Relatar a experiência de acadêmicos de Enfermagem na participação de um projeto de pesquisa científica. Relato de experiência realizado a partir da participação voluntária de 05 discentes na coleta de dados de um estudo do tipo Pesquisa Participante Baseado na Comunidade (PPBC) com idosos, decorrente de um projeto de pós-doutorado, que ocorreu em 2019 em uma Instituição de Ensino Superior (IES). Esta participação gerou, nos estudantes, sentimentos e emoções positivas, que acarretou em maior facilidade e empenho na realização das demais disciplinas do curso; contribuiu para o desempenho de habilidades cognitivas, procedimentais e atitudinais esperadas no processo de formação acadêmica e cidadã, bem como para melhoras no desempenho dos instrumentos básicos do cuidar. Houve ainda ampliação do conhecimento acerca dos métodos e das etapas referentes à investigação científica. Compreende-se que a pesquisa científica deve ser incentivada em IES, ao longo da graduação, visto que experiências com investigação científica favorece a formação integral do enfermeiro.Descritores: Estudante, Ensino Superior, Pesquisa Científica, Educação em Enfermagem. Experience of nursing students with scientific researchAbstract: To report the nursing students experience in participating in a scientific research project. Experience report based on the voluntary participation of 05 students in a Participatory Community-Based Research (PCBR) study, with elderly people as sample, resulting from a postdoctoral project, realized in 2019 at an private University. The students had positive feelings and emotions, which led to greater ease and commitment in carrying out the others course subjects; it contributed to cognitive, procedural and attitudinal skills performance, that is expected in the academic and citizen training process, as well as to improvements the basic care instruments performance. There was an increase in knowledge about methods and stages related to scientific investigation. It is understood that scientific research should be encouraged in University, throughout the undergraduate course, since experiences with scientific research contribute to the integral training of nurses. Descriptors: Students, Education Higher, Scientific Research, Education Nursing. Experiencia de estudiantes de enfermería con investigación científicaResumen: Informar la experiencia de estudiantes de enfermería en la participación en un proyecto de investigación científica. Informe de experiencia basado en la participación voluntaria de 05 estudiantes en la recolección de datos de un estudio basado en Investigación Participativa de Base Comunitaria (PPBC) con personas mayores, resultado de un proyecto postdoctoral, que se llevó a cabo en 2019 en una Institución Educativa de Educación Superior (IES). Esta participación generó, en los estudiantes, sentimientos y emociones positivas, lo que propició una mayor facilidad y compromiso en el desarrollo de las demás asignaturas del curso; contribuyó al desempeño de las habilidades cognitivas, procedimentales, actitudinales esperadas en el proceso de formación académica y ciudadana, así como al mejoramiento en el desempeño de los instrumentos básicos de atención. Se incrementó el conocimiento sobre los métodos y etapas relacionados con la investigación científica. Se entiende que se debe fomentar la investigación científica en las IES, a lo largo de la carrera, ya que las experiencias con la investigación científica contribuyen a la formación integral del enfermero.Descriptores: Estudiantes, Educación Superior, Investigación Científica, Educación en Enfermería.

Objective: To identify and discuss the frequency of depressive symptoms and their associated factors in university students. Materials and method: This is a cross-sectional and descriptive study with a quantitative approach, conducted in a Higher Education Institution. The study was developed with a convenience sample consisting of 571 undergraduate students from different areas. A questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic/academic data, as well as depressive symptoms and their associations, life habits, emotional aspects, and possible eating disorders. For data analysis, descriptive statistics and Pearson’s chi-square test were used for associations, with a significance level of 5 % (p-value ≤ 0.05). Results: The university students presented depressive symptoms such as sleep disorders (61.1 %) and reduced self-confidence (50.9 %). There was an association of depressive symptoms with the course, satisfaction with academic performance, obesity, consumption of sugars and sweets, and practice and frequency of physical activity. Conclusions: It is expected that the results of this research contribute to the population’s critical and reflective thinking to expand visibility and scientific studies referring to the theme, as well as to increase resources for the management of mental health and reduce the stigmas generated.