Evidence‐based practice‐focused interactive teaching strategy: a controlled study

Abstract

This paper is a report of a study to evaluate the effectiveness of the evidence-based practice (EBP)-focused interactive teaching (E-FIT) strategy. Although EBP is a mandatory competency for all healthcare professionals, little is known about the effectiveness of E-FIT in nursing. Aquasi-experimental, controlled, pre- and post-test study involving senior, 4th-year nursing students (N = 208) at two nursing schools in the USA was carried out from August 2007 to May 2008. The experimental group (n = 88) received the E-FIT strategy intervention and the control group (n = 120) received standard teaching. A Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviors Questionnaire for Evidence-Based Practice was used to assess the effectiveness of the E-FIT strategy. Independent t-tests showed that the experimental group had statistically significant higher post-test Evidence-Based Practice Knowledge (mean difference = 0.25; P = 0.001) and Evidence-Based Practice Use (mean difference = 0.26; P = 0.015) subscale scores compared to the control group, but showed no statistically significant differences in Attitudes toward Evidence-Based Practice and Future Use of Evidence-Based Practice (mean difference = 0.12; P = 0.398 and mean difference = 0.13; P = 0.255 respectively). Hierarchical multiple regression analyses of the post-test data indicated that the intervention explained 7.6% and 5.1% of variance in Evidence-Based Practice Knowledge and Evidence-Based Practice Use respectively. The EBP-focused interactive teaching strategy was effective in improving the knowledge and use of EBP among nursing students but not attitudes toward or future use of EBP.