A total of 1,602 nurses participated in the study with a response rate of 95.9%. The mean age of respondents was 38.7 years; SD 7.99 (age range = 20 and >60 years), most were staff nurses 634 (39.6), and most of the nurses 452 (28.2%) had a nursing experience of 11-15 years. The majority of participants were female (84.1%), and Indian (55.6%). More than half of the respondents (n=1112; 69.4%) held a bachelor’s degree (BSN) in nursing, while 15.7% held a diploma in nursing, 0.3% doctorate degree and 8.4% a master’s degree in nursing. Table 1 presents the respondents’ demographic characteristics.
Table 1: Sociodemographic and professional characteristics of the sample (N=1602).
Variables
|
Number (%) *
|
Age
|
|
20-30
|
205 (12.8)
|
31-40
|
839 (52.4)
|
41-50
|
394 (24.6)
|
51-60
|
158 (9.9)
|
>60
|
6 (0.4)
|
Gender
|
|
Female
|
1347 (84.1)
|
Male
|
255 (15.9)
|
Emirates- (Residence)
|
|
Abu Dhabi
|
361 (22.5)
|
Ajman
|
55 (3.4)
|
Dubai
|
236 (14.7)
|
Fujairah
|
251 (15.7)
|
Ras Al Khaimah
|
263 (16.4)
|
Sharjah
|
348 (21.7)
|
Umm Al Quwain
|
88 (5.5)
|
Years of Nursing Experience
|
|
0-5 years
|
149 (9.3)
|
11-15 years
|
452 (28.2)
|
16-20 years
|
272 (17.0)
|
21+ plus years
|
334 (20.8)
|
6-10 years
|
395 (24.7)
|
Highest Degree Earned
|
|
Associates Degree/Diploma
|
252 (15.7)
|
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
|
1112 (69.4)
|
Bachelors (Non-Nursing)
|
30 (1.9)
|
Doctorate
|
5 (0.3)
|
Master of Science in Nursing
|
135 (8.4)
|
Masters (Non-Nursing)
|
57 (3.6)
|
Other (please indicate)
|
11 (0.7)
|
Current position
|
|
Management
|
200 (12.5)
|
Staff nurse
|
1402 (87.5)
|
Primary Role in Healthcare
|
|
Clinical Administrator
|
106(6.6)
|
Clinician/Practitioner Nurse
|
374 (23.3)
|
Educator (Academic & staff development)
|
99 (6.2)
|
Staff Nurse
|
634 (39.6)
|
Registered Nurse
|
210 (13.1)
|
Others
|
179 (11.2)
|
Table 2 presents the nurses experience and knowledge level in regards to EBP. The nurses rated their EBP knowledge in the first inquiry. The results demonstrate that majority of the nurses 792 (49.4%) had intermediate knowledge levels followed by 497 (31.0%) having beginning level, and 251 (15.7%) having Advanced knowledge level. Most of the nurses heard about EBP 602 (37.6%) in multiple circumstances. Around 614 (38.3%) nurses indicated that EBP is practiced in their organization at a complex level.
Table 2: Nurses Experience and Knowledge level in regards to EBP.
Variables
|
Number (%) *
|
Rate your EBP knowledge
|
|
Advanced level
|
251 (15.7)
|
Intermediate level
|
792 (49.4)
|
Beginning level
|
497 (31.0)
|
No knowledge
|
62 (3.9)
|
How did you hear about EBP?
|
|
Formal training
|
439 (27.4)
|
Multiple circumstances
|
602 (37.6)
|
On-site training
|
224 (14.0)
|
Own interest
|
214 (13.4)
|
Specialised training
|
123 (7.7)
|
To what extent do you believe that EBP is practiced in your organization?
|
|
None at All
|
19 (1.2)
|
A Little
|
123 (7.7)
|
Somewhat
|
252 (15.7)
|
Moderately
|
594 (37.1)
|
Very much
|
614 (38.3)
|
Previous participation in EBP courses
|
|
No
|
970 (60.5)
|
Yes
|
632 (39.5)
|
What is your experience with EBP (e.g., committee work in an institution, continuing education program on EBP, formal coursework on EBP, taught an EBP course)?
|
Number (%) *
|
Advanced level
|
85 (5.3)
|
Intermediate level
|
540 (33.7)
|
Beginning level
|
592 (37.0)
|
No experience
|
385 (24.0)
|
Table 3 presents the overall score and item scores on the Evidence-Based Practice Questionnaire (EBPQ) Scale. For practice scale, “sharing information with colleagues” scored the highest (M = 4.24, SD = 1.8), whereas items related to knowledge about EBP (“Sharing of ideas and information with colleagues” and “ability to review your own practice”) scored highest (M = 4.82, SD = 1.5 and M = 4.80, SD = 1.4). The mean EBPQ score was 4.43 out of 7. The total EBPQ score is 106.3 out of 168.
