Analysis of the impact of a national initiative to promote evidence-based nursing practice

What affects implementation of the UK major trauma rehabilitation prescription? A survey informed by the behaviour change wheel

OBJECTIVE

Major trauma 'Rehabilitation Prescriptions' aim to facilitate continuity of care and describe patient needs following discharge from UK Major Trauma Centre (MTCs), however research suggests rehabilitation prescriptions are not being implemented as intended. We aimed to identify factors influencing completion and use of rehabilitation prescriptions using the Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW) and Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF).

DESIGN

Online survey informed by the TDF and BCW.

SETTING

UK trauma rehabilitation pathway.

POPULATION

Rehabilitation and trauma service providers involved in completing and/or using rehabilitation prescriptions (n = 78).

ANALYSIS

Mean scores were calculated for TDF behavioural domains, identifying facilitators (score ≥5) and barriers (≤3.5) to rehabilitation prescription implementation. Thematic analysis of free text data informed by the BCW/TDF identified further facilitators and barriers, plus potential behaviour change strategies.

RESULTS

Most respondents worked in UK MTCs (n = 63) and were physiotherapists (n = 34), trauma rehabilitation coordinators (n = 16) or occupational therapists (n = 15). 'Social/professional role and identity', 'knowledge' and 'emotion' (the highest-scoring TDF domains) were facilitators to implementing rehabilitation prescriptions. Qualitative data identified barriers to rehabilitation prescription completion, including 'seen as tick-box exercise','not a priority', lack of resources (IT and workforce), poor inter-service communication, limited knowledge/training. Facilitators included therapist buy-in, standardised training, easy inter-service rehabilitation prescription transfer, usefulness for sharing patient needs.

CONCLUSIONS

Although rehabilitation prescriptions are valued by some service providers, their effectiveness is hindered by negative attitudes, limited knowledge and poor communication. Uncertainties exist about whether rehabilitation prescriptions achieve their goals, particularly in documenting patient needs, engaging patients in rehabilitation, and informing onward referrals following MTC discharge. Improving IT systems, empowering patients, redirecting funding, and providing training might improve their usage. Further research should explore service provider and patient perspectives, and prospective long-term follow-up on outcomes of rehabilitation prescription recommendations.

Facilitation as a role and process in achieving evidence-based practice in nursing: a focused review of concept and meaning

BACKGROUND

Facilitation is proposed as an important strategy to assist practitioners to implement evidence into practice. However, from a front-line nursing perspective, what is actually involved in facilitation, particularly in regards to research utilization, is poorly understood.

AIM

To examine the current state of knowledge surrounding the concept of facilitation as a role and process in the implementation of research findings within the nursing context. Building on a previous concept analysis, we examined how facilitation has evolved over the last decade, particularly focusing on the practical elements (e.g., what it entails to operationalize and implement facilitation in nursing).

METHODS

A systematic search of electronic databases identified theory and research-based nursing papers explicitly focused on facilitation in research utilization. Through a content analysis, we examined how the concept is being used, described, and applied within nursing.

RESULTS

Facilitation continues to be described as supporting and enabling practitioners to improve practice through evidence implementation. Certain aspects of the role and the strategies being employed to promote change are more evident. It was possible to formulate these into a taxonomy. Key findings include: * facilitation is now being viewed as an individual role as well as a process involving individuals and groups; * project management/leadership are important components; * no matter which approach is selected, tailoring facilitation to the local context is critical; * there is a growing emphasis on evaluation, particularly linking outcomes to nursing actions.

CONCLUSIONS

Further understanding of what facilitators are actually doing to enable changes in nursing practice based on research findings will provide the groundwork for the design and evaluation of practical strategies for evidence-based practice in nursing. Research is needed to clarify how facilitation may be used to implement change in nursing practice along with evaluation of the effectiveness of various approaches.

Factors influencing best-practice guideline implementation: lessons learned from administrators, nursing staff, and project leaders

BACKGROUND

Clinical practice guidelines are promising tools for closing the research evidence-practice gap, yet effective and timely implementation of guidelines into practice remains fragmented and inconsistent. Factors influencing effective guideline implementation remain poorly understood, particularly in nursing. A sound understanding of barriers and facilitators is critical for development of effective and targeted guideline implementation strategies.

AIM

This paper reports the perceptions of administrators, staff, and project leaders about factors influencing implementation of nursing best practice guidelines.

METHODS

Twenty-two organizations, in clusters of two to five, implemented one of seven guidelines in acute, community and long-term care settings. The topics were client centered care, crisis intervention, healthy adolescent development, pain assessment, pressure ulcers, supporting and strengthening families and therapeutic relationships. Fifty-nine administrators, 58 staff and 8 project leaders participated in post implementation semi-structured telephone interviews. Qualitative thematic analysis was conducted.

FINDINGS

Factors at individual, organizational and environmental levels were identified as influencing guideline implementation. Facilitators included learning about the guideline through group interaction, positive staff attitudes and beliefs, leadership support, champions, teamwork and collaboration, professional association support, and inter-organizational collaboration and networks. Barriers included negative staff attitudes and beliefs, limited integration of guideline recommendations into organizational structures and processes, time and resource constraints, and organizational and system level change. Similarities and differences in perceptions of these factors were found among staff, project leaders and administrators.

IMPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS

Best practice guideline implementation strategies should address barriers related to the individual practitioner, social context, and organizational and environmental context, and should be tailored to different groups of stakeholders (i.e., nursing staff, project leaders and administrators). Health care administrators need to recognize the "real" costs and complexity associated with successful implementation of guidelines and the need to ensure corporate commitment at the onset.