Barriers Holding Back Nursing Practice
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.
Sample Answer
Topic 1 DQ 2
Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) in nursing is a problem-solving approach that involves the integration of research evidence, patients’ preference as well as clinical expertise. Evidence-based practice helps deliver individualized care to patients. The Institute of Medicine, during its roundtable on Evidence-Based Medicine, set out a goal that by the year 2020, 90% of clinical practice will incorporate EBP. However, only 15% has been achieved in the United States as of now (Kim, Mallory & Valerio, 2020). This wide discrepancy is due to several challenges that accompany Evidence-Based Practice.
First, lack of knowledge is a nurse-related barrier. The lack of knowledge relating to EBP is a result of various factors. A substantial number of nurses do not have previous training in EBP. Therefore, healthcare facilities are unable to incorporate the practice. In addition, there is an overwhelming amount of information with little to no guidelines and minimal training courses relating to EBP. As such, it becomes a challenge for nurses to acquire the adequate skillset for EBP. However, this knowledge barrier can be addressed through a formal program for the training of EBP to nurses. Establishing formality and a structure for the training will make it easier for nurses to receive all the training required through a single course and become competent in EBP.
Secondly, lack of organizational support is an institutional-related barrier. Nurses lack incentives from their healthcare facilities to further their education in EBP. In addition, several healthcare facilities lack the ability to implement EBP. Therefore, recommendations from research that nurses give, fail to find their way into clinical practice. Job descriptions that do not qualify nurses as researchers also negatively impact the implementation of EBP. Nevertheless, this institution-related barrier can be solved through the enacting of laws that make it mandatory for health organizations and facilities to incorporate EBP in their practice, as opposed to it being optional (Shayan, Kiwanuka, & Nakaye, 2019).
