Use Of Evidence-based Practice In Practice Research Articles

Assessment of Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) among physiotherapists in Cameroon: a cross-sectional survey

BackgroundEvidence-Based Practice (EBP) is reported to ease effective and adequate decision making for all works of life including health professionals. Investigating the level of implementation of EBP among physiotherapists helps to identify barriers and propose solutions for its extensive implementation. Despite available data on EBP elsewhere, it remains limited or non-existent in Cameroon. This study was designed to establish the current state of EBP among physiotherapists in Cameroon, by assessing knowledge, practice, and barriers to its implementation.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted online among French- and English-speaking physiotherapists in Cameroon over a period of six months from April to July 2023, using the EBP2 questionnaire. This enabled us to collect socio-demographic data from participants and information on their knowledge, understanding and practice of EBP and possible barriers to EBP according to 5 domains (Confidence, Relevance, Terminology, Practice, Compatibility) scored out of 100. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS 25.0 software and Pearson correlations (95% CI) and significance (p < 0.05).ResultsA total of 110 physiotherapists practising in the 10 regions of Cameroon participated in the study. The majority were male (54.5%), the median age was 34 years (age range 20 to 50), the median year of graduation was 2019 (range 2004 to max 2022) with 72.7% never having knowledge or training in EBP. Participants scored below 50/100 for 3 domains (confidence, relevance, and compatibility) showing poor general knowledge and understanding of EBP, although they generally had a positive attitude towards EBP. The use of EBP in practice was low (26.3/100 SD. 6.5), despite that they appeared to have a good understanding of research terminology (55.4 SD. 17.2). Level of study of participants did not appear to significantly influence domain scores (P > 0.05). The main barriers to practice were lack of time (75.1%), workload (66%), cost of access to information resources like databases for seek informations about recent support protocols (60%), ease of access to computers (49%), and lack of resources or skills (49%).ConclusionPhysiotherapists in Cameroon have a poor knowledge of EBP and a low level of practice of EBP, despite an overall positive attitude towards it. These results could inform stakeholders of higher education on the need to improve training of physiotherapy students in the domain of EBP in Physiotherapy. Also, it will help in raising the level of scientific research and promoting the implementation of EBP in Cameroon.

Teaching evidence-based practice (EBP) in nursing curricula in six European countries—A descriptive study

BackgroundTeaching evidence-based practice (EBP) in nursing education varies among nurse educators and universities. Lack of nurses' knowledge and skills are among the barriers commonly associated with the limited use of EBP in practice. ObjectivesTo describe the presence, characteristics and content of courses of EBP in nursing bachelor's, master's, and PhD programs in six European countries. DesignA descriptive study design was employed. SettingsThe study was implemented as part of the EBP e-Toolkit Project as a strategic partnership of six European higher education institutions from six countries in the framework of the Erasmus+ Programme. ParticipantsCensus sampling (N = 225) was used. A total of 162 (72%) faculties responded from the following countries: Spain (79), Italy (44), the Czech Republic (15), Poland (12), Greece (7), and Slovenia (5). MethodsThree structured instruments were developed by using the consensus development panel. The research was conducted from December 2018 to March 2019. For names of subjects, a manual narrative Template Analysis was used with open descriptive coding. ResultsSubjects in “EBP in Nursing or Health Care” are included in 45 (29.2%) bachelor's programs, mostly worth 180 European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits, 30 (28%) master's, and 6 (40%) PhD programs. In bachelor's programs, an average of 134 h are spent teaching EBP steps, followed by 127 h in master's programs and 52 h in PhD programs. EBP subjects have different focuses: clear topics in EBP, development of research knowledge, awareness of the need for evidence-based clinical work, and understanding the needs of the profession. ConclusionsTeaching EBP is not yet sufficiently integrated into nursing curricula. For more efficient integration, guidelines on the standardization of teaching approaches and content have to be developed in all three cycles of higher education. Further research is needed on the implementation of teaching at master's and PhD levels of nursing curricula.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices towards evidence based practice: A survey amongst radiographers

IntroductionIt is increasingly becoming a requirement for radiographers to use the concept of Evidence Based Practice (EBP) to inform their clinical practice. The purpose of this study was to assess knowledge, attitudes and practices towards the use of EBP as well as to establish factors that influence the use of EBP amongst radiographers in Uganda. MethodsA total of 83 respondents participated in a cross-sectional survey conducted amongst qualified radiographers licensed to practice in Uganda. Data was collected using a self-reporting questionnaire that was accessed through the Bristol Online Survey Software. Using SPSS version 21, descriptive and inferential statistics were generated. ResultsThe study revealed that 47 (57%) and 36 (43%) respondents scored themselves as having high and low knowledge of EBP respectively. However, 52 (63%) respondents scored themselves as having a negative attitude towards EBP. As regards use of EBP, 49 (59%) out of 83 respondents reported use of EBP in clinical practice. Using binary logistic regression, a significant association was found between a high knowledge level and the use of EBP (Adjusted OR, 95% CI: 9.89: 3.54–27.64). ConclusionOverall, majority of the respondents had high knowledge levels about EBP. However, a high proportion of them were found to have a negative attitude towards EBP. High knowledge levels of EBP were strongly associated with use of EBP in practice. This finding provides helpful insights for policy makers to consider a holistic approach towards improving the use of EBP among radiographers through devising interventions that strengthen both knowledge and attitude towards EBP.

