The Global BPG Network: Using Emerging Web-Based Social Technologies to Connect Nurses who are Implementing Best Practice Guidelines

Tuesday, 8 July 2008: 3:55 PM
Heather McConnell, RN, BScN, MA(Ed) , International Affairs and Best Practice Guidelines Programs, Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO), Toronto, ON, Canada
Irmajean Bajnok, RN, MSN, PhD , International Affairs and Best Practice Guidelines Programs, Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario, Toronto, ON, Canada
Keith Powell, BA, AIT , Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario, Toronto, QC, Canada

Learning Objective 1: The learner will be able to describe the purpose and intent of the Global Best Practice Guideline (BPG) Network.

Learning Objective 2: The learner understands how social networking principles were used to establish the Global BPG Network, and how this resource can be used to support collaboration.

The Global BPG Network is one component of the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario's (Canada) strategic vision to support the uptake of best practice guidelines provincially, nationally and internationally. It is a web-based network of individuals and organizations that have implemented one or more of RNAOs best practice guidelines. The aim of the Global BPG Network is to support the sharing of ideas and experiences of Global Network members related to guideline implementation within healthcare and educational settings around the world.

This presentation will describe the social networking principles on which the Global BPG Network is based, and how these theories are integrated within a web-based networking resource. Early experiences with other web-based networking approaches developed for nurses informed the development of the Global BPG Network, and these key learnings will be highlighted. Discussion will include how the Global BPG Network is being used by individuals and organizations to share exchange knowledge, experiences and ideas related to guideline implementation, evaluation and their impact on health care outcomes.

Participants will gain an appreciation of this unique approach to supporting uptake of evidence-based practice and building capacity through international collaboration and the sharing of implementation experiences within and across borders.