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Inside the program: Evidence-based practice

HCPro's Weekly Update on the ANCC Magnet Recognition Program®*, January 18, 2010

Nurses want to provide the best care for their patients. However, nurses often rely on clinical experiences, traditions, and untested actions to carry out their responsibilities. Evidence-based practice relies on research findings, quality improvement data, other evaluation data, and the consensus of recognized experts for substantiation. It expects that nurses will always question why they do things and look for better ways of achieving goals. This kind of practice has been shown to improve care, with 28% better outcomes than those of control patients reported in a meta analysis by Heater (1988).

Nurses often cite lack of time and staffing shortages as the reasons they do not investigate practice databases. But another reason is lack of knowledge on how to access peer reviewed studies through databases and the process of research utilization in general. In order for nurses to recognize the importance of nursing research and evidence-based practice (also referred to as research utilization), they must be supported by the nursing leaders. The CNO can champion an environment in which research findings are used to improve nursing practice.

Source: HCPro's Guide to Assessing, Pursuing, and Achieving Excellence in the ANCC Magnet Recognition Program® Second Edition

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