Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing for Teaching-Learning: But Is It Really Nursing?

Abstract

Although nurses across generations have called for nursing practice to be informed by the best evidence available in the moment, evidence-based practice has gained prominence across healthcare since release of the 2001 Institute of Medicine’s report Crossing the Quality Chasm. Recent nursing literature is replete with calls for evidence-based practice to be the foundation for nursing practice and incorporated in nursing education across levels. However, it is essential to clarify what is evidence-based practice in nursing in order to address concerns for what should be the evidence for nursing practice and teaching-learning in nursing. In exploring the questions “Is it evidence?” and “Is it nursing?” recommendations and challenges are provided to nurse leaders in administration and education for assuring appropriate evidence is used to guide the teaching-learning and practice of nursing.