Monday, July 7, 2008: 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
WORKSHOP: Influencing Health Outcomes Through Evidence-Based Practice in an eHealth Era
Learning Objective #1: Describe an implementation model that can be used for both clinical and healthy work environment best practice guidelines.
Learning Objective #2: Discuss how evidence-based practice can be supported through ehealth applications, which and elearning programs.
The Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario, through their best practice guideline program has developed over 36 clinical and healthy work environment guidelines that when implemented can make a difference in outcomes for nurses, patients and organizations. Evidence has reinforced that clinical excellence and positive patient outcomes can be enhanced through sustained utilization of clinical best practice guidelines within a healthy work environment. The RNAO Healthy Work Environment Guidelines focused on such areas as leadership, teamwork, professionalism, embracing diversity, workload and staffing and workplace health safety and well being provide evidence based tools to help create an evidence based practice culture. As ehealth is transforming the health care sector, technology supported information systems must be embraced by nurses in order to facilitate evidence based practice and enhanced information management. This workshop will provide participants with a framework for linking healthy work environment and clinical best practice guidelines in order to create positive outcomes for patients, nurses and organizations. Successful implementation models will be described and illustrated with real-life examples in relation to work environment and clinical guideline implementation. As part of this approach, a variety of methods for engaging key stakeholders across professions, as well as approaches to sustainability will be addressed. There will also be a focus on the use of ehealth to provide easy access to best practices at point of care; evidence based assessment and decision support tools as part of the electronic health record; evidence based documentation guides and elearning programs that ensure the best evidence is incorporated in ongoing nursing practice activities. Participants will leave with a set of guides to create quality care and quality work environments, and strategies to sustain evidence based cultures.
Organizers:	Irmajean Bajnok, RN, MSN, PhD Heather A. McConnell, RN, BScN, MA(Ed)