EBP and Nursing Research

[Tait]

In my current MSN advanced research class we are discussing Evidence Based Practice (EBP) and nursing research. As an ADN student I remember nursing research being discussed as a sort of "oh that is what the BSN's do" topic. I remember thinking about how there must be this magical room out there somewhere where BSN's were busy researching things.

When I started working at a Magnet hospital (one of those Magnet hospitals that actually uses the idea not just for promotion) I noticed EBP being used a lot. Every policy we put forth to the floor was always labeled as EBP.

Before I go any further into describing my recent experiences with nursing research and EBP I would like to know how other people view these topics. Does EBP mean anything to you? Do you know the difference between nursing research and EBP?

I would love to hear others experiences with EBP and nursing research from the ADN, diploma, BSN, and MSN educated folks out there. I have to say this class has really opened my eyes to exactly how these practices integrate into patient care and wonder if perhaps education on these topics is lacking in ADN training or if I just spaced out that day.

Tait

PS. If anyone screams "homework" on this post I will start posting very ugly pictures of wounds with titles like "Pretty kitties" or "Giggling babies!" I will also assume you didn't actually read but the first few lines of my post.

[elkpark]

(Once again, HouTX and llg have saved me the time and effort of actually composing a response -- thanks, guys! )

[netglow, ASN, RN]

Hmmm. In my ADN we did research/papaer/presentation.

But I agree, it's not what I feel is true research, as I'd done in my previous degree.

[Tait, MSN, RN]

The EBP movement is a push for the systematic and objective review of evidence -- and many nurses are unprepared to evaluate evidence properly. Even many BSN programs do a poor job of teaching how to evaluate all types of evidence. That's one of my biggest pet peeves. BSN programs include research and theory courses, but many of them are not taught well and are not taught at the level of rigor that they need to be or with the focus on the types of knowledge and skills neede by the typical nurse. For example, many research courses focus on "how to write a research proposal" -- when in reality, few nurses with only a BSN will be responsible for writing research proposals. The class time would be much better spent learning how to do a good review of evidence.

Even in my current RN bridge to MSN I felt that my undergrad classes didn't really prepare me for research, however this one MSN class has taught me so much.

[elprup, BSN, RN]

We got drilled in our BSN research class and definitely learned how to review the evidence. What an eye opener!