The advanced practice nurse (APN) is an essential component in the implementation of evidence-based practice. Changes in practice are facilitated through the APN's education and expertise, interpersonal skills, and interactions with multidisciplinary colleagues. The APN typically has a system view of institutional goals and incentives that may assist the individual nurse or unit to implement evidence-based practice changes. The APN has a major role as a research intermediary between the published research and the staff. As a member of the unit or service level, the APN can help the staff identify research problems, search the literature for answers to pertinent clinical questions, guide the staff in critiquing and interpreting results, support the staff to implement the findings, and conduct outcomes research of the practice changes. In some settings, the APN may actually be the translator of research findings for the staff. In many settings, advanced practice nurses are the heart of successful evidence-based practice changes. This session will present a variety of approaches APNs can use to facilitate the goal of evidence-based practice.
Back to Creating a Supportive Environment for Research Utilization and Evidence-Based Practice
Back to International Evidence-Based Practice Preconference
Sigma Theta Tau International
9 July 2003