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Sustaining Knowledge Transfer Through Leadership
Author(s) -
Gifford Wendy,
Davies Barbara,
Edwards Nancy,
Griffin Pat
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
worldviews on evidence‐based nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.052
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1741-6787
pISSN - 1545-102X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1524-475x.2004.04066.x
Subject(s) - operationalization , knowledge transfer , health care , nursing , psychology , knowledge management , medicine , medical education , political science , computer science , philosophy , epistemology , law
The delivery of efficient and high quality nursing care in today's health care environment requires that nurses utilize research evidence to guide their decision‐making in clinical practice. Best Practice Guidelines (BPGs) are an accessible link to research evidence and an effective tool for improving quality health care. Despite reported benefits and dissemination strategies, the transfer and uptake of guidelines does not always occur, and sustainability over time is seldom evaluated. Emerging evidence indicates that leadership plays a fundamental role in the transfer and sustained use of BPGs in clinical decision‐making. However, a clear understanding of effective nursing leadership to sustain knowledge transfer remains unclear and research is limited. Objective: To describe the evolving development of a conceptual framework for sustaining knowledge transfer of BPGs into nursing practice in Canadian health care settings. Methods: A critical review of the literature has been conducted. A model was developed to direct an inquiry about leadership characteristics and activities in 10 organizations that either sustained, partially sustained, or did not sustain practice guidelines 2 years after a pilot implementation initiative administrated by the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario Best Practice Guideline (RNAO‐BPG) Project. Findings: A conceptual framework has been developed to represent the key components of leadership and how these components are operationalized for knowledge transfer of BPGs into clinical practice. The model is an assimilation of the United Kingdom and North American literature and includes a pathway for personal attributes, defined skills, and knowledge repertoires that emerge from two domains of influence: cultural/clinical and political/organizational. Although the literature shows many similarities between leadership paradigms, some differences in discourse and approach were found. Implications: To create successful strategies to sustain practice innovations, we need to better understand how nursing leaders operate effectively within both clinical and organizational environments. This framework is the groundwork for conceptualizing nursing leadership as a vehicle to influence, shape, and sustain evidence‐based nursing practice.