Poster Presentation
Thursday, July 12, 2007
9:30 AM - 10:15 AM
Thursday, July 12, 2007
3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
Empowering Nurses to Integrate Evidence-Based Practice at the Bedside
Tracy Brewer, RNC, MSN, Patient Services, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA and Lisa English Long, RN, MSN, CNS, Center for Professional Excellence-Research, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
| Learning Objective #1: discuss educational strategies for disseminating evidence-based practice instruction to nursing staff. |
| Learning Objective #2: identify nursing staff involvement in peer education of evidence-based practice. |
A lack of knowledge and a decrease in clinical question inquiry regarding evidence-based practice (EBP) was identified among staff nurses on a 24-bed pediatric medical-surgical unit. It was the goal of the nursing research /evidence-based practice council (NR/EBPC) to become advocates for encouraging inquiry and implementation of EBP at the bedside. Council members sought out opportunities comprising of database searches for relevant evidence, as well as, techniques for critiquing the evidence. During the process members acquired an appreciation for basing practice on evidence, and acknowledged that all their nursing colleagues should become skilled in incorporating EBP at the bedside. Using “A Model for Change to Evidence-Based Practice” as a framework, the NR/EBPC initiated a plan to develop educational awareness of EBP for nursing staff. The following question was proposed: Does educating nursing staff about EBP increase their submission of clinical questions to NR/EBPC? The NR/EBPC was granted time at the unit’s annual educational forum to present, “Using Evidence as a Guideline to Practice”. With the use of interactive group discussion and collaborative learning techniques, a presentation on EBP and utilization of an “Unfolding Family Case” incorporating a bronchiolitis EBP guideline, was attended by 100% of nursing staff. Furthermore, the council created “fun” activities to reinforce EBP terminology, process, and implementation. These activities consisted of a: word search, cross word puzzle, matching exercise, and PICO scramble.
In the one month following the educational forum, staff increased dialogue about EBP through the use of appropriate terminology and development of PICO questions. There are currently three clinical questions identified by unit staff under investigation by the NR/EBPC and frontline nurses. In addition, the NR/EBPC was invited to instruct home care nurses about EBP further advancing organizational nursing awareness.