Topic 1 DQ 1 The National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) championed the goal that 90% of clinical decisions will be evidence-based by 2020. A recent systematic review of the published literature indicates that evidence-based practice (EBP) implementation remains deficient despite an ongoing effort to increase implementation. Discuss two barriers that might hold nursing practice from achieving this goal and suggest ways in which the identified barriers may be addressed.

 

Expert Answer and Explanation

Nursing interventions should adhere to evidence-based practice for various reasons, including ensuring that patients receive the best care possible that is safe and meets their preferences. Research has shown that implementing evidence-based practice in clinical settings has various advantages, such as enhanced patient satisfaction, improved job satisfaction for care providers, and better patient outcomes (Connor et al., 2021).

Nonetheless, there are still several barriers that hinder the implementation of evidence-based practice in clinical settings. One of the barriers is inadequate nurse skills and knowledge to integrate evidence-based practice in their care settings (Pitsillidou et al., 2021). Evidence-based practice requires knowledge and skills acquired through education and training to integrate research findings, patient preferences, including cultural considerations into practical clinical solutions.

Another barrier is the lack of time to find relevant research to support evidence-based practice in clinical settings (Mathieson et al., 2019). Various reasons explain why nurses cite lack of time as a barrier. One of the reasons is due to nurse shortages that consequently cause increased workloads and limited time to implement evidence-based practice. Another reason could be a poor organizational culture that does not emphasize evidence-based culture, thus making it a lower-priority issue among the nursing staff (Pitsillidou et al., 2021).

One strategy that can be adopted to deal with the two barriers, is to have in place a supportive organizational culture that prioritizes evidence-based practice necessitating increased allocation of time for nurses to conduct research for quality improvement initiatives (Mathieson et al., 2019). Another strategy is to encourage nurses to pursue higher levels of education that will allow them to acquire more skills to integrate evidence-based practice as a best practice in their clinical settings.

References

Connor, L., Dean, J., McNett, M., Tydings, D. M., Shrout, A., Gorsuch, P. F., & Gallagher‐Ford, L. (2023). Evidence‐based practice improves patient outcomes and healthcare system return on investment: Findings from a scoping review. Worldviews on Evidence‐Based Nursing, 20(1), 6-15. https://doi.org/10.1111/wvn.12621

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