Teaching and interconnecting research and evidence-based practice in midwifery and nursing education: A mixed methods systematic review

Objective: To examine current approaches in research, teaching, and Evidence Based Practice (EBP) in midwifery and nursing education and how they interconnect. Design: A mixed-methods systematic review. Data sources: Seven databases were used: Academic Search Complete, ASSIA, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Education Source, Medline, and Scopus. Grey literature was searched from GreyNet International, The Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness, Virginia Henderson Global Nursing e-Repository, The National Institutes for Health Library, and the DART-Europe E-theses Portal. Methods: This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. It includes studies conducted in higher and professional practice education in midwifery and nursing between 2013 and 2024. Included studies were published in English, reported the design, development, implementation, and/or evaluation of research or EBP intervention with primary data as part of their research, regardless of study design. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Extracted data were analysed using reflective thematic analysis and descriptive statistics. Results: A total of 59 studies, and 7214 participants were included. Four themes representing the interconnections between teaching, research and EBP were identified: 1) Pedagogical approaches employed in teaching and learning interventions 2) Theories, models, and frameworks to bridge the theory-practice gap 3) Collaborative approaches and partnerships as a conduit for the acquisition of knowledge and transferable skills 4) Capabilities developed in research and EBP. Conclusions: This review is the first to demonstrate how different educational interventions, models and findings relate to teaching research and EBP and their application in midwifery and nursing. Despite numerous educational strategies for integrating research into teaching, there is no conclusive evidence on the best methods for teaching EBP. The field needs clear guidelines, educational toolkits, and comprehensive materials to effectively bridge the gap between knowledge and practice and to address the challenges of EBP education and its clinical application.