Using Evidence to Guide Course Enhancements and Program Planning in a Concept-Based Curriculum

Although elements of evidence-based practice (EBP) have long been incorporated into nursing education, studies continue to show that EBP is not fully implemented in practice. To prepare nurses to provide evidence-based care it is imperative that undergraduate nursing students attain the knowledge necessary to enact EBP. While EBP is a common focus of research, the discipline lacks an objective evaluation of EBP knowledge across levels (sophomore, junior, and senior) in traditional baccalaureate nursing education. Yet it is unclear how specific curriculum (i.e., concept-based curriculum) facilitates the EBP knowledge of nursing students. Rigorous evaluation is essential to determine if students’ EBP knowledge advances, stagnates, or declines as students progress toward program completion.

This poster presentation will report results from a multi-site study of EBP knowledge across levels (sophomore, junior, and senior) in a concept-based curriculum in baccalaureate nursing education. The presentation will describe the EBP knowledge of each level and differences in mean total scores between levels (sophomore, junior, and senior) in the sample. The presentation will also describe associated coursework for each level in the concept-based curriculum.

For this study, the Evidence-based Practice Knowledge Assessment in Nursing (EKAN) was used to objectively evaluate EBP knowledge. The EKAN, an objective instrument derived from the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) Competencies and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice, was designed to objectively test EBP knowledge across levels of education in academic and practice settings. Finally, the EKAN demonstrated validity and reliability in a prior study of baccalaureate nursing students.

Implications for faculty and clinical leaders will also be presented. With objective evaluation, faculty can begin to: a) assess the effectiveness of specific courses and teaching strategies to teach the concept of EBP; and b) develop and test targeted enhancements in a concept-based curriculum. Rigorous evaluation with a valid, reliable, objective instrument will also enable academic leaders to determine the effectiveness of programs to facilitate EBP knowledge. Ultimately, faculty and academic leaders can use evidence to guide decisions about student exposures (i.e., learning experiences, course content, course sequence) at the course and program level in an effort to advance the EBP knowledge of undergraduate nursing students in a concept-based program.