Learning experiences and needs of master’s nursing students in the Nursing Research Methods course: a qualitative study

Focusing on students’ needs and selecting appropriate curriculum design and teaching strategies are crucial aspects of a high-quality course. Nursing Research Methods is a pivotal course for developing the research skills of nursing postgraduates. To enhance the teaching effectiveness of this course, our study, based on the theory of needs analysis, investigated nursing postgraduates’ learning experiences and needs regarding Nursing Research Methods. Our study offers valuable insights for reforming course teaching strategies to better align with the learning needs and expectations of nursing postgraduates. This is a descriptive qualitative study using purposive sampling, 16 nursing postgraduates with learning experience in Nursing Research Methods were interviewed, and their experiences of course learning as well as needs and challenges in scientific research learning were collected. Personal semi-structured interviews were conducted from May to August 2023, with one interviewee taking a video interview by WeChat, and the remaining 15 interviewees being interviewed face-to-face, and all interview data were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was conducted with the guidance of the theory of needs analysis. Three main themes emerged from the data analysis: the needs of learning objectives, the needs of learning processes, and the learning challenges of students. The study findings highlight the importance of clear learning objectives, the expectation for curriculum optimization and personal abilities improvement during the learning process, and the identification of internal and external factors that hinder scientific research learning among nursing postgraduates. Based on our findings, we suggest optimizing the curriculum from the perspective of nursing educators, emphasizing practical education, and developing a supportive learning platform using information technology and digital teaching methods to address students’ needs and challenges and improve quality of the Nursing Research Methods.