Implementation of evidence-based practice across medical, nursing, pharmacological and allied healthcare professionals: a questionnaire survey in nationwide hospital settings

Abstract

BackgroundImplementation of evidence-based practice (EBP) is regarded as core competence to improve healthcare quality. In the current study, we investigated the EBP of six groups of professionals: physicians, nurses, pharmacists, physical therapists, technicians, and other allied healthcare personnel.MethodsA structured questionnaire survey of regional hospitals throughout Taiwan was conducted by post in 2011. Questionnaires were mailed to all healthcare workers of 11 randomly selected hospitals. Linear and logistic regression models were used to examine predictors for implementing EBP.ResultsIn total, 6,160 returned questionnaires, including 645 from physicians, 4,206 from nurses, 430 from pharmacists, 179 from physical therapists, 537 from technicians, and 163 from other allied healthcare professionals, were valid for the analysis. Physicians and pharmacists were more aware of EBP than were the other professional groups (p < 0.001). Positive attitudes toward and beliefs in EBP were significantly lower among nurses than in the other groups (p < 0.001). Physicians had more sufficient knowledge and skills of EBP than did the other professionals (p < 0.001); in addition, they implemented EBP for clinical decision-making more often and perceived fewer personal barriers to EBP (p < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that EBP implementation was associated with the following characteristics of participants: EBP training, having a faculty position, academic degree, one's profession, and perceptions (beliefs, attitudes, knowledge, skills and barriers).ConclusionsThis study depicts various levels of EBP implementation among medical, nursing, pharmacological, and allied healthcare personnel. There were significant differences in their implementation of EBP. We observed that certain factors were associated with EBP implementation, including personal backgrounds and perceptions toward EBP. The data suggest that strategies for enhancing EBP implementation should differ for various groups of professionals.

Factors Affecting Implementation of Evidence Based Practice as Perceived by Nurses'

“…also, recommended as learning methods for nurses. These results differ from the published study done by Weng et al, (2013) who demonstrate that the Physicians and pharmacists were more aware of EBP than were the other professional groups such as nurses when attending EBP workshop.…”

Knowledge, Practice and Self-Efficacy in Evidence-Based Practice among Midwives in East Iran

“…Farokhzadian et al observed no significant relationship between self-efficacy and academic degree in another study of Iranian nurses; in contrast, Weng et al also reported that healthcare professionals with more advanced academic degrees more frequently implemented EBP. 12,19 Similarly, several studies have confirmed the positive effects of higher education levels on patient outcomes through the implementation of EBP. 26,[28][29][30] In the present study, midwives who were older and had more work experience were not significantly more likely to have greater EBP knowledge, self-efficacy or practice.…”

“…Previous studies have considered lack of familiarity with English to be a barrier to EBP implementation among non-English speakers. 12,32,33 This may be because the majority of up-to-date medical resources are in English. Unfortunately, 36 Similarly, more than half of the nurses in a study by Yoder et al utilised physicians or nursing peers as their primary information sources.…”

“…4 However, numerous studies have revealed that most healthcare professionals do not have sufficient knowledge and skills for the effective implementation of EBP. 4,[11][12][13][14] In a study analysing perceptions of EBP among nurses, Melnyk et al found that fewer than half of the participants believed that their colleagues consistently used EBP in patient care. 5 Similarly, Zhou et al indicated that most Chinese nurses lacked practice in many EBP-related skills.…”

Do Health Reforms Impact Cost Consciousness of Health Care Professionals? Results from a Nation-Wide Survey in the Balkans

“…It also notes that our mentioned domains had greater criteria applicability of evidencebased practice, rather than beliefs, attitudes or knowledge about the strength of the connection between evidence-based practice (EBP) and quality of healthcare. On a scale from 0-100%, it has been shown that there is a great difference (up to 65%) between the healthcare professional's beliefs: "EBP is important to improve patient care quality" and healthcare professional's skills: "I possess sufficient skills to implement EBP principles" (27). We have also shown that physicians and pharmacists recognized the value of EBP to a similar extent.…”