Efficacy of Problem Based Learning approach for teaching Evidence Based Practice for midwifery and nursing professionals globally: A systematic review and a meta - analysis protocol.

Abstract

Background: Although different approaches have been utilized for Evidence Based Practice teaching over the years, there’s paucity of literature on the efficacy of Problem Based Learning (PBL) as a teaching strategy for Evidence Based Practice (EBP) for nursing and midwifery professionals. The purpose of this review is to analyze, critically appraise, and synthesize evidence regarding the efficacy of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in training nursing and midwifery professionals on Evidence-Based Practice (EBP). Methods: High-quality systematic reviews and meta-analyses take great care to find all relevant studies, critically assess each study, synthesize the findings from individual studies in an unbiased manner, and present balanced important summary of findings with due consideration of any flaws in the evidence. The studies will be RCTs and Non RCTs which will be selected from PsychInfo, CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), PubMed, EMBASE, ERIC, Cochrane Central. The study will be both narrative and quantitative synthesis. The quality of the included studies will be assessed through risk of bias assessment criteria. The population of this systematic review will consist of nursing and midwifery professionals who have been exposed to bachelor's and master's degree nursing and midwifery training on EBP utilizing the PBL method as opposed to other EBP teaching methods. In a global context, the result will be EBP competencies and the factors associated with application of EBP core competencies in clinical practice by nursing and midwifery professionals trained using PBL. This review will adhere to a priori criterion. The review's title has been registered in PROSPERO (No: CRD42023390989). Conclusion: To enhance the quality of EBP teaching for nursing and midwifery professionals, an up-to-date systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficiency of problem-based learning (PBL) as a teaching method for EBP and its influence on the key competencies of EBP is required.