Major Challenges Nurses Face In The Implementation Of Evidence-Based Practice

Major Challenges Nurses Face In The Implementation Of Evidence-Based Practice

Although the concept of evidence-based practice in nursing is not new, nurses still face challenges when it comes to implementing EBP. The following are examples of ten major challenges nurses face in implementing evidence-based practice.

1. Not Understanding the Importance of the Impact of Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing:

Perhaps the most significant challenge to implementing EBP in nursing is the nurse’s lack of understanding about how important evidence-based findings are in relation to patient care.

2. Fear of Not Being Accepted:

In facilities where nurses feel their practices are different from the organizational or practice culture, they may feel apprehensive about introducing and implementing evidence-based practices in nursing. This challenge often arises when nurses change jobs or move to a different specialty area and are not well-established.

3. Negative attitudes about research and evidence-based practice in nursing and its impact on patient outcomes:

Although the implementation of EBP has grown in recent years, some nurses continue to have difficulty appreciating its importance and impact on patients and the profession. Some sources indicate this challenge is most common among older nurses accustomed to following traditional care methods instead of pursuing evidence-based research.

4. Lack of knowledge on how to carry out research:

Many nurses do not know how to carry out effective research, which leads to ineffective implementation of EBP in nursing. Although many nursing programs require students to perform research for some classes, these assignments are not typically considered “in-depth” studies. Unfortunately, it is estimated that less than 15% of nursing graduates had a thorough understanding of how to use research, which makes implementing evidence-based practices challenging.

5. Resource constraints within a healthcare organization:

Nurses need access to adequate research sources such as books, journals, and other credible research findings or sources. However, one of the most significant challenges nurses face in the implementation of evidence-based practice in nursing is the lack of resources from which they can gather data. Overcoming this challenge will require employer efforts to make sure nurses have readily available access to up-to-date information.

6. Work overload:

Several reasons contribute to nurses feeling overloaded at work. The most pressing is the current nursing shortage in the United States and abroad. Though the profession experiences periodic shortages, since the COVID-19 pandemic shortages have significantly increased. Work overload that results from callouts and increased numbers of patients requiring nursing care can leave nurses feeling as if there is no time to conduct the proper research necessary to effectively implement evidence-based practices in nursing.

7. Inaccurate or Incomplete Research Findings:

Unfortunately, data may be reported differently from one source to the next. Inaccurate or incomplete findings can be confusing for nurses, making it difficult to identify which EBP in nursing to utilize. Discrepancies in findings can leave nurses feeling overwhelmed and frustrated, which often results in a lack of interest in pursuing ways to implement these practices.

8. Patient Demands Do Not Align with Evidence-Based Practices in Nursing:

It is not uncommon for patients seeking healthcare services to come with preconceived ideas about which treatment may be most effective.

9. Lack of Internet Access While in the Clinical Setting:

Implementing evidence-based practices in nursing requires research. To perform adequate research, nurses need access to up-to-date information. In the clinical setting, nursing may not have access to the internet, even for research purposes, which could make implementing EBP challenging.

10. Some Nursing Supervisors/Managers May Not Support the Concept of Evidence-Based Nursing Practices:

Lack of support for EBP may occur for a few reasons. Some nurses, especially older nurses, express feeling comfortable with doing things the way they did before evidence-based practice became well-known. Others simply feel the time required to perform research could be better spent offering face-to-face care to clients. Either way, this can create a bit of a challenge when attempting to implement evidence-based practices in nursing.

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