Nurses' Research Capacity, Use of Evidence, and Research Productivity in Acute Care: Year 1 Findings From a Partnership Study.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to compare baseline and year 1 findings from a research-focused academic-service partnership (ASP) designed to increase research capacity, evidence-based practice (EBP) use, and research productivity.

BACKGROUND

Few combined individual and organizational best practices could be found that successfully sustain EBP. An ASP model, using structural and enabling processes, was evaluated.

METHODS

Using a nonexperimental pretest-posttest design, 67 acute care nurses who participated at baseline were resurveyed, and year 1 focus groups were conducted.

RESULTS

Knowledge increased from baseline to year 1, and nurses who participated on a committee with an embedded scientist were more knowledgeable at year 1 than those who did not. While EBP confidence and self-reported EBP use did not improve, research productivity increased 33%. Year 1 focus groups identified facilitators and barriers.

CONCLUSION

Findings support some EBP benefits related to a research-focused ASP including research productivity; however, implementation barriers and contextual factors may have limited potential outcomes.