Strategies for Nursing Leaders to Promote Evidence-Based Practice

Strategies for Nursing Leaders to Promote Evidence-Based Practice

　Providing evidence-based care leads to important improvements in healthcare quality and safety. Nursing and organizational leaders play a critical role in promoting evidence-based healthcare. Leadership is an important factor impacting an organization's ability to consistently use evidence to improve practice (Aarons, 2006 ; Davies, Edwards, Ploeg, Virani, Skelly, & Dobbins, 2006 ; Fleuren, Wiefferink, & Paulussen, 2004 ; Gifford, 2006 ; Gifford, Davies, Edwards, Griffin, & Lybanon, 2007 ; Vaughn, McCoy, Bootsmiller, Woolson, Sorofman, Tripp-Reimer, Perlin, & Doebbeling, 2002 ; World Health Organization, 2007). Leadership is needed at the organizational and unit level to create an environment supporting evidence-based care. Nurses in leadership positions from the staff nurse through the senior nurse executive have responsibility for providing support for evidence-based healthcare (Crites, McNamara, Akl, Richardson, Umscheid, & Nishikawa, 2009 ; Crow, 2006 ; Cullen, Dawson, & Williams, 2009 ; Gifford, Davies, Edwards, Griffin, & Lybanon, 2007 ; Jeffs, MacMillan, McKey, & Ferris, 2009 ; O'Connor-Von, Looman, Lindeke, Garwick, & Leonard, 2009 ; Shirey, 2006 ; Titler, Cullen, & Ardery, 2002b).

　Providing evidence-based care leads to important improvements in healthcare quality and safety. Nursing and organizational leaders play a critical role in promoting evidence-based healthcare. Leadership is an important factor impacting an organization's ability to consistently use evidence to improve practice (Aarons, 2006 ; Davies, Edwards, Ploeg, Virani, Skelly, & Dobbins, 2006 ; Fleuren, Wiefferink, & Paulussen, 2004 ; Gifford, 2006 ; Gifford, Davies, Edwards, Griffin, & Lybanon, 2007 ; Vaughn, McCoy, Bootsmiller, Woolson, Sorofman, Tripp-Reimer, Perlin, & Doebbeling, 2002 ; World Health Organization, 2007). Leadership is needed at the organizational and unit level to create an environment supporting evidence-based care. Nurses in leadership positions from the staff nurse through the senior nurse executive have responsibility for providing support for evidence-based healthcare (Crites, McNamara, Akl, Richardson, Umscheid, & Nishikawa, 2009 ; Crow, 2006 ; Cullen, Dawson, & Williams, 2009 ; Gifford, Davies, Edwards, Griffin, & Lybanon, 2007 ; Jeffs, MacMillan, McKey, & Ferris, 2009 ; O'Connor-Von, Looman, Lindeke, Garwick, & Leonard, 2009 ; Shirey, 2006 ; Titler, Cullen, & Ardery, 2002b).