Getting guidelines into practice: lessons learned as Best Practice Spotlight Organization host.

BACKGROUND

The Spanish Best Practice Guidelines (BPG) Implementation Project is part of the Best Practice Spotlight Organizations international program, coordinated by the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO).

AIMS

To influence the uptake of nursing BPG across healthcare organizations, to enable practice excellence and positive client outcomes.

METHODS

After translating the RNAO's BPG into Spanish, the Host Organization published a formal call for proposals to select healthcare settings in Spain to implement the RNAO's BPG and evaluate the results. The approach is nursing-led and multidisciplinary; context specific; and involving a wide range of stakeholders. The implementation of BPG Toolkit guides the process: cascade training, selection of recommendations to be implemented, 3 years of planned implementation activities, monitoring of process and outcome results for patients discharged 60 days every year. The Host Organization supports healthcare settings selected.

RESULTS/DISCUSSION: The first call was launched in 2012. Eight healthcare settings (11 sites), serving 1.3 million people, were selected (hospitals and primary healthcare centers). They chose 10 BPG, according to their needs. In 2015 and 2018, 16 more healthcare settings have joined the program with a total of 263 sites. And in 2019, three complete regions will join the program as a regional host. Currently, more than 3200 nurses and 40 other healthcare professionals have been trained, evidence-based protocols have been developed or updated, patient education has been promoted, and international Best Practice Spotlight Organizations indicators have been evaluated in an electronic platform.

CONCLUSION

The results obtained acknowledge that the RNAO implementation method could be replicated with success internationally. The strategies based on local context have worked and we have consolidated a network that shares knowledge and strategies and promotes evidence-based culture among Spanish healthcare settings and evidence-based care to patients.