Overcoming Barriers to Implementation of Evidence-Based Practice Concepts in Athletic Training Education: Perceptions of Select Educators

Abstract

Educators must transition toward instruction of EBP, regardless of barriers present in their academic programs, in order to maintain progress with other health professions' clinical practices and educational standards. Because today's students are tomorrow's clinicians, we need to include EBP concepts in entry-level education to promote critical thinking, inspire potential research interest, and further develop the available body of knowledge in our growing clinical practice.

Perceptions of Approved Clinical Instructors: Barriers in the Implementation of Evidence-Based Practice

“…[1][2][3][4] The need to combine the best research evidence, clinical expertise, and patient values also has begun to enter the field of athletic training. 2,[5][6][7][8] In athletic training education, the fifth edition of the Athletic Training Educational Competencies, 9 released in the spring of 2011 by the National Athletic Trainers' Association, includes a great emphasis on EBPrelated skills and concepts that are aimed at improving patient care. The inclusion of EBP in educational competencies, the increased continuing education opportunities in EBP, 10 and the inclusion of Cochrane evidencebased grading 11 of National Athletic Trainers' Association position statements 12 have continued to move athletic training toward greater emphasis within this area.…”

“…Across health care professions, clinicians cite time, [13][14][15][16][17] personnel support, 13,15,17 perceived lack of knowledge, 13,15,17 and insufficient or inappropriate resources 14,17 as barriers to their engaging in EBP. As an increased emphasis on EBP in athletic training education develops, Approved Clinical Instructors (ACIs) will need to demonstrate their own use of EBP while facing the same challenges as physical therapists, 17 nurses, 13,15,[18][19][20] physicians, 14 and athletic training educators.…”

“…As an increased emphasis on EBP in athletic training education develops, Approved Clinical Instructors (ACIs) will need to demonstrate their own use of EBP while facing the same challenges as physical therapists, 17 nurses, 13,15,[18][19][20] physicians, 14 and athletic training educators. 16 The role of an ACI in clinical practice, clinical education, and the mentorship of athletic training students provides instances in which the imple-mentation of EBP could be met with resistance due to the role strain placed on the ACI. 16,21 Understanding the barriers that ACIs encounter when providing mentorship to athletic training students will help ACIs and athletic training education program (ATEP) faculty as implementation of EBP is addressed.…”

Approved Clinical Instructors' Perspectives on Implementation Strategies in Evidence-Based Practice for Athletic Training Students

“…Athletic training educators have addressed how incorporating EBP through a curricular emphasis, specific teaching strategies, and student activities has enhanced the didactic curriculum of their athletic training education programs. 18 The integration of clinician expertise, best evidence, and patient values is one of the hardest concepts to teach students about EBP. 19 In the clinical setting, the question is not about how to teach EBP; as Denegar and Hertel 20(p127) stated, it is, "How do we best prepare students in the art and science of evidence-based clinical practice?"…”

Evidence-Based Practice or Practice-Based Evidence: What’s in a Name?

“…Developing a spirit of inquiry about the best available external evidence is essential; 7 however, time constraints on athletic trainers, lack of mentorship in evidence-based practice, and the limited availability of sources of external evidence present some major barriers for its acceptance as part of the necessary skill set for making clinical decisions. [8][9][10][11] Additionally, for many of the assessment and intervention techniques that athletic trainers use, high-quality sources of external evidence are not yet available. This unavailability actually reinforces the resistance against evidence-based practice gaining traction for inclusion in the necessary skill set.…”