Staff engagement from a nursing perspective can be difficult as education about nutrition (specifically types of diets) may be unfamiliar and uncomfortable. Although nutrition within an acute setting from a nursing perspective can be seen from meals and nutrition deficits. Expecting nursing to utilize nutrition education within an acute setting may be inappropriate as the focus of patient care and safety would be the priority, engaging them on nutrition education would demand them to switch their focus and may decrease patient outcomes. Nurses may not be motivated to participate in interventions if it does not directly affect acute care outcomes within this setting. This is why education may be promoted as a nursing education intervention as a preparation for post-acute health and wellness and the intervention should be made to address nursing at a community health or public health perspective (Leung, Trevena, & Waters, 2016).
While evidence-based practice (EBP) promotes better quality care and positive patient outcomes, there can often be many barriers in place within healthcare organizations preventing the continued, competent delivery of EBP to patient populations (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2019). Healthcare providers cite factors such as lack of EBP knowledge, tradition-based organizational cultures, high patient loads, change resistance, lack of leadership support, and lack of autonomy over change practices as barriers to EBP implementation within their organizations (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2019). While my evidence-based practice project is designed around a unit similar to the one I currently work on, at a facility that does a large amount of clinical research trials, I still anticipate there being some potential barriers to implementation in the design of the project.
Those not familiar in EBP would need to have adequate education, knowledge, and skills training in its use and importance in clinical practice, as well as the promotion of an attitude of change in the organization. Though innovation is encouraged by the organization I work for, there are still those who are uncomfortable with change and prefer tradition-based practices despite these being proven not to best support positive patient outcomes (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2019). This could result in a culture of negative attitudes towards change on the unit where the practice project would be done, which could negatively impact participation in the study and create resistance to the implementation phase of the project. Advanced practice nurses could work with leadership within the organization to set expectations for staff regarding EBP use, as well as creating mentorship programs for EBP skills education and competency strategies (DeNisco, 2021). In doing so, a culture of change could be better supported from all levels within the organization as a better understanding of facility goals and improvement on health delivery becomes more widespread.
References
DeNisco, S. M. (Ed.). (2021). Advanced practice nursing: Essential knowledge for the profession (4th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning. ISBN-13: 9781284176124
Melnyk, B. M., & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2019). Evidence-based practice in nursing and healthcare: A guide to best practice (4th ed.). Wolters Kluwer. ISBN-13: 9781496384539
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