Evidenced-Based Practice (EBP) Summary Introduction

The focus on the article by Wilson, Banner, Austria and Wilson (2017) entitled “Evaluating the Implementation of an Interdisciplinary Evidence-Based Practice Educational Program in a Large Academic Medical Center” is on determining the extent to which an EBP educational program is effective at helping nurses to maintain EBP over time. The study’s aim was to develop an education plan for a healthcare provider that would “increase exposure and understanding of the evidence-based practice (EBP) process with multidisciplinary healthcare professionals” (Wilson et al., 2017, p. 162).

Key Points

The study sought to promote the EBP process by creating an educational program that would help nurses and healthcare professionals obtain and implement EBP on their own during the course of their work.

The study found that while nurses and other healthcare professionals were able to benefit from the EBP provided them at first, measurement after a one-year period had elapsed indicated that the nurses and healthcare providers were not able to maintain the EBP over this time at a high level.

Steps Taken to Implement the EBP

The steps taken to implement the EBP were, first, to assess the culture of the organization where the EBP was to be implemented. This enabled the researchers to understand strengths and weaknesses and see where possible points of resistance might be. It also enabled them to highlight “educational gaps about what EBP is” with regard to nurses’ and caregivers’ understanding...

163).
Measurements of nurses’ and care providers’ confidence levels using EBP, knowledge of EBP and implementation practices regarding EBP were scored at baseline and again at 6 months and 12 months post-implementation using the EBP Beliefs Scale and the EBP Implementation Scale. The Likert scale was used to measure and score survey responses. Specifically EBP implementation scores were “measured by the frequency with which respondents engaged in relevant behaviors such as the appraisal of scientific evidence and sharing that evidence with patients and peers, collecting and evaluating data, and using evidence to change clinical practice were far more variable” (Wilson et al., 2017, p. 166).

Scores at baseline regarding appraising evidence from research were 28% and 35% after one year, indicating that nurses and caregivers improved their ability to appraise evidence from research one year out from the EBP education implementation. However, the score for promotion of EBP among peers fell from 52% at baseline to 35% one year post-implementation. Reading research fell from 52% at baseline to 21% one year out, indicating that the percentage of nurses and care providers who read research to facilitate EBP had fallen by more than half.

The study showed that while EBP education helps nurses to gain confidence in implementing EBP, it does not facilitate further development of EBP knowledge and skills. This indicates that nurses have to be constantly engaged with development implementations that orient them with the latest in EBP—otherwise, if…