Professional Research Project CAPSTONE Benchmark - Constructing the Written Evidence-Based Proposal: Final

Demonstrating Mastery of Evidence-Based Practice

Introduction

The American Nurses Association (ANA) has a reading room where nurses and consumers can read a variety of position statements. One position statement discusses the expectation that "at the baccalaureate level, education for research prepares nurses to read research critically and to use existing standards to determine the readiness of research for utilization in clinical practice" (American Nursing Association, 2006, p. 8). Developing a project proposal that requires students to critically appraise research and addresses clinical problems through a well-developed solution is a means by which professional studies students at Grand Canyon University meet this expectation and demonstrate mastery of baccalaureate essential skills.

Completion of the capstone experience is evidence that students are able to more fully participate in research and evidence-based practices through their ability to:

 Identify clinical problems requiring investigation

 Utilize evidence-based literature to answer clinical questions

 Critically analyze and critique qualitative studies

 Critically analyze and critique quantitative studies

 Critically synthesize the literature to make best practice decisions

 Assist novice nurses, peers, and interdisciplinary health care workers to utilize evidence-based literature and synthesize research information

 Influence the selection of appropriate methods of data collection

 Collect data, evaluate data, disseminate findings, and implement best practices in a wide variety of patient care settings

Diffusion of Innovation

Vital information regarding best practices may be disseminated to a broad community of nurses, but it does not necessarily mean nurses will apply the knowledge. What, therefore, is the next step? One theory to consider is diffusion of innovations, originally proposed by Rogers in 1962 (Rogers, 2003). Rogers (2003) postulates that adopters of any new innovation or idea can be categorized based on a bell curve. The categories are: innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards. Awareness, interest, evaluation, trial, and adoption influences an adopter's willingness and ability to adopt a new innovation.

Each category has characteristics that help managers, educators, and researchers determine if someone is ready to adopt a new innovation. As the predictable pattern suggests, innovation will first be accepted and integrated into practice first by early adopters, then by the majority.

Cochrane Collaboration

The Cochrane Collaboration is a great example of dedicated health professionals committed to researching, synthesizing, and disseminating best evidence for providing best practices to help health care workers guide practice. It is the longest running electronic publication in health care.

Cochrane was instrumental in making it known that health care practice is not always based on good evidence, and because resources are always limited, it is more important than ever to know which interventions work and which do not.

Promoting Research Capacity

"The professional codes of conduct in practice, nurses, midwives, and AHP are required to deliver current evidence-based practice and validate research when possible" (Grange, Herne, Casey, & Wordsworth, 2005). Grange et al. (2005) define research capacity as "a process which leads to higher skill levels and greater ability to perform useful research" (p. 32). They describe examples of strategies for building research capacity, which includes:

 Research mentor networks

 Research awareness days

 Research development programs and support

 R&D subcommittees and oversight

Supporting research and use of evidence-based literature need to include several strategies. Some will include sharing of research skills, knowledge, and expertise. Promoting research capacity can influence future directions of nursing practice in health care delivery. Nurses can increase the capacity by becoming better collaborators with those who are currently contributing to research and by committing to their own professional growth.

Conclusion

Regardless of where your working positions are at the end of this program, you should now have a foundational understanding of the steps of evidence-based practice and possess the professional and ethical responsibility to protect the public and promote the profession of nursing. The wealth of knowledge, experience, and energy that graduating RN/B students bring to the nursing workforce comes at an opportune time when there are not only shortages at the bedside, but also shortages of mentors and faculty.

References

American Nurses Association. (2006). ANA position statements. Retrieved January 12, 2009, from http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/HealthcareandPolicyIssues/ANAPositionStatements.aspx

The Cochrane Collaboration. (2006). The Cochrane collaboration: The reliable source of evidence in health care. Retrieved January 12, 2009, from http://www.cochrane.org/

Grange, A., Herne, S., Casey, A., & Wordsworth, L. (2005). Building research capacity. Nursing Management, 12(7), 32-37. Retrieved January 12, 2009, from http://library.gcu.edu, OVID database.

Rogers, E. M., & Scott, K. L. (1997). The diffusion of innovations model and outreach from the national network of libraries of medicine to Native American communities. Retrieved January 12, 2009, from http://nnlm.gov/pnr/eval/rogers.html

Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of innovations (5th ed.). New York: Free Press