Congress Abstracts 2006

281

EXPANDING EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE TO ALL ROLES IN NURSING. June Eilers, PhD, BC, CS, Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE; and Judith A. Heermann, PhD, RN, UNMC College of Nursing and Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE.

Evidence-based practice (EBP) has been embraced by nursing as we strive to advance the science of our profession and to improve patient outcomes. The focus has been on direct care for patients and families, which must be addressed because it often takes 17 years to translate research findings into practice. However, EBP success requires an infrastructure and environmental culture that embraces and expects EBP of all nurses. Nursing as a profession and ultimately, nurses and patients/families will benefit from the integration of EBP concepts into all aspects of nursing.

This project's purpose was to expand EBP into nursing leadership roles at our facility through an educational series that involved nurse leaders in active learning and planning for the translation of research into their practice. The aim of the education was to facilitate the development of a nursing culture that expects all nurses to use effective systematic processes for applying empirical evidence to assure that practices are safe, effective, and efficient.

The target audience included nurses in leadership roles as directors, managers, clinical educators, CNSs, and APNs. Educational sessions were organized using adult learning principles to actively involve participants in group activities focused on the integration of EBP into their practice. Topics included articulating the meaning of EBP, appraising evidence for application to practice, applying principles of EBP to own practice, identifying resources to support EBP, and strategies for cultivating a culture for change toward EBP.

Participant evaluation of the sessions was very positive. They readily engaged in the activities and indicated on-going use of the information. Results from an EBP beliefs survey will continue to guide planning and implementation for on-going activities to foster EBP throughout nursing in our organization.