Creating Evidence-Based Practice Capacity and Culture Change Through Redesign of Clinical Nurse Specialists' Roles and Responsibilities

In response to the IOM Report on the Future of Nursing, Nursing Administration at the OSU Health System realigned all of the Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS) under the Nursing Quality, Research, EBP and Education Department, creating a structure to promote EBP and drive quality improvements at the unit level. The EBP skills required by the CNS group and the organizational structures to support the integration of EBP needed to be addressed. The Quality and EBP Nurse Administrator collaborated with the Director of the CTEP from the College of Nursing to develop a comprehensive plan to build the skills set of the CNS group and create a cadre of EBP mentors. In addition, the collaboration rendered a redesign of the CNS role description and performance expectations to reflect implementation of EBP activities and achievement of quality outcomes. The planning, implementation, and outcomes measurement strategies and their contribution to the development of a culture of EBP will be presented. In addition, key steps for ongoing support of EBP mentors and projects will be highlighted.