Stroke unit Nurse Managers' views of individual and organizational factors liable to influence evidence-based practice: A survey

• Published in: International journal of nursing practice Vol. 22; no. 2; pp. 169 - 178
• Main Authors: Drury, Peta, McInnes, Elizabeth, Hardy, Jennifer, Dale, Simeon, Middleton, Sandy
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Australia Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.04.2016; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Adult; Attitude of Health Personnel; Attitudes; attitudes and beliefs; Evidence based; Evidence-Based Nursing; evidence-based practice; Female; Health care delivery; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Hospital Units - standards; Humans; Leadership; Male; Middle Aged; Nurse Administrators - psychology; Nurse managers; Nursing; Nursing administration; Organizational Culture; Organizational factors; Organizational learning; Positive thought; Quality of Health Care; Readiness; readiness for change; Stroke; Stroke units; Surveys and Questionnaires; Uptake; New South Wales Australia; Australia; evidence-based practice; attitudes and beliefs; organizational learning; leadership; readiness for change
• ISSN: 1322-7114; 1440-172X
• DOI: 10.1111/ijn.12396

The uptake of evidence into practice may be impeded or facilitated by individual and organizational factors within the local context. This study investigated Nurse Managers of New South Wales, Australia, stroke units (n = 19) in their views on: leadership ability (measured by the Leadership Practices Inventory), organizational learning (measured by the Organizational Learning Survey), attitudes and beliefs towards evidence‐based practice (EBP) and readiness for change. Overall Nurse Managers reported high‐level leadership skills and a culture of learning. Nurse Managers' attitude towards EBP was positive, although nursing colleague's attitudes were perceived as less positive. Nurse Managers agreed that implementing evidence in practice places additional demands on staff; and almost half (n = 9, 47%) reported that resources were not available for evidence implementation. The findings indicate that key persons responsible for evidence implementation are not allocated sufficient time to coordinate and implement guidelines into practice. The findings suggest that barriers to evidence uptake, including insufficient resources and time constraints, identified by Nurse Managers in this study are not likely to be unique to stroke units. Furthermore, Nurse Managers may be unable to address these organizational barriers (i.e. lack of resources) and thus provide all the components necessary to implement EBP.