Using the best available evidence, along with clinical experience and patient preferences, to inform clinical decisions is essential to the quality of care delivered. The nurses’ role in contribution to evidence-based practice is pivotal because nurses are the largest group of healthcare practitioners. However, it is known that nurses’ use of research in their clinical practice varies considerably. The article for this week’s discussion considers nursing graduates’ ability to incorporate evidence into practice and influence clinical change. The study highlights that both individual characteristics and contextual factors influence the use and promotion of evidence-based practice in nurses’ early professional careers. Although there was a trend of increasing research use by nurses during their first five years of practice, the ‘transition shock’ experienced by newly graduated nurses initially reduced their ability to use research findings in clinical work.
The article for this week’s EBN Twitter Journal Club discussion: Wallin L, Gustavsson P, Ehrenberg A, et al (2012) A modest start, but a steady rise in research use: a longitudinal study of nurses during the first five years in professional life. Implement Sci;7:19.
Things to consider:
1. In light of the results not being statistically significant, do you feel that findings can be used to inform clinical practice?
2. Do you feel assessing different aspects of research utilization (instrumental, conceptual, and persuasive) is useful?
3. The article did not explicitly outline the barriers to implementing evidence-based practice, what do you feel are the barriers to implementing evidence-based practice in your practice?
The discussion will take place Wednesday, March 6; 14.00 UK time/ 09.00 Eastern Standard Time (Toronto) to Friday, March 8; 21.00 UK time/ 16.00 Eastern Standard Time. Tweet your message and include #ebnjc to be part of the discussion.
The link to the EBN commentary is here. Click on this link: http://bit.ly/15SON7q
The article is available online (open access). Click on this link: http://bit.ly/JcT9fD