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Nurses' readiness for evidence‐based practice at Finnish university hospitals: a national survey
Author(s) -
Saunders Hannele,
Stevens Kathleen R.,
VehviläinenJulkunen Katri
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of advanced nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.948
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1365-2648
pISSN - 0309-2402
DOI - 10.1111/jan.12963
Subject(s) - descriptive statistics , evidence based practice , nursing , medicine , family medicine , knowledge translation , evidence based nursing , psychology , evidence based medicine , alternative medicine , knowledge management , statistics , mathematics , pathology , computer science
Aims The aim of this study was to determine nurses' readiness for evidence‐based practice at Finnish university hospitals. Background Although systematic implementation of evidence‐based practice is essential to effectively improving patient outcomes and value of care, nurses do not consistently use evidence in practice. Uptake is hampered by lack of nurses' individual and organizational readiness for evidence‐based practice. Although nurses' evidence‐based practice competencies have been widely studied in countries leading the evidence‐based practice movement, less is known about nurses' readiness for evidence‐based practice in the non‐English‐speaking world. Design A cross‐sectional descriptive survey design. Methods The study was conducted in November–December 2014 in every university hospital in Finland with a convenience sample ( n = 943) of practicing nurses. The electronic survey data were collected using the Stevens' Evidence‐Based Practice Readiness Inventory, which was translated into Finnish according to standardized guidelines for translation of research instruments. The data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results Nurses reported low to moderate levels of self‐efficacy and low levels of evidence‐based practice knowledge. A statistically significant, direct correlation was found between nurses' self‐efficacy in employing evidence‐based practice and their actual evidence‐based practice knowledge level. Several statistically significant differences were found between nurses' socio‐demographic variables and nurses' self‐efficacy in employing evidence‐based practice, and actual and perceived evidence‐based practice knowledge. Conclusions Finnish nurses at university hospitals are not ready for evidence‐based practice. Although nurses are familiar with the concept of evidence‐based practice, they lack the evidence‐based practice knowledge and self‐efficacy in employing evidence‐based practice required for integrating best evidence into clinical care delivery.