Challenges to Educating Nurses about Evidence-Based Nursing Practice in NY State: A Delphi Study

Abstract

Background: Nurses play a critical role in delivering evidence-based practice (EBP) that prevents adverse events and fosters quality patient outcomes. Nurses’ ability to engage in EBP after graduation is shaped by their nursing education. The purpose of this study was to examine nurse leaders’ perspectives regarding academic barriers to educating nurses about EBP and its implementation in practice in New York State. Methodology: Using a modified Delphi technique, a purposive sample of nurse leaders in clinical, faculty, and administrative roles that included responsibility for EBP completed two online survey rounds. First Round qualitative data were categorized via content analysis. In the second Round, respondents ranked categories gleaned from Round I. This paper reports the second phase of a larger study about EBP. Results: Respondents identified a lack of faculty expertise as an educational barrier to EBP for undergraduate and graduate students. Additional barriers for undergraduates were lack of experience/context and lack of role models. At the graduate level, additional barriers were lack of time and lack of exposure/experience/ practice. Subgroup differences in ranking highlight the need to consider demographic variation in identification of barriers. Conclusion and Recommendations: Faculty have an important responsibility to create and update nursing curricula so nursing graduates are prepared as competent EBP clinicians. The findings underscore the need for ongoing faculty development of EBP competencies, academic-clinical partnerships, and an integrated curriculum to support nursing students’ professional formation of EBP competency consistent with professional nursing standards and current research.