP competencies and structured into a modular format. The program was delivered in a computer laboratory setting and conducted for eight to ten hours. The training included lectures, guided case-based discussions, and hands-on exercises covering each step of the EBP process.

Data were collected using the Academic Center for Evidence-Based Practice Readiness Inventory (ACE-ERI) before and after the intervention. Statistical analysis was performed using paired sample t-tests to assess differences in pre- and post-intervention scores. All analyses were conducted using SPSS version 26. Ethical approval was obtained from the Holy Angel University Institutional Review Board (HAU-IRB).

RESULTS

The EBP training program resulted in a statistically significant improvement in both knowledge and confidence in using evidence-based practice. Participants' knowledge scores increased from a pre-test mean of 7.04 (SD = 1.72) to a post-test mean of 8.30 (SD = 1.87), while confidence scores rose from 64.61 (SD = 17.32) to 88.43 (SD = 16.80). Wilcoxon signed-rank tests confirmed the significance of these improvements in both EBP knowledge (Z = -4.16, p < .001) and confidence (Z = -3.56, p < .001).

CONCLUSION

The study demonstrated that the evidence-based practice (EBP) training program led to a significant improvement in nurses' knowledge and skills, as evidenced by the marked difference in pre- and post-test scores. EBP training programs can effectively enhance healthcare professionals' capacity to integrate evidence into clinical practice. Based on these findings, healthcare organizations should consider incorporating EBP training into regular professional development programs for nurses. EBP training programs should focus on fostering practical application skills and include more case-based learning to further reinforce the integration of EBP in clinical decision-making. Lastly, future researches may explore focusing on long-term outcomes of EBP training, including its impact on patient care and organizational practices, to assess the sustainability of the knowledge gained through such interventions. Overall, by enhancing EBP training and supporting its widespread adoption, healthcare systems can further improve the quality of patient care and promote a culture of continuous learning and evidence-based decision-making.

Human ; Evidence-based Practice ; Training ; Education ; Nurses ; Knowledge