Knowledge and competency of nursing faculty regarding evidence-based practice

The Institute of Medicine recommended that 90% of clinical decisions should be evidenced based by 2020. Both the IOM and the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses identified evidenced-based practice (EBP) as a core competency for practice. EBP can reduce costs, improve patient outcomes, and ensure optimal nursing interventions. Because nursing faculty may have deficits in knowledge, attitudes, and competencies to teach EBP, few nursing students conduct EBP reviews. The purpose of this project was to develop EBP educational resources to increase nursing faculty knowledge and competency of EBP in a southeastern college with both a multicultural faculty and student body. A pre-and postsurvey design using Stevens’ ACE Star Model of Knowledge Transformation and Evidence Based Practice Readiness Inventory (ACE-ERI) determined the effectiveness of the educational intervention. Results indicated that faculty’s self-confidence about their competency in EBP increased significantly from presurvey to postsurvey, t(17) =-2.04, p =.028, but there was no significant change from pretest to posttest, t(17) =-0.576, p =.572, for the EBP knowledge component of ACE-ERI. The results of the study suggest that educational programs for RN-to-BSN faculty are vital in increasing participant’s readiness for EBP.