Demonstrating Mastery of Evidence-Based Practice Introduction The American Nurses Association (ANA) has a reading room where nurses and consumers can read a variety of position statements. One position statement discusses the expectation that "at the baccalaureate level, education for research prepares nurses to read research critically and to use existing standards to determine the readiness of research for utilization in clinical practice" (American Nursing Association, 2006, p. 8). Developing a project proposal that requires students to critically appraise research and addresses clinical problems through a well-developed solution is a means by which professional studies students at Grand Canyon University meet this expectation and demonstrate mastery of baccalaureate essential skills. Completion of the capstone experience is evidence that students are able to more fully participate in research and evidence-based practices through their ability to:           Identify clinical problems requiring investigation           Utilize evidence-based literature to answer clinical questions           Critically analyze and critique qualitative studies           Critically analyze and critique quantitative studies           Critically synthesize the literature to make best practice decisions           Assist novice nurses, peers, and interdisciplinary health care workers to utilize evidence-based literature and synthesize research information           Influence the selection of appropriate methods of data collection           Collect data, evaluate data, disseminate findings, and implement best practices in a wide variety of patient care settings Diffusion of Innovation Vital information regarding best practices may be disseminated to a broad community of nurses, but it does not necessarily mean nurses will apply the knowledge. What, therefore, is the next step? One theory to consider is diffusion of innovations, originally proposed by Rogers in 1962 (Rogers, 2003). Rogers (2003) postulates that adopters of any new innovation or idea can be categorized based on a bell curve. The categories are: innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards. Awareness, interest, evaluation, trial, and adoption influences an adopter's willingness and ability to adopt a new innovation. Each category has characteristics that help managers, educators, and researchers determine if someone is ready to adopt a new innovation. As the predictable pattern suggests, innovation will first be accepted and integrated into practice first by early adopters, then by the majority. Cochrane Collaboration The Cochrane Collaboration is a great example of dedicated health professionals committed to researching, synthesizing, and disseminating best evidence for providing best practices to help health care workers guide practice. It is the longest running electronic publication in health care. Cochrane was instrumental in making it known that health care prac.

1. Demonstrating Mastery of Evidence-Based Practice
Introduction
The American Nurses Association (ANA) has a reading room
where nurses and consumers can read a variety of position
statements. One position statement discusses the expectation
that "at the baccalaureate level, education for research prepares
nurses to read research critically and to use existing standards
to determine the readiness of research for utilization in clinical
practice" (American Nursing Association, 2006, p. 8).
Developing a project proposal that requires students to critically
appraise research and addresses clinical problems through a
well-developed solution is a means by which professional
studies students at Grand Canyon University meet this
expectation and demonstrate mastery of baccalaureate essential
skills.
Completion of the capstone experience is evidence that students
are able to more fully participate in research and evidence-
based practices through their ability to:
Identify clinical problems requiring investigation
Utilize evidence-based literature to answer clinical
questions
Critically analyze and critique qualitative studies
Critically analyze and critique quantitative studies
Critically synthesize the literature to make best
practice decisions
Assist novice nurses, peers