What is it about?
Open Science encourages researchers to share their work openly so that knowledge becomes easier to access, reuse, and build upon. Although this approach is becoming more common worldwide, little is known about how it is used in nursing education. In our study, we surveyed teachers, researchers, and students from a Portuguese nursing school to understand how familiar they are with Open Science and which tools and practices they use. Most participants agreed that Open Science is important and helps make research more ethical and collaborative. Many read Open Science publications but were less familiar with practical steps such as preregistering studies or sharing data and code. We also found a very low response rate, which may indicate that Open Science is not yet well-known or integrated into everyday academic work at the institution. Participants said they needed more training, especially in open access publishing, data management, and how to follow Open Science recommendations. Our findings highlight the need for better support and training so future nurses and researchers can confidently adopt Open Science practices.
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Why is it important?
This study is one of the first to examine Open Science awareness and practices specifically within a nursing school in Portugal — an understudied area internationally. As Open Science becomes a central expectation in European research policy, universities need to understand how ready their communities are to follow these principles. By providing real data on current practices, gaps, and training needs, this study can help nursing schools design more effective strategies to support researchers and students. It also raises attention to the low engagement with Open Science tools, which may slow the integration of transparent and collaborative research practices in healthcare education. Strengthening these practices can ultimately improve the quality, visibility, and impact of nursing research.
Perspectives
This study was an important opportunity to understand how Open Science is perceived by colleagues in a nursing education environment. Conducting the survey revealed not only enthusiasm for the principles of openness, but also the practical difficulties that many academics face when trying to apply them. I hope this work encourages institutions to invest in training and create supportive cultures where Open Science becomes part of everyday research. Personally, I believe that promoting transparency and accessibility in scientific work is essential for advancing healthcare and strengthening trust between academia and society.
Ana Sabrina Sousa
Escola Superior de Enfermagem da Universidade do Porto
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Open Science practices in a Portuguese nursing higher education institution: An exploratory, descriptive study, PLOS One, October 2025, PLOS,
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0322597.
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