gms | German Medical Science

Background and Purpose: Nurses rarely apply evidence-based practice in everyday work. A recent body of research has looked at various variables explaining the use of evidence-based practice, but not values and competencies. The aim was to establish the connection between values, competencies, selected job characteristics and evidence-based practice use.

Methods: A cross-sectional, non-experimental quantitative explorative research design was employed with the use of descriptive, correlational and exploratory linear regression methods.

Research Focus: Standardized instruments were used (Nurse Professional Values Scale-R, Nurse Competence Scale, Evidence-Based Practice Beliefs and Implementation Scale). The reliability and validity evaluations were used for all instruments. All Slovenian hospitals were invited to participate in the research (N=27), a total of 20 hospitals confirmed their participation. Our sample of respondents included all nurses with higher education and at least three years of work experience (N=1650). The census sample included 780 nurses. The data were collected in 2015. We used basic descriptive analysis, paired sample t test, Pearson’s correlation coefficient and linear regression. For all scales, the Principal Axis Factoring approach to factor analysis was employed.

Methodological and Theoretical Focus: A two-stage approach was employed to construct the regression model. At the first stage, we included the demographic characteristics, respondents’ participation in training and education activities over the last five years, perceived level of knowledge, and access to information databases. At the second stage, the model also included – in addition to significant variables from the first stage of regression – explanatory variables related to professional values and competencies. The condition for inclusion into the regression model at both stages was a significant correlation between the variables.

Results: Study identifies two new variables contributing to a better understanding of beliefs on and implementation of evidence-based practice, thus broadening the existing research evidence. These are the values of activism and professionalism, and competencies aimed at the development and professionalization of nursing. Values of caring, trust and justice and competencies expected in everyday practice do not influence the beliefs and implementation of evidence-based practice. Respondents ascribed less importance to values connected with activism and professionalism and competencies connected with the development of professionalism. Nurses agree that evidence-based practice is useful in their clinical work, but they lack the knowledge to implement it in practice. Evidence-based practice implementation in nursing practice is low.

Conclusions: Our study identifies two new variables contributing to a better understanding of beliefs on and implementation of evidence-based practice, thus broadening the existing research evidence. Study results provide guidelines for improving nursing study programmes and planning post-graduate education for employed nurses, and contribute to the strategy of nursing development in the field of evidence-based practice. Our study contributes to the validation of existing instruments for future assessment of professional values and competencies. Study results stress the importance of increasing the knowledge and skills on professional values of activism and professionalism and competencies connected to nursing development. The study expands the current understanding of evidence-based practice use and provides invaluable insight for nursing managers, higher education managers and the nursing association.