Methods: A survey of a random sample of school nurses who were members of the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) resulted in a 45.2% response rate and a sample of 1,211 that was fairly representative of the national membership. Participants completed a questionnaire designed to determine factors associated with the implementation of EBP.
Results: The mean age of participants was 41.95 years and the range was from 31 to 62 years. Their mean duration of employment as a school nurse was 8.4 years. The majority of participants had a bachelor’s degree (83.3%). Results showed that participants’ practical knowledge was obtained mainly through their work experience and they relied heavily on the Internet to obtain empirical information. Factors influencing EBP implementation included insufficient time for its implementation, frequency of reading journals, years of work experience, age, continuing education, and lack of resources and awareness regarding EBP. School nurses stated that they had a positive attitude about EBP and were interested in learning the skills necessary for its implementation.
Conclusion:
This study presents important information on variables that affect EBP in school nursing. Strategic approaches to provide resources and create a supportive environment for EBP in the school setting are recommended for further studies. The results of this study can be used as a basis to develop a comprehensive strategy for building EBP competencies through proper training.