Other Titles
Taking the Scary Out of Clinical Inquiry [Title Slide]
Abstract
The Institute of Medicine challenged healthcare workers to ensure that 90% of decisions were evidence-based by 2020. As of 2017, it was estimated that only about 18% of decisions were evidence-based (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2023). Research has shown a correlation between a culture of evidence-based practice (EBP) and improved patient outcomes. However, nursing confidence and competence in EBP are barriers to implementation (Bridges et al., 2024). Historically, nursing projects at this community hospital were quality or performance improvement projects. With Magnet designation came the expectation of nursing excellence and unparalleled safety, quality, and service. Nurse (RN) residents must now complete an EBP project to graduate from residency and hardwire EBP to guide practice; RN III and IV candidates must complete an EBP project to promote or maintain RN III or IV status; and unit-based Shared Governance must conduct two EBP initiatives annually, focusing on quality or patient satisfaction. This culture change came with increased anxiety, push-back, and distress.
To bridge this gap, two experienced nurse researchers developed an EBP mentoring program aligned with the Shared Governance, Research & EBP (REBP) Council to guide and strengthen the culture of clinical inquiry throughout the organization (Chan et al., 2020; Melnyk et al., 2021). First, we tackled culture change with education. Quarterly courses include EBP Basics, Clinical Scholars, Abstract Writing, and Intro to Research (Hinic & Kowalski, 2023). Clinical Career Path sessions also included project discussions and expectations. Next, we attacked EBP projects with 1:1 mentoring. Nurses met with the mentors during any/all steps of the EBP project: the plan, project question, literature appraisal, outcome measures, or dissemination plan (Friesen et al., 2017). Once the project was fully developed, the nurse(s) presented it at the REBP Council, receiving coaching, feedback, and additional mentoring. Upon completion, the nurse reported the project results to the council and received information on calls for abstracts. In 2024, we mentored 33 nurses with 12 projects disseminated local to global.
Engaging nurses to bring EBP to the bedside and increasing the percentage of decisions driven by EBP is an ongoing challenge for nursing leaders. Layering in support and fostering mentoring relationships throughout the clinical inquiry journey are keys to success (Chan et al., 2020).
Notes
Reference list included in attached slide deck.
Sigma Membership
Alpha Gamma Gamma
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Translational Research/Evidence-based Practice
Keywords:
Mentoring and Coaching, Competence, Evidence-Based Practice, Shared Governance
Recommended Citation
Heasley, Rebel L. and Duncan, Brandee, "Mentoring: Taking the Scary Out of Clinical Inquiry" (2025). Biennial Convention (CONV). 112.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/convention/2025/presentations_2025/112
Conference Name
48th Biennial Convention
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2025-11-27
Mentoring: Taking the Scary Out of Clinical Inquiry
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
The Institute of Medicine challenged healthcare workers to ensure that 90% of decisions were evidence-based by 2020. As of 2017, it was estimated that only about 18% of decisions were evidence-based (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2023). Research has shown a correlation between a culture of evidence-based practice (EBP) and improved patient outcomes. However, nursing confidence and competence in EBP are barriers to implementation (Bridges et al., 2024). Historically, nursing projects at this community hospital were quality or performance improvement projects. With Magnet designation came the expectation of nursing excellence and unparalleled safety, quality, and service. Nurse (RN) residents must now complete an EBP project to graduate from residency and hardwire EBP to guide practice; RN III and IV candidates must complete an EBP project to promote or maintain RN III or IV status; and unit-based Shared Governance must conduct two EBP initiatives annually, focusing on quality or patient satisfaction. This culture change came with increased anxiety, push-back, and distress.
To bridge this gap, two experienced nurse researchers developed an EBP mentoring program aligned with the Shared Governance, Research & EBP (REBP) Council to guide and strengthen the culture of clinical inquiry throughout the organization (Chan et al., 2020; Melnyk et al., 2021). First, we tackled culture change with education. Quarterly courses include EBP Basics, Clinical Scholars, Abstract Writing, and Intro to Research (Hinic & Kowalski, 2023). Clinical Career Path sessions also included project discussions and expectations. Next, we attacked EBP projects with 1:1 mentoring. Nurses met with the mentors during any/all steps of the EBP project: the plan, project question, literature appraisal, outcome measures, or dissemination plan (Friesen et al., 2017). Once the project was fully developed, the nurse(s) presented it at the REBP Council, receiving coaching, feedback, and additional mentoring. Upon completion, the nurse reported the project results to the council and received information on calls for abstracts. In 2024, we mentored 33 nurses with 12 projects disseminated local to global.
Engaging nurses to bring EBP to the bedside and increasing the percentage of decisions driven by EBP is an ongoing challenge for nursing leaders. Layering in support and fostering mentoring relationships throughout the clinical inquiry journey are keys to success (Chan et al., 2020).
Description
Nursing confidence and competence in evidence-based practice (EBP) are barriers to implementation. To bridge this gap, two experienced nurse researchers developed an EBP mentoring program aligned with the Research & EBP Council to guide and strengthen the organization’s culture of clinical inquiry. First, we tackled culture change with education and 1:1 mentoring for all EBP projects. Fostering mentoring relationships through the clinical inquiry journey is one key to success.