INTRODUCTION:

Nurses are accountable to carry out quality nursing care. This is feasible only when nurses put into practice and execute the validated nursing interventions. Knowledge and understanding of evidence-based care help them in giving methodical and analytical care that becomes component of exceptional delivery of nursing services.¹ It depend on the individual nurse to bring changes in the clinical practice by utilizing research evidences² and to deliver holistic and quality nursing care.³

Evidence Based Nursing Practice is defined as"An ongoing process by which evidence, nursing theory and the practitioners’ clinical expertise are critically evaluated and considered, in conjunction with patient involvement, to provide delivery of optimum nursing care for the individual." ⁴ Scott, Mcsherry 2009

Today evidence-based practice has turned out to be a key component of exceptional patient care. Having understanding of evidence-based practice will not merely help to be acquainted with about the contemporary developments but also to inprove care processes and patient outcomes. Since today there is swift enhancement of new information, literture, researches pertaining to patient care techinques and technology. Knowledge of Evidence Based Practice will help in deciding the emphasis to be put on particular research, assessment, report, clinical practice guidelines while making deciding about care of a client.^5,6,7,8 Thus this study was focussed on assessing the awareness, knowledge and opinion of awareness and perception of nurses regarding evidence-based practice and its barriers.

OBJECTIVE:

The objective of the study was to explore awareness and perception of nurses regarding evidence based nursing practice.

METHODOLOGY:

Research approach-Non Experimental Survey approach

Procedure for data collection-A survey questionnaire was used to collect data for this study. After establishing the content validity and reliability the questionnaire was distributed among full time working nurses and data was collected.

The questionnaire was divided into three sections. The first section collected demographic information about the participants, such as their professional education, job title, and length of nursing experience, specialty, and training in Evidence Based Nursing Practice. The second section sought information about Evidence Based Nursing Practice using a five point scale which was used to allow the individual nurses to express how much they agree or disagree with a particular statement. Open ended questions on steps of Evidence Based practice and narration about their experience on evidence based practice was also included.The information was collected from fifty nurses.

RESULTS:

The data revealed that out of 50 most of the nurses (60%) were having diploma certificate and 36% were with university degree certificate 6% were with master degree in nursing.They had worked in Medical Surgical ward, ICU, OT, Paediatric ward, Infection control department and in nursing education departments and majority of them were having one to five years of experience. Majority of Nurses revealed that they have not received any special training in evidence based practice.

The data regarding Knowledge and opinion of nurses regarding evidence based practice showed that.

Figure 1: Awareness regarding the concept of Evidence Based Nursing Practice

Concept of Evidence Based Nursing Practice:

Majority of nurses 50 % agreed that evidence based practice is individualized patient care and 34% strongly agreed to it. According to 98% nurses it is an approach to health care and 90 % of them had a strong opinion that it is based on research findings. Majority (60 %) strongly agreed and 38 % agreed that evidence based practice helps in the provision of highest quality care.(fig.1)

Among them 56 % agreed that evidence based practice are cost effective whereas 20 % were uncertain and similar number of nurses disagreed.

Figure 2: Awareness regarding Evidence Based Nursing Practice

EBNP Involves Following:

It was found that majority of nurses 94 %( 32% with strong agreement) agreed that Evidence Based Nursing Practice requires clinical expertise of nurses. 72% of nurses believed that Evidence Based Nursing Practice involves organizational culture to practice and 22 % were uncertain about the same percent of nurses did not agree to the same. Similarly 66 % agreed that EBNP involves patient preferences 22% were uncertain about it.(fig.2)

Figure 3: Awareness regarding need for Evidence Based Nursing Practice

Need For Evidence Based Nursing Practice:

Majority of nurses agreed that Evidence Based Nursing Practice is ther to manage to keep track with new knowledge 58 % strongly agreed to it and 42% agreed to it.It was found that 56% of respondent agreed 42% strongly agreed that it is essential to manage to keep track with new technology.Among the group 96% of nurses agreed that Evidence Based Nursing Practice helps nursing students to learn independent clinical method and to cope up with advanced medical and health science.(fig.3)

