Date of Award

5-31-2017

Document Type

Campus Access Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Nursing

First Advisor

Jacqueline Fawcett

Second Advisor

Janice Foust

Third Advisor

Jean Connor

Abstract

To describe knowledge, values, and implementation of evidence-based practice (EBP) and use of two National Patient Safety Goals--Central Line Associated Blood Stream Infections (CLABSI) and Surgical Site Infections (SSI)--between nurses working in Magnet® designated hospitals and nurses working in non-Magnet® designated hospitals. The Conceptual Model of Nursing and Health Policy was used to guide the study. The implementation of EBP has revealed better patient outcomes when compared to care based on traditional nursing practice. There is a gap in the literature concerning nurses’ understanding of EBP and how EBP guidelines are used in practice and if guidelines are being used as intended. A descriptive study using survey methodology was conducted. Three electronically delivered instruments were used to collect the data from members of the Society of Pediatric Nurses--the Quick-EBP-VIK to measure nurses’ knowledge, values, and implementation of EBP; the Use of Evidence-Based Practice Questionnaire to measure use of two Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goals, and a Background Data Sheet. A total of 224 surveys were submitted, a 7.1% response rate. The final data-generating sample was 190 participants, 130 (68.4 %) from Magnet® designated hospitals, and 60 (31.6%) from non-Magnet® designated hospitals. Contrary to expectations, the results revealed statistically significant differences between the Magnet® and non-Magnet® participants only for the Quick-EBP-VIK value domain; nurses from Magnet® hospitals had a higher value for EBP compared with nurses from non-Magnet® hospitals, nurses from both groups had a moderate amount of knowledge about EBP, and very few nurses indicated they were implementing EBP. As expected there were no difference in CLABSI and SSI prevention care for patients in acute care hospitals in the United States by nurses working in Magnet® designated hospitals and nurses working in non-designated Magnet® hospitals. The findings of this study have implications for practice, education, policy, and research. A disconnect between the use of policy and implementation of EBP has been identified. Specifically, nurses need to understand how EBP is embedded in hospital and organizational policy.

Comments

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