Evidence-based practice at Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Nepal: knowledge, attitude, behavior and barriers

Introduction: Evidence based practice (EBP) is the use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients. The aim of this study was to explore the practices, attitudes, knowledge and perceived barriers in relation to EBP among faculty members at Patan Academy of Health Sciences (PAHS), Nepal. &#x0D; Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey study. Participants were faculty members (both clinical and non-clinical) at PAHS. The main outcomes were attitude towards the usefulness of EBP, the frequency of use of EBP in practice, and the barriers to carrying out EBP. &#x0D; Results: One hundred and seventy-two faculty members participated in this survey. Ninety five percent knew it was used for clinical decision making and the majority used it for teaching. Senior faculty spent more time on searching for evidence and reading compared to junior faculty. There was no difference between clinical and non-clinical departments. The main barriers to EBP were inadequate teaching learning support by 49% (85/172) followed by inadequate time 30% (52/172). &#x0D; Conclusions: The study showed that faculty at PAHS had a generally positive attitude towards EBP. EBP could be better facilitated by proper teaching and allocation of dedicated time.

Evidence-based practice knowledge and perfusionists' clinical behavior.

Evidence-based practice (EBP) has been widely studied and adopted in allied health professions education. Current practitioners may have challenges in adopting EBP into current practice. EBP skills have not been previously assessed in perfusionists, therefore, the purpose of this study is to identify a preliminary analysis of perfusionists' EBP knowledge and its possible relationship to clinical behavior and educational level A non-randomized convenience study using the Evidence-Based Practice Questionnaire (EBPQ) was used to measure EBP of practicing U.S. perfusionists. The EBPQ is a validated survey instrument designed to measure EBP practice, attitude and knowledge subscales. The EBPQ consisted of 24 items on a 1 to 7 Likert Scale, with higher numbers indicating frequent use of skill. Practitioner experience, educational background and employment type were also collected. Two hundred and fifty-four responses met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. The mean EBPQ score was 5.0 (SD = 0.9) with similar means for the subscales. There were important differences found in the EBPQ scores, depending on the educational level and work status. There was a positive correlation between the knowledge and practice subscales, demonstrating a relationship in the sample and a possible relationship in the population as a whole. The results suggest that perfusionists' use of EBP in practice does vary, based upon educational level and employment type. The findings also demonstrated areas of lower EBP aptitude. The correlation between EBP knowledge and practice may guide educational efforts at improving EBP practice.

Use, Knowledge, and Attitudes Toward Evidence-Based Practice Among Nursing Staff

Little information is known about the use, knowledge, and attitudes toward evidence-based practice (EBP) among nurses in a large academic hospital. This cross-sectional, descriptive study examined the knowledge, attitudes, and use of EBP by nurses at a large academic, Magnet(®)-designated medical center. Data were collected from 593 nurses who completed the Clinical Effectiveness and Evidence Based Practice Questionnaire between November 2011 and March 2012. Statistical analyses included correlations and multivariate analysis of covariance. Most nurses (96%) reported that they were aware that an EBP and Research Council existed. The average scores were highest on the Attitudes subscale, followed by the Knowledge/Skills and Practice subscales. Continuing education for nurses makes a difference in nurses' attitudes, knowledge, and use of EBP in practice. Participation in EBP and research educational activities or Council meetings may affect EBP culture in a large academic medical center.

Implementing Evidence-Based Practice: Practitioner Assessment of an Agency-Based Training Program

Responding to the call for evidence-based practice (EBP) in social work, the authors conducted a multiphase exploratory study to test the acceptability of a training-based collaborative agency–university partnership strategy supporting EBP. The Bringing Evidence for Social Work Training (BEST) study includes an agency training component consisting of 10 modules designed to support the implementation of EBP in social agencies. Qualitative data from post-training participant focus groups were analyzed in order to describe practitioner perceptions of the 10 training modules and trainer experiences of implementation. Based on the findings from this study the authors suggest that the BEST training was generally acceptable to agency team members, but not sufficient to sustain the use of EBP in practice.

Evidence-based practice implementation: The impact of public versus private sector organization type on organizational support, provider attitudes, and adoption of evidence-based practice

BackgroundThe goal of this study is to extend research on evidence-based practice (EBP) implementation by examining the impact of organizational type (public versus private) and organizational support for EBP on provider attitudes toward EBP and EBP use. Both organization theory and theory of innovation uptake and individual adoption of EBP guide the approach and analyses in this study. We anticipated that private sector organizations would provide greater levels of organizational support for EBPs leading to more positive provider attitudes towards EBPs and EBP use. We also expected attitudes toward EBPs to mediate the association of organizational support and EBP use.MethodsParticipants were mental health service providers from 17 communities in 16 states in the United States (n = 170). Path analyses were conducted to compare three theoretical models of the impact of organization type on organizational support for EBP and of organizational support on provider attitudes toward EBP and EBP use.ResultsConsistent with our predictions, private agencies provided greater support for EBP implementation, and staff working for private agencies reported more positive attitudes toward adopting EBPs. Organizational support for EBP partially mediated the association of organization type on provider attitudes toward EBP. Organizational support was significantly positively associated with attitudes toward EBP and EBP use in practice.ConclusionThis study offers further support for the importance of organizational context as an influence on organizational support for EBP and provider attitudes toward adopting EBP. The study demonstrates the role organizational support in provider use of EBP in practice. This study also suggests that organizational support for innovation is a malleable factor in supporting use of EBP. Greater attention should be paid to organizational influences that can facilitate the dissemination and implementation of EBPs in community settings.