Poster Presentation
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
9:00 AM - 9:45 AM
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
2:45 PM - 3:30 PM
Evidence Equals Excellence: Partnership for Evidence-Based Practice
Karen A. Balakas, PhD, RN, CNE and Gail B. Rea, PhD, RN, CNE. Barnes-Jewish College of Nursing, St. Louis, MO, USA
| Learning Objective #1: discuss the process of establishing a partnership between academic and service institutions to support evidence-based nursing practice. |
| Learning Objective #2: identify essential resources within organizations that are available to develop a program to teach evicence-based practice. |
In 2001 the Institute of Medicine called for nurses to deliver care that is evidence-based and patient centered. The capability of the nurse to implement EBP is essential. However, the majority of practicing nurses have not been educated to provide evidence-based care. It is critical for nurse educators to examine current curriculum outcomes and teaching strategies to promote understanding of and competence in EBP. In addition, nursing administration must develop and support competencies for evidence-based practice among the nursing staff.
Through a partnership with a Magnet hospital, two college faculty members, a nurse researcher, and an advance practice nurse created the Evidence Equals Excellence (EEE) program to promote EBP and support development of EBP mentors. Quarterly, cohorts of nurses from the hospital are being trained as mentors for EBP through workshops. A booster session is delivered one month following the workshop and the new mentors are supported by the EEE team for the next twelve months in their efforts to complete evidence-based projects on their units.
The second component of the program focused on the design of an evidence-based curriculum for RN to BSN students from the hospital. The hospital administration is providing full tuition and textbooks for nursing staff that are eligible to enroll in the online program. There is an integration of inquiry and emphasis on EBP throughout the curriculum to foster clinical scholarship among frontline nurses. Following completion of the program, graduates will be linked with EBP mentors in the hospital
Creating a culture that supports EBP as a means of achieving excellence in patient outcomes requires a partnership between academic and clinical settings. The program is supported by the academic and service administrations and will be evaluated on a periodic basis.