Information Needs and Information Resources Availability for Nursing Students in Mission-Owned Schools of Nursing in Imo State

Abstract

This study investigated the information needs and information resources availability for nursing students in mission-owned schools of nursing in Imo State. The study adopted the descriptive survey research design and five research questions guided the study. All the 416 second and third year nursing students were used for the study. Questionnaire on Information Needs of Nursing Students and a Checklist on Information Resources Availability were the instruments used to collect data. A total of 397 copies of the questionnaire were completed and returned for analysis representing 95.4% of the total population. All the head- librarian of the schools of nursing complied with the checklist. The findings showed that the students need varieties of information. It also showed that the students consulted different sources, mainly textbooks and internet to meet their information needs. Print information resources were available in the libraries and only few electronic information resources were available. The study recommended that the nursing school authorities should be updating their print resources since students were observed to rely more on textbooks. Also the libraries should upgrade to higher bandwidth so as to have easier and faster access to more e-books and e-journals.