Identifying barriers to evidence-based practice adoption: A focus group study

Abstract

Objectives: The promotion of evidence-based practice (EBP) to ensure that the best scientific evidence, clinician expertise, and patient advocacy are used in health care delivery is an important leadership role of advanced practice nurses. While there has been much progress in advancing EBP, there are many hospital systems in the United States and other parts of the world that have yet to integrate an EBP framework. A focus group study was conducted to examine nurse’s views relative to the adoption of EBP in a specific community hospital setting.

Methods: Design: A focus group design was used. Setting: A Midwestern United States rural community hospital. Sample: Four nurse practitioners, three nurse administrators/managers, and eleven inpatient direct care nurses. Three focus groups were conducted. Data were analyzed using qualitative methodology.

Results: Themes identified included institutional and/or cultural barriers, lack of knowledge, lack of motivation, time management, physician and patient factors, and limited access to up-to-date user-friendly technology and computer systems.

Conclusions: Engaging a participatory approach, findings provide strategy to consider when developing programs to expose nurses to EBP and for the translation of current standards into clinical practice. Building infrastructure to sustain and support EBP via leadership; time provision; access and support for continuing education; and collaborative integration of team members will guide the development of clinical environments that promote EBP.