Nurses’ Perceptions of Barriers and Facilitators to Implement EBP in the Maldives

This study aims to explore the barriers to evidence based practice (EBP) experienced by nurses working in a Maldivian healthcare organisation. A total of 400 questionnaires were distributed to nurses in 5 healthcare facilities and 198 completed questionnaires were returned. The results of this study show that the perceived barriers by the nurses in the Maldives are not significantly different from those reported in developed countries. For healthcare organisations in the Maldives, it is necessary to have a clear understanding of the barriers and facilitators to research practice in order to implement EBP. The study showed that the major barriers to research use were that “the relevant literature is not compiled in one place,” there is “insufficient time on the job to implement new ideas,” and “administration will not allow implementation.” The key facilitating factors for EBP include support, encouragement, and recognition by the management and administration. The findings of this study can be useful for determining strategies that can be introduced in the clinical setting to use EBP. Healthcare organisations must continue their support in order to decrease the barriers and optimise care in healthcare facilities