Impact of Evidence-Based Practice Education on New Graduate Nurses

A large hospital in the western United States developed a new graduate nurse residency program. As the hospital works to achieve Magnet status, education leaders identified that a specific focus on evidence- based practice (EBP) would assist in meeting program objectives. Methods: An EBP course was developed using current EBP literature. The EBP course was implemented and presented to residency program nurses. These nurses were provided the opportunity to evaluate the course and the instructor as part of a post-implementation survey. Pre- and post-surveys were created and used to assess student knowledge of EBP. Results: The average score was the same for the pre-survey (80%; n=15) and the post-survey (80%: n=14). Student knowledge increased on two questions regarding levels of EBP evidence and bias. Two questions were revised between the pre-and post-survey to address a knowledge gap regarding the role of stakeholders in quality improvement. The course was evaluated using a Likert scale, where 7/10 was the average score. Conclusions: The integration of this course serves as a foundational platform to continue student learning. While initial feedback was positive, the course will need revisions and updates as more current research presents itself and to continue to challenge and develop new graduate nurses. The project identified that students had a basic knowledge of EBP but could benefit from additional education regarding EBP and its application in clinical practice.