The Institute of Medicine has stated a goal that 90% of practice be evidence-based by 2020. According to HealthyPeople.gov, the United States is currently at approximately 15%. Discuss two barriers that might hold nursing practice from achieving this goal, and suggest ways in which identified barriers may be addressed. I NEED YOU TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION, NO MORE THAN 500 WORDS NEEDED, AND TWO REFERENCES NEEDED THANK YOU
Title: Barriers to Evidence-Based Nursing Practice and Potential Solutions
Introduction:
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) has set a challenging goal for healthcare professionals to ensure that 90% of their practice is evidence-based by the year 2020. However, the United States is currently lagging behind this target, with evidence suggesting that only approximately 15% of nursing practice is evidence-based. This essay will identify and discuss two major barriers to achieving this goal in nursing practice and propose potential solutions to address these barriers.
Barriers to Evidence-Based Nursing Practice:
1. Limited Access to Research:
One significant barrier to evidence-based nursing practice is the limited access to high-quality research literature. Nurses often face difficulty in accessing evidence due to subscription costs, lack of institutional access, or limited time available to conduct comprehensive literature searches. This barrier restricts their ability to stay up-to-date with the latest research findings and incorporate evidence into their practice.
Another aspect of limited access to research is the language barrier. Many invaluable research studies are published in different languages, making it difficult for nurses who do not speak those languages to access and use this evidence. This further hinders the application of evidence-based practice in nursing.
2. Resistance to Change:
Resistance to change is another significant barrier in achieving evidence-based nursing practice. Nurses may be resistant to adopting new evidence due to a variety of reasons, including a lack of knowledge or understanding of the importance of evidence-based practice, fear of change, personal biases, or professional autonomy. Some nurses may find it challenging to adapt to new approaches and interventions that are supported by research evidence, particularly when their traditional practice has been effective thus far.
Addressing the Barriers:
1. Improved Access to Research:
To overcome the limited access to research, healthcare organizations and institutions can play a vital role by providing nurses with free or affordable access to high-quality research articles, databases, and journals. This can be achieved through institutional subscriptions, partnerships with academic institutions, or investments in open-access resources. Additionally, healthcare organizations can designate a dedicated team responsible for conducting literature reviews and disseminating relevant evidence summaries to nurses, enabling them to stay informed about the latest research findings.
Furthermore, professional nursing organizations and regulatory bodies can advocate for increased funding for research and open access publishing. They can collaborate with researchers and policymakers to support initiatives that promote the dissemination of research findings in accessible formats, such as plain language summaries or infographics. By improving access to research, nurses will have a broader repertoire of evidence to inform their practice.
2. Promoting a Culture of Change and Lifelong Learning:
To address resistance to change, fostering a culture that values evidence-based practice is crucial. Nursing leaders and educators should promote the importance of evidence in improving patient outcomes and make evidence-based practice an integral part of nursing education and training programs.
Nursing schools can incorporate evidence-based practice into their curriculum, teaching students how to critically appraise research, translate evidence into practice, and implement quality improvement initiatives based on evidence. Additionally, offering continuing education programs and professional development opportunities that emphasize evidence-based practice will help empower nurses to embrace change and develop their skills in applying evidence to their practice.
Nursing leaders can further promote a culture of change by leading by example. By incorporating evidence-based practice in their own decision-making processes and encouraging staff to do the same, they can inspire others to embrace evidence-based practice. Nurse leaders can also create forums for nurses to discuss and share experiences of incorporating evidence into their practice, providing a platform for collaboration and knowledge exchange.
Conclusion:
Achieving the goal of 90% evidence-based practice in nursing by 2020 requires addressing significant barriers. By improving access to research and fostering a culture that values evidence and embraces change, nurses can be better equipped to implement evidence-based practice. Healthcare organizations, nursing leaders, educators, and professional nursing organizations all have a role to play in overcoming these barriers and facilitating the integration of evidence into nursing practice, ultimately improving the quality of care delivered to patients.
References:
1. Institute of Medicine. (2013). “Best care at lower cost: The path to continuously learning health care in America.” The National Academies Press.
2. Melnyk, B. M., & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2018). “Evidence-based practice in nursing & healthcare: a guide to best practice.” Wolters Kluwer.