Developing and evaluating an evidence-based practice research competency enhancement program for clinical nurses in Korea: A pilot study

Abstract

Abstract Background Evidence-based practice (EBP) is essential to the delivery of safe and high-quality care. In order to apply and spread EBP to the clinical setting, it is necessary to strengthen clinical nurses’ research performance with the help of EBP mentors. The aim of this study was to pilot test the research competency enhancement program (RCEP) designed by the research team to promote EBP among experienced nurses. Methods This single-group study with a pretest-posttest design and a mixed-methods approach was conducted at a tertiary university hospital in Korea. The RCEP was developed, and 11 experienced clinical nurses participated in an 8-week intervention. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected to explore the intervention’s feasibility and acceptability, as well as nurses’ perceptions of its applicability to practice. Nurses also completed standardized outcome measures before and after the intervention to evaluate its preliminary effectiveness: namely, the Evidence-Based Practice Beliefs scale (EBPB), the Evidence-Based Practice Attitude scale (EBPA), and the Research Practice Ability (RPA) tool. Results The participants’ research competency, as measured by the EBPB and RPA scores, significantly improved after their participation in the RCEP program. They saw the program as inspiring, motivating, and challenging, and they said it fostered research projects. Facilitating factors of the program included mentor support, colleague interest, the availability of new learning tools, and the assistance of clinical nurse educators. Barriers consisted of Internet connectivity issues, limited database access, laptop specifications, and conflicting schedules. Suggestions for improvement covered session timing, preference for in-person lectures and small teams, the desire for innovative research methods, and the need for collaboration with nursing college professors and hospitals. Conclusion In this program, EBP mentors were used to improve clinical nurses’ EBP beliefs and research competency. The study suggests modifications for future RCEP operations, including appropriate session timing, face-to-face lectures, and small-group learning. Overall, the RCEP demonstrated its potential to enhance research competency and inspire clinical nurses to engage in evidence-based practice.