The development of Evidence-based Practice is mandated by public and professional demand for accountability in safety and quality improvement in healthcare. As the Institute of Medicine's Crossing the Quality Chasm reports emphasize, our healthcare system must formulate new rules to redesign and improve care. One of the rules could be stated: The best care results from the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence and knowledge of patient values by well trained, experienced clinicians. Nurses have risen to the occasion to join and lead evidence-based quality improvement efforts through healthcare initiatives, performance improvement models and educational programs.

The project for implementing an Evidence-based Practice at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, California has progressed systematically over the past three years. Organizational change included the development of an infrastructure in the Department of Nursing to create and sustain a culture for evidence-based nursing practice. Educational initiatives such as: Evidence-based Practice Staff Nurse Fellowship Program, Advanced Practice Institute, Evidence-based Practice Annual Conference and Clinical Practice Committees were established to ensure staff nurse competencies in Evidence-based Practice.

Strategies for the successful implementation of an Evidence-based Program and the lessons learned will be discussed.