Evidence based Nursing practice: Nurses’ Awareness, Perception and Barriers

Abstract

Today evidence based practice has become a key constituent of outstanding patient care. Understanding of Evidence Based Practice will help in deciding the weightage to be put on particular research, examination, report, clinical practice guidelines while making decision about care of a client. The objective of the study was to explore awareness and perception of nurses regarding evidence-based nursing practice. A survey questionnaire was used to collect data for this study from full time working nurses. Nurses with diploma, university degree certificate and postgraduate degrees participated in studywith experience in various fiels of nursing. Most of them did not receive any special training in evidence-based practice. Majority of nurses agreed that evidence-based practice is based on research findings, individualized patient care and that it is an approach to health care. According to them evidence-based practice helps in the provision of highest quality care. Clinical expertise of nurses, organizational culture to practice, patient preferences were considered as important by most of the nurses. Nurses were even aware of the needs, barriers of evidence-based practice. The study concluded that provision of timely training and facilities to provide evidence-based nursing practice will help in developing confidence among nurses and improve the quality of nursing care.