Factors Influencing Competency in Evidence-based Practice among Clinical Nurses

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to describe competency in evidence-based practice (EBP) among clinical nurses and to explore critical thinking disposition (CTD) and organizational culture (OC) as possible predictors for competency in EBP. Also this study was conducted to identify baseline data for purpose of developing evidence-based OC to ensure safety of patients and to improve quality of nursing services in clinical setting. Methods: With a descriptive correlation study design, a competency in EBP questionnaire was administered to a convenience sample of nurses (N=393) from a single general hospital in Gyeonggi Province. Results: The overall mean score for competency in EBP was 3.03±0.53. Factors influencing competency in EBP were education (β=0.23, p<.001), attendance at lectures on EBP (β=0.18, p<.001), intellectual eagerness & healthy skepticism (β=0.27, p<.001) among CTD, and hierarchy-oriented OC (β=0.14, p=.005), which explained about 35% of the total variance. Conclusion: Critical thinking and competency in EBP should be part of nursing education especially for undergraduate students as well as strengthening clinical practice by activation of EBP. The results of this study that hierarchy-oriented OC, is a significant predictor for competency in EBP is difficult to accept. Its seemed to require further exploration.