The College of Nursing at Ohio State University, Fuld Institute has been offering 5-day EBP immersion programs since 2012. The goal of the program is for the participants to acquire and sustain EBP competence (knowledge, skills, and attitude) and sustain them over time. A recent research study was conducted to measure the effectiveness of The Fuld’s intensive 5-day EBP education program.
The impact of an EBP continuing education and skills building program on EBP beliefs, implementation, competence, knowledge and perceptions of organizational culture & readiness (EBP attributes) had not previously been studied. The purpose of this study was to analyze EBP attributes over time among participants who attended a 5-day EBP program. Scores on five EBP scales were measured before, immediately after, three months after, and 12 months after the educational program to demonstrate the acquisition and retention of EBP competency and attributes.
Methods:
A longitudinal, descriptive correlational design was conducted that gathered data from an anonymous online survey using five valid and reliable instruments. The five instruments were the EBP beliefs, implementation, competency, knowledge, and perception of organizational readiness and culture. T-tests, correlations and regression analyses were conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the program in EBP attributes.
Results:
There were 400-program attendees from sixteen 5-day EBP continuing education programs offered from September 2014 through May 2016. For all instruments and all time points, relative to pre-workshop scores, there were statistically significant, positive changes on all attributes.
Conclusion:
The results of this study indicate that EBP attributes can be significantly improved and sustained by attending a tested intensive EBP education program for just one week, regardless of clinicians’ prior educational preparation. The results of this study can help leaders and organizations to mitigate many of the traditional barriers to evidence-based practice in one simple step; provide clinicians with a one-week intensive EBP educational program with demonstrated outcomes such as the one described in this study.
This session will provide participants with the opportunity to understand how the current gap in appropriate and correct EBP knowledge and competence demonstrated in the vast majority of practicing clinicians can be addressed in an efficient and cost effective way, by providing clinicians with a thoughtfully designed, intensive education program that is taught by EBP experts.