Table 3: Mean of total and items scores/ Standard deviations of the EBP Implementation Scale (n = 1602).
Items
|
Range
|
Mean
|
SD
|
Practice of EBP
|
How often have you formulated a clearly answerable question as the beginning of the process towards filling this gap?
|
1- 7
|
3.91
|
1.696
|
How often have you tracked down the relevant evidence once you have formulated the question?
|
1- 7
|
3.86
|
1.712
|
How often have you critically appraised, against set criteria, any literature you have discovered?
|
1- 7
|
3.60
|
1.746
|
How often have you integrated the evidence you have found with your expertise?
|
1- 7
|
3.86
|
1.729
|
How often have you evaluated the outcomes of your practice?
|
1- 7
|
4.05
|
1.741
|
How often have you shared this information with colleagues?
|
1- 7
|
4.24
|
1.778
|
Range 6-42; Total Average Score
|
|
23.52
|
9.385
|
Attitudes Toward EBP
|
My workload is too great for me to keep up to date with all the new evidence
|
1- 7
|
4.56
|
1.656
|
I resent having my clinical practice questioned
|
1- 7
|
4.82
|
1.729
|
Evidence based practice is a waste of time
|
1- 7
|
5.25
|
1.850
|
I stick to tried and trusted methods rather than changing to anything new
|
1- 7
|
5.09
|
1.617
|
Range 4-28; Total Average Score
|
|
19.72
|
5.592
|
Knowledge of EBP
|
Research skills
|
1- 7
|
4.15
|
1.466
|
IT skills
|
1- 7
|
4.54
|
1.357
|
Monitoring and reviewing of practice skills
|
1- 7
|
4.68
|
1.390
|
Converting your information needs into a research question
|
1- 7
|
4.22
|
1.440
|
Awareness of major information types and sources
|
1- 7
|
4.35
|
1.401
|
Ability to identify gaps in your professional practice
|
1- 7
|
4.56
|
1.369
|
Knowledge of how to retrieve evidence
|
1- 7
|
4.40
|
1.423
|
Ability to analyse critically evidence against set standards
|
1- 7
|
4.39
|
1.403
|
Ability to determine how valid (close to the truth) the material is
|
1- 7
|
4.43
|
1.378
|
Ability to determine how useful (clinically applicable) the material is
|
1- 7
|
4.50
|
1.388
|
Ability to apply information to individual cases
|
1- 7
|
4.51
|
1.384
|
Sharing of ideas and information with colleagues
|
1- 7
|
4.82
|
1.472
|
Dissemination of new ideas about care to colleagues
|
1- 7
|
4.70
|
1.452
|
Ability to review your own practice
|
1- 7
|
4.80
|
1.418
|
Range 14-98; Total Average Score
|
|
63.06
|
17.325
|
Table 4 presents the overall score and item scores on the Evidence-Based Practice Implementation Scale. The overall mean score on the EBP Implementation Scale was 27.4. For nurses, “I accessed the Cochrane database of systematic reviews” (item 12) (M = 1.32, SD = 1.1) and “I generated a PICO question about my clinical practice” (item 3) (M =1.39, SD = 1.0) scored lowest. On the other hand, “I promoted the use of EBP to my colleagues.” (Item 18) (M = 1.63, SD = 1.1) and “I Used evidence to change my practice” (item 1) (M = 1.82, SD = 1.03) showed elevated average scores in comparison with other implementation activities. The internal reliability of the EBP Implantation Scale also showed an excellent Cronbach’s a score of 0.92.
Table 4: Standard deviations and item mean scores on the Evidence-Based practice Implementation scale.
