NONPF 39th Annual Meeting
The concept of evidence-based practice includes the application of research findings coupled with patient values and clinical expertise. The faculty of the School of Nursing identified that conventional graduate level research course prepare students well in the application of research findings but do not espouse all tenets of EBP. This gap identified a need for further course work. A team of faculty developed an EBP course that is taught in a distance education format, stressing the application of research findings blended with the lesser credited areas of patient preferences and clinical expertise.
Students are engaged to develop a clinical question of interest using the PICOT format. Armed with a question, the next stage is to select a guideline which relates to the topic area. The guideline is then thoroughly evaluated to assess the strength of the supporting evidence and stakeholder involvement by using the AGREE II tool. Once the guidelines strengths have been evaluated, the next step is to evaluate ethical considerations of the guidelines application to the selected population. The course culminates in the students making practice based recommendations on the suitability of the guideline for practice integration. It is further stressed that students give strong consideration to the times when implementation may not be warranted based on the strength of the evidence, patient values, and clinical expertise.
The achieved outcome of this course is that nurse practitioners are educated at a level beyond being "guideline followers." This (section/poster) highlights how the nurse practitioners students in the course become critical appraisers of evidence while integrating patient values and maximizing clinical expertise further contributing to the next generation of NP leaders.
