Effects of perceived educational support on usage of an internet nursing reference center.

Abstract

The need for evidence-based practice in nursing is well established; however, the efficacy of providing online research resources to nurses delivering care at the bedside has yet to undergo empirical testing. This study evaluated the impact of minimal educational support by a nurse researcher on nurses' usage of a hospital-based online nursing reference center. This randomized, comparison group design feasibility study was conducted at a suburban medical center. Real-time RN usage of an online nursing reference center was collected over 10 months (August to May), with the comparative intervention occurring for seven of the 10 months (September to March). Independent samples t tests and analysis of variance demonstrated that nurses receiving weekly or biweekly visits from an educator had significantly higher usage of the reference center. Nurses who received minimal educational support through weekly and biweekly brief, verbally supportive visits from a nurse researcher were significantly higher users of the online nurse reference center than those receiving in-services only.