Few research initiatives have been designed to study the process and outcomes of an intervention model that assists nurses in integrating research evidence into practice. Therefore, this pilot study was designed for the purposes of: (1) determining the effectiveness of two evidence-based practice intervention strategies, (2) assessing the impact of those interventions on the receptivity/motivation of participating nurses, (3) increasing nurses’ knowledge of evidence-based practice (EBP), (4) empirically testing a theoretical model of behavior change with nurses, and (5) improving patient outcomes as a result of evidence-based nursing practice changes. This pilot intervention, driven by the Information-Motivation-Behavior Skills Model and Control Theory, uses an equivalent time sample design to test the effects of an evidence-based intervention program compared to the effects of educational control information with the same group of unit-based nurses. Additionally, a group of nurses from a different unit will participate in a similarly constructed parallel project that will compare the effects of an EB journal club intervention and educational control information. The project is planned to commence early in 2003 and be completed in 4 months. The need for information regarding EBP, nurse motivation/inclination to change practice, and some behavior skill sets (e.g., collection, analysis, and synthesis of research findings into practice) of the participating nurses will be assessed during the course of this pilot study. Additionally, specific patient outcome data will be gathered as will staff cohesiveness and retention data to fully understand the impact of both types of experimental interventions on patients and staff. Information from this pilot intervention study will directly inform the development of a comprehensive, reproducible intervention program that will then be tested on a larger scale. It is believed that this intervention program will significantly affect nursing practice, patient outcomes, and nursing unit cohesion and retention.
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Sigma Theta Tau International
9 July 2003