| Learning Objective #1: Describe the benefits of broadening evidence-based practice (EBP) skills to include acquiring entrepreneurial skills to persuade adoption of EBP proposals into policy/procedure changes | |||
| Learning Objective #2: Apply a nursing education model to teach graduate students how to develop, implement and market an evidence-based practice change |
To test a nursing education model to facilitate development of the multiple research-related critiquing, implementation, and entrepreneurial skills needed by masters students to promote effective EBP efforts.
Design:
Piloting a two-course research experience model, students honed critiquing skills for evaluating evidence through an integrated literature review, developed implementation skills by designing and presenting an EBP-change proposal to health care personnel (HCP), and developed entrepreneurial skills for promoting agency adoption of the change through an agency assessment and an evaluation of post-presentation HCP responses.
Population:
Graduate nursing students in a Southwestern Pennsylvania college.
Method:
Teaching/learning strategies included didactic methods to summarize topics, interactive group work to hone collaborative and entrepreneurial skills, and assignments to hone critical-thinking and presentation skills prior to presenting the proposal to HCP. A wrap-up session was used to discuss the process and realities of attempts to implement EBP change.
Findings:
Using this model, examples of students’ EBP change efforts included both fall-risk assessment and prevention strategies and staff hand-washing techniques/education in Long Term Care facilities, self-scheduling in an ICU, acrylic nail use by hospital HCP, and efforts to create NP roles in a same-day surgery unit and a specialty plastic surgery practice.
Conclusions:
To realize EBP efforts, graduate students must develop a range of research-related skills. The use of one nursing education model that added entrepreneurial skills to facilitate agency “buy-in” for EBP change has been found to increase student interest both in evaluating research findings and in conducting EBP efforts. The model has been implemented as a capstone experience in the pilot institution.
Implications:
Advanced practice nurses play a pivotal role in bringing research into clinical practice. Nurse educators can facilitate APN student development into this role through the use of models that teach multiple research-related skills for evaluating and selling EBP to HCP.
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Back to Evidence-Based Nursing: Strategies for Improving Practice
Sigma Theta Tau International
July 21, 2004