Surveying the familiarity and usage of up-to-date database among nurses working in the hospitals affiliated with Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences

Background and Objectives: The evidence-based databases provide the details of the latest scientific findings of research on an individual subject. Factual databases have gained a significant attention regarding the importance and application of evidence-based medical information. Therefore, the purpose of present study was to investigate the level of familiarity by using an Up-To-Date database among the nurses working at the hospitals affiliated with Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medial Sciences, and by this, making ground for cost-efficiency and cost-effectiveness analyses. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive-analytical research, conducted on a sample of 293 nurses selected from a population of 1246 nurses, working at the hospitals affiliated with Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences. For the data collection, a researcher built questionnaire was used, and its validity and reliability were confirmed, its Cronbach’s alpha coefficient being calculated as 0.71. For the data analysis, descriptive statistics and Kruskal-Wallis test were run. Results: According to the findings, the majority of the nurses were female, having a Bachelor’s degree. The nurses had a mid-familiarity with the Up-To-Date database, and most of them used this database in a very limited manner. When using the Up-To-Date database, their primary goal was to update their information and to answer to the clinical questions of the patients. Conclusions: According to the findings, it could be concluded that the access to the recent and up-to-date information in the domain of nursing required the training of the nurses with the necessary skills in information use, to be able to obtain updated information from evidence-based databases and other information resources.