Implementation of EBP
|
Mean
|
SD
|
Used evidence to change my practice
|
1.8196
|
1.03193
|
Critically appraised evidence from a research study.
|
1.5424
|
1.05371
|
Generated a PICO question about my practice.
|
1.3933
|
1.05568
|
Informally discussed evidence from a research study with a colleague.
|
1.5680
|
1.04223
|
Collected data on a clinical issue.
|
1.5456
|
1.07064
|
Shared evidence from a study or studies in the form of a report or presentation to more than 2 colleagues.
|
1.4507
|
1.07919
|
Evaluated the outcomes of practice change
|
1.5587
|
1.06238
|
Shared an evidence-based guideline with a colleague
|
1.5880
|
1.07265
|
Shared evidence from a research study with a patient/family member
|
1.4164
|
1.07707
|
Shared evidence from a research study with a multi-disciplinary team member.
|
1.4395
|
1.06931
|
Read and critically appraised a clinical research study.
|
1.4800
|
1.06733
|
Accessed the Cochrane database of systematic reviews.
|
1.3171
|
1.11234
|
Accessed an evidence-based guideline
|
1.5593
|
1.08791
|
Used an evidence-based guideline or systematic review to change clinical practice where I work.
|
1.5443
|
1.06484
|
Evaluated a care initiative by collecting patient outcome data.
|
1.5456
|
1.09772
|
Shared the outcome data collected with colleagues.
|
1.5106
|
1.09804
|
Changed practice based on patient outcome data.
|
1.5468
|
1.08622
|
Promoted the use of EBP to my colleagues.
|
1.6286
|
1.10363
|
Range 0-72; Total Average Score
|
27.4544
|
16.98912
|
Table 5 presents the percentages and item mean scores on the Evidence-Based practice implementation short scale. Majority of the participants strongly agree that they used to improve patient outcomes in their healthcare setting 1307 (81.6%),79 % of the nurses implement the steps of the EBP process in their practice, while, 81.6% promoted the use of EBP in their healthcare setting to improve outcomes.
Table 5: Percentages and item mean scores on the Evidence-Based practice implementation short scale.
Implementation of EBP
|
Strongly Agree +Agree
|
Neutral
|
Strongly Disagree +disagree
|
Mean ± SD
|
I use evidence to improve patient outcomes in my healthcare setting.
|
1307 (81.6)
|
235 (14.7)
|
60 (3.7)
|
1.2216 ±0.50
|
I implement the steps of the EBP process in my practice.
|
1265 (79)
|
274 (17.1)
|
63 (3.9)
|
1.2497 ±0.52
|
I promote the use of EBP in my healthcare setting to improve outcomes.
|
1308 (81.6)
|
246 (15.4)
|
48 (3)
|
1.2135±0.48
|
Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient analysis was performed to examine the relationship between EBP knowledge, practice, and attitudes mean scores, nurses’ demographics and professional characteristics [Table 6]. There was a significant negative weak correlation between nurses’ age and practice mean scores (rs =-0.068, p = 0.007). Older nurses had better EBP practice mean scores compared with younger nurses. There was a significant negative weak correlation between gender and practice (rs =-0.065, p =0.009), and knowledge mean scores (rs =-0.053, p =0.034). There was a significant negative weak correlation between emirates and practice (rs =-0.105, p =0.001), attitude (rs = -0.116, p =0.001) and knowledge mean scores (rs = -0.120, p =0.001). There was a significant weak correlation between origin with practice (rs =-0.053, p =0.035), & knowledge mean scores (rs =0.019, p =0.436). There was a significant weak correlation between Level of Education and practice (rs = 0.163, p =0.001), attitudes (rs =0.101, p =0.001) and knowledge mean scores (rs =0.130, p =0.001). There was a significant positive correlation between Years of experience and attitude mean scores (rs = 0.065, p =0.009) indicating that nurses with greater years are likely to be more confident and tends to have better EBP attitudes.
Table 6: Correlations between the nurses' demographic variables and their scores on the EBPQ by subscale (N = 1602).
|
Practice
|
Attitudes
|
Knowledge
|
Variables
|
R2
|
p-value
|
R2
|
p-value
|
R2
|
p-value
|
Age (years)
|
-0.068
|
0.007
|
0.020
|
0.435
|
0.020
|
0.413
|
Gender
|
-0.065
|
0.009
|
-0.27
|
0.288
|
-0.053
|
0.034
|
Emirates
|
-0.105
|
0.001
|
-0.116
|
0.001
|
-0.120
|
0.001
|
Origin
|
-0.053
|
0.035
|
0.037
|
0.137
|
0.019
|
0.436
|
Level of Education
|
0.163
|
0.001
|
0.101
|
0.001
|
0.130
|
0.001
|
Years of experience
|
-0.015
|
0.548
|
0.065
|
0.009
|
0.047
|
0.057
|