Accoring to 94 % Evidence Based Nursing Practice is to increase ability to access summarize and apply in practice 98 % believed that it is for enriching clinical training and skills

Sources of evidence:

Regarding sources of evidence 48 % agreed and 44 % strongly agreed that it is derived from all the field of practice.Nurses who agreed that it derives from traditional and cultural practice were 60%. Other sources agreed by nurses were authority and management (80%) Trial and errors (80%) personal experiences (94%) intutions (64%) Borrowed evidence (60%) and from Scientific research (98%)

Majority of Nurses (50 %) strongly agreed and 44 % agreed that evidence based practice derives from nursing research

Barriers of EBNP:

Nurses (96%) agreed the barriers in the implementation of Evidence Based Nursing Practice are lack of organizational support and lack of skill to evaluate reasearch.While 86% had a strong opinion that lack of accessibility to research findings could be the barrier whereas 14 % were uncertain about it 2% disgreed with the statement.Lack of skills in observation and experience and lack of skill to make complex and conscientous decision were considered barriers for Evidence Based Nursing Practice by 94% and 88% nurses respectively.

Figure 4: Awareness regarding pre-requisites of Evidence Based Nursing Practice

Prerequisites for EBNP:

Majority of nurses 28% strongly agreed and 56% agreed that there should be a team to practice Evidence Based Nursing Practice and according to 78% team should include member of authority.Majority of nurses agreed that designing of setting, types of Patients,Outcome of intervention and training strategies for nurses are essential requirements for implementation of evidence based nursing practice.(fig.4)

Strategies to be focussed to promote EBNP:

More than 90% agreed that focussing on commitment, computer skills and availability of time can be strategies to promote evidence based nursing practice.Even majority agreed that valued nursing research in practice is required for promoting evidence based nursing practice

DISCUSSION:

Majority of nurses were aware about evidence based nursing practice, Like other studies^1,6 It was observed that most of the nurses agreed upon need of evidence based nursing practice to keep track with new knowledge that it helps nursing students to learn independent clinical method and to cope up with advanced medical and health science. Similarly another study found that more than 90 % nurses had average to good knowledge of evidence based practice.⁹ Fairly positive attitude towards research utilization by nurses was recorded by researchers.¹⁰

Major number of nurses felt that barriers in the implementation of Evidence Based Nursing Practice can be lack of organizational support and lack of skill to evaluate reasearch.^{1, 5,6,7} Even lack of accessibility to research findings or lack of skills in observation and experience and lack of skill to make complex and conscientous decision were considered barriers for evidence based nursing practice.^1,11,12,13

Majority of nurses agreed that there should be a team to practice Evidence Based Nursing Practice and should include member of authority.^6,12,13,14Designing setting, types of Patients, outcome of intervention and training strategies for nurses are essential requirements for implementation of evidence based nursing practice according to nurses.^15,16

Like other studies nurses acknowledge that focussing on commitment, computer skills¹⁷ and availability of time can be strategies to promote evidence based nursing practice.^{1, 11,12} Strategies addressing barriers related to research, organization, individual nurse and profession will improve utilization of evidence based practice widely.¹⁸Weighing up the validity and applicability of evidences is also crucial aspect.¹⁹ Various model and theories facilitates EBP projects, provides guidelines for evidence critique, guides the process for implementing practice change, and can be used across practice areas will assist clinicians in selecting a model that is understood, used, and leads to improved practice^20,21

CONCLUSION:

Nurses play vital role in the provision of quality health care to a client. Thus they need to be equiped with knowlegdge and skills to improve the care. Such improvement is only possible by applying new techniques and strategy ample of which is available in the form of evidences generated through research studies.Implementation of best possible care is possible only by evidence based nursing practice.This report indicates that nurses have some awareness regarding evidence based nursing practice.Provision of timely training and facilities to provide evidence based nursing practice will help in developing confidence among nurses and improve the quality of nursing care

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Received on 10.03.2021 Modified on 18.10.2021

Int. J. Nur. Edu. and Research. 2022; 10(1):37-40.

DOI: 10.52711/2454-2660.2022.00009