Abstract
Background: Good health and well-being for all people is a key United Nations (UN) sustainable development goal. Better health outcomes are achieved with evidence-based care. Yet, evidence-based practice (EBP) competency of U.S. nurses lags1 and EBP implementation in low-middle income countries is suboptimal to moderate.2 Nurses can commit to this UN's goal by achieving proficiency in EBP. While it could be argued education advances EBP competencies, clinician and system factors influence routine implementation of EBP.1,3,4
Objective: The purpose of this presentation is to increase awareness and adoption of a collection of valid and reliable EBP tools4 to improve EBP cultures worldwide.
EBP Toolkit: The 50 tools assess key EBP domains: Clinician attitudes/beliefs, self-efficacy or confidence, knowledge/skills, implementation and unit or organizational culture.4,5 Created in several countries, most EBP tools were validated in English, with some translated to other languages. Most tools are self-report which is acceptable to assess attitudes/beliefs, self-efficacy, frequency of implementation, and perceptions of EBP culture. Ten tools offer cognitive-based performance measures to objectively evaluate EBP knowledge/skill.
Application of Toolkit: Global health outcomes can be advanced by harnessing these tools in research, education and practice. Researchers can use these tools to study educational approaches most effective in improving EBP competency. Nurses, faculty and leaders can also tap these tools to shape clinician and system factors needed to build EBP competency in academic and practice settings. Tools can be selected to assess domains of interest to determine a baseline of how various factors may be influencing EBP competencies. These data can be used to develop action plans to address areas in need of improvement. For example, if EBP attitudes/beliefs are lagging, key opinion leaders could be recruited to share stories with nurses of how EBP leads to better health outcomes to build a critical mass of EBP believers. Alternatively, if EBP knowledge/skill improvement is needed, EBP workshops or immersions could be offered to mentor nurses to advance these competencies. As tailored interventions are implemented, EBP tools can be used to reevaluate the degree of progress over time.
Conclusion: As nurse competency grows, the worldwide research-to-practice gap will be narrowed and the UN’s goal of good health and well-being for all will become a closer reality.
Notes
References:
1. Melnyk B, Gallagher Ford L, Zellefrow C, et al. The first US study on nurses’ evidence based practice competencies indicates major deficits that threaten healthcare quality, safety, and patient outcomes. Worldviews on Evidence Based Nursing. 2018; 15(1):16-25.
2. Adombire S, Puts M, Ritchie LM, et al. Knowledge, skills, attitudes, beliefs, and implementation of evidence-based practice among nurses in low-and middle-income countries: a scoping review. Worldviews on Evidence Based Nursing. 2024; 21:542-553.
3. Melnyk B, & Fineout-Overholt E. ARCC (advancing research and clinical practice through close collaboration): A model for system-wide implementation & sustainability of evidence-based practice. In J. Rycroft-Malone & T. Bucknall (Eds.). Models and frameworks for implementing evidence-based practice: Linking evidence to action (pp.167-181). Wiley Blackwell; 2010.
4. XXXX, X. A compendium of evidence-based practice instruments for nursing education, practice and research. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing. 2024; 21(1):6-13.
5. Tilson J, Kaplan S, Harris J, et al. Sicily statement on classification and development of evidence based practice learning assessment tools. BMC Medical Education. 2011; 11:78–88.
Sigma Membership
Beta Psi
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Translational Research/Evidence-based Practice
Keywords:
Competence, Instrument or Tool Development, Implementation Science, Evidence-based Practice, EBP Competency
Recommended Citation
Halm, Margo A., "Harness the Power of an Evidence-Based Practice Toolkit to Drive Nursing EBP Competency" (2025). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 40.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2025/presentations_2025/40
Conference Name
36th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Seattle, Washington, 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.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Harness the Power of an Evidence-Based Practice Toolkit to Drive Nursing EBP Competency
Seattle, Washington, USA
Background: Good health and well-being for all people is a key United Nations (UN) sustainable development goal. Better health outcomes are achieved with evidence-based care. Yet, evidence-based practice (EBP) competency of U.S. nurses lags1 and EBP implementation in low-middle income countries is suboptimal to moderate.2 Nurses can commit to this UN's goal by achieving proficiency in EBP. While it could be argued education advances EBP competencies, clinician and system factors influence routine implementation of EBP.1,3,4
Objective: The purpose of this presentation is to increase awareness and adoption of a collection of valid and reliable EBP tools4 to improve EBP cultures worldwide.
EBP Toolkit: The 50 tools assess key EBP domains: Clinician attitudes/beliefs, self-efficacy or confidence, knowledge/skills, implementation and unit or organizational culture.4,5 Created in several countries, most EBP tools were validated in English, with some translated to other languages. Most tools are self-report which is acceptable to assess attitudes/beliefs, self-efficacy, frequency of implementation, and perceptions of EBP culture. Ten tools offer cognitive-based performance measures to objectively evaluate EBP knowledge/skill.
Application of Toolkit: Global health outcomes can be advanced by harnessing these tools in research, education and practice. Researchers can use these tools to study educational approaches most effective in improving EBP competency. Nurses, faculty and leaders can also tap these tools to shape clinician and system factors needed to build EBP competency in academic and practice settings. Tools can be selected to assess domains of interest to determine a baseline of how various factors may be influencing EBP competencies. These data can be used to develop action plans to address areas in need of improvement. For example, if EBP attitudes/beliefs are lagging, key opinion leaders could be recruited to share stories with nurses of how EBP leads to better health outcomes to build a critical mass of EBP believers. Alternatively, if EBP knowledge/skill improvement is needed, EBP workshops or immersions could be offered to mentor nurses to advance these competencies. As tailored interventions are implemented, EBP tools can be used to reevaluate the degree of progress over time.
Conclusion: As nurse competency grows, the worldwide research-to-practice gap will be narrowed and the UN’s goal of good health and well-being for all will become a closer reality.
Description
Many nurses lack proficiency in core EBP competencies, hindering global pursuit of good health and well-being for all. While EBP education is a step in the right direction, individual and systemic factors impede nurses from achieving competency. Discover how to harness an EBP toolkit to assess influential factors in your organization, and craft an action plan to propel the EBP culture forward to impact health outcomes.