Paper
Thursday, July 10, 2008
This presentation is part of : Education Strategies
Application of Evidence-Based Medicine to Evidence-Based Nursing: Educational Strategies that Work in Advanced Practice
Janice Unruh Davidson, PhD, INS, RN, CNAA, FNP-BC, FAANP, Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions, Provo, UT, USA
Learning Objective #1: Differentiate evidence-based medicine (EBM) from evidence-based nursing (EBN) and evidence-based practice (EBP) and relate educational strategies for each.
Learning Objective #2: Articulate strategies for implementing evidence-based practice in the delivery of advanced practice healthcare for global populations and relate technological methods to facilitate this implementation.

Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM), Evidence-Based Nursing (EBN), and Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) are concepts of growing interest in the education of healthcare providers globally. Yet, there exists a great deal of confusion within the nursing discipline regarding what these terms mean and how the concepts can be applied using selected educational strategies, Objectives: The purpose of this retrospective study was to further explore the extent to which selected advanced practice students were prepared to utilize research findings in their healthcare practice and to determine the degree to which preparation through discrete courses designed to teach EBP might positively influence their subsequent advanced practice. Design and Methods: This paper is the result of a retrospective study exploring the preparation of advanced practice nurses in the area of EBP, the extent to which those advanced practice students upon DNP graduation utilized EBP, and the impact that implementation of discrete courses teaching EBP had on subsequent advanced practice. Population, Sampling and Setting: The population of interest was a selected Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program in which a convenience sample of advanced practice students enrolled in required DNP courses were evaluated across six cohorts in order to evaluate appropriate changes in the DNP curriculum regarding EBP. Findings and Conclusions: Results of the study indicate convergence between research utilization, EBM, EBN and EBP in advanced practice nursing delivery of care. Findings are presented in terms of how teaching EBP can be implemented through discrete coursework that leads to paradigm shifts in clinical practice that is research based. Implications and Recommendations: Implications for advanced nursing education and practice are drawn as they relate to furthering best practices of advanced practice nurses from an international perspective. Recommendations for further research and those effective educational strategies for enhancing DNP evidence-based practice will be proposed.