Evaluation of research-based nursing practice.

To determine the effectiveness of a research-based clinical intervention, a planned program of evaluation must be in place. The evaluation consists of two components: determining whether the intervention was implemented as intended and, if not, what barriers prevented the implementation; and determining whether the intervention produced the expected outcomes. Evaluation provides essential data for decision making and helps staff determine whether the intervention should be accepted, rejected, or modified for use in their setting. Research utilization activities complement QAI programs, and many patients benefit from new research-based practice innovations. Through research utilization, clinical practice becomes vital to nursing research because clinical practice provides the testing ground for research findings. Knowledge generated under controlled situations is evaluated in the real world of clinical practice, and clinical data produced through evaluation provides a rationale for practice that can be meaningfully understood both inside and outside the nursing profession.