Systematic education has a positive impact on nurses' evidence-based practice: Intervention study results

Abstract

Aims: To evaluate how an education program on evidence-based practice (EBP) affected nurses´ knowledge, practices, and attitudes related to EBPs in patient care.

Methods: Nurses of one Finnish university hospital participated in two separate EBP education programs in 2016-2017 and 2018-2019. Data was collected by a questionnaire given before and after each program. Reliable instruments for measuring EBP were used: The Evidence-Based Practice Questionnaire (24 items) and the Attitudes to Evidence-Based Practice Questionnaire (17 items). Means and frequencies were evaluated with the Mann-Whitney U test and linear regression.

Results: Nurses reported that their EBP practice, skills and the Work based on EBPs improved substantially after the education program. We found that scores on the Work based on EBPs and the attitudes towards EBP could predict the nurses' overall self-evaluations of practices, attitudes, and skills.

Discussion: EBP education affects positively on implementation of nurses' practices and skills. There is still a need to change attitudes towards evidence based practice. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE, RESEARCH, POLICY, MANAGEMENT, AND EDUCATION: Organizations need to maintain and develop efficient, attractive EBP educational programs to promote lifelong learning.

Conclusions: When designing EBP educational content, it is crucial to teach participants to develop evidence-based methods and consider how to implement them in practice.

Keywords: Attitudes to evidence-based practice questionnaire; Education; Evidence-based; Evidence-based practice questionnaire; Intervention; Registered nurse.