Undergraduate nursing students’ experiences with evidence-based practice during clinical internship: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND: Evidence-Based Practice (EBP)—particularly in its nursing application, often termed Evidence-Based Nursing (EBN)—is essential for high-quality care. Yet its integration into clinical practice remains challenging for undergraduate nursing students. Gaps between theory and practice, limited statistical and literature appraisal skills, and unsupportive clinical environments hinder EBP adoption. In China, EBP implementation in clinical training is inconsistent, and students’ experiences are poorly understood. This study explores the EBP experiences of undergraduate nursing interns to inform the reform of EBP education in China. METHODS: A descriptive phenomenological method was used to conduct semistructured interviews with 13 undergraduate nursing students from Guilin Medical University enrolled in a four-year full-time nursing program, who undertook their clinical practicum in 6 different hospitals from August to December, 2024. The Colaizzi seven-step analysis method and NVivo Pro software were used to organize and analyze the interview data. RESULTS: Three themes were extracted: (a) cognition and internalization of the concept of EBP; (b) obstacles in clinical application; and (c) support system and employment planning. Notably, rather than simply lacking EBP skills—as commonly reported in the literature—students actively negotiated when, whether, and how to apply evidence in ways profoundly shaped by the expectations and practices of their clinical preceptors, revealing a form of context-sensitive agency that has been largely overlooked in prior studies of undergraduate EBP engagement. CONCLUSION: Undergraduate nursing students demonstrate positive attitudes toward EBP. However, they encounter significant challenges in applying EBP, particularly limited proficiency in medical statistics and inadequate skills in retrieving relevant evidence. To address this practical bottleneck, a collaborative medical-nursing education model grounded in social cognitive theory should be developed to enhance EBP training pathways and ultimately support the cultivation of competent nursing professionals in China. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.