Information Support for Distance Nursing Students at the University of Zambia School of Nursing Sciences

Abstract

Distance learning nursing students have specific information needs when it comes to their studies and learning. Nursing students also have particular information needs; and distinct information seeking behaviour that is unique to their sector and practice. In order to meet these information needs and information seeking patterns, libraries and librarians have to be cognisant of the situational context of the student nurses. The study was aimed at assessing distance nursing student’s use of and satisfaction with University of Zambia medical library services; and finding out challenges that distance nursing students face in accessing the services. The study established that nursing students were using various internet technologies for mainly study purposes. Although the students visited the library to access materials during residential school, they were nevertheless, not very satisfied with the services that they were receiving from the medical library; which service was not accessible when they are away from the institution. Additionally, the students faced challenges such as lack of access to prescribed reading materials, library services, knowledge of essential databases and online resources, and limited skills to search for information.

However, supporting nursing distance learners require that libraries and librarians paying attention to the requirements of learning using the distance or online learning mode.  Libraries have to ensure that they design and deliver information literacy courses through different learning methods so that they can assist students effectively find the relevant information that is needed for a student that is learning in a distance or online mode. COVID 19 has forced most institutions think creativity; by adopting ways and means of engaging with various sectors of their constituencies; and in higher education institutions in particular, they have embraced web conferencing facilities. This is a cue that libraries must take; in the way they want to reach out to nursing students that are learning via the distance or online learning mode so that they can meet the students’ information needs.