Assessment of Nurses’ Knowledge and Utilization of Evidence Based Practice and its Associated Factors in Selected Hospitals of three Zones of Southern Ethiopia, 2017

Abstract

Background: Evidence based practice is conscientious, clear and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of patient. It is becoming a worldwide concern for nurses, doctors and administrators at various level of health care settings considered as critical element to improve quality of health care services. Currently one of the major barriers to utilize Evidence-based practice is knowledge deficit especially in developing countries like Ethiopia. Objective: the aim of this study was to assess nurses’ knowledge and utilization of evidence-based practice and its associated factors in selected hospitals of three zones of SNNPR, South Ethiopia. Methods: setting: the study was carried out in a sample of three zonal and secondary hospitals because evidence based practice are more implemented at hospital settings. Study design and period: Facility-based descriptive cross-sectional study design was conducted among nurses working in selected hospitals of three zones of south region from March 30 to May 1, 2017. A total of 208 nurses answered a self-reported questionnaire and selected by using convenient sampling technique. Descriptive statistics, Bi-variate and multivariate logistic regression were used to analyze the data. A statistical significance was declared at p value<0.05. Primary and secondary outcome: The primary outcome was nurses’ knowledge and utilization of evidence based practice in making decision in the nursing care of patients and secondary outcome of individual aspect of nurses experience EBP in decision making process in the patient care. Results: Sample of the study gathered with response rate 93.3% and all participants were BSC degree holders. Nearly half (45.3%) of study participants had poor knowledge regarding evidence based practice. 38.5% of respondents never utilize EBP in their clinical practice. Female nurses less knowledge and utilization of EBP compared to male nurses and Nurses who have good knowledge of EBP utilizes more than nurses who have poor knowledge on EBP. In this study being head nurse was 3.43 times (AOR=3.427) (95%CI= (1.289, 9.112)) more likely to use EBP when compared to being staff nurse. Knowledge of EBP was significantly associated with nursing experience and working unit. Conclusion & Recommendation: This study revealed that nurses in selected Hospitals in SNNP have low level of knowledge about evidence-based nursing practice. Also their utilization of evidence-based nursing practice was low. Hospitals need to manage to provide training about evidence practice which raises level of knowledge and utilization.