Outcomes of evidence-based practice education in bedside nurses: A qualitative study

Abstract

<p>Practicing nurses today are expected to incorporate best evidence in their care. Evidence-based practice (EBP) has become recognized as the gold standard of care, prompting many healthcare organizations to invest resources into the creation of a culture that sustains the use of evidence for direct care decision-making. Previous research has focused on nurses' knowledge and attitudes regarding EBP and this data has indicated an inability of nurses to incorporate EBP in daily practice. Although outcomes of an EBP program are often measured in terms of completed projects, the goal of our program was to change the clinical decision-making of the bedside nurse so that EBP was consistently integrated into clinical practice. The purpose of this research was to describe the perspectives and factors related to the incorporation of evidence-based practice for clinical decision-making by staff nurses who have completed our Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) Scholars Program. An interpretive, phenomenological approach was used with focus groups for data collection. A semi-structured questionnaire developed by the investigators along with field notes comprised the study instruments. Audio tapes were transcribed and semantic content analysis was used to code data for meaning as well as to count the frequency of themes by each question. Following a deliberate, purposeful analysis process, the investigators identified several themes categorized as: Re-igniting a passion for nursing; Strengthening relationships; Empowering their own voice; Supporting the institution Programs to teach bedside nurses how to incorporate EBP into care delivery not only result in better outcomes for patients but also greatly contribute to the sustained enculturation of EBP as a foundation for nursing practice. Reflections of the participants showed a deepening personal and professional growth beyond the course itself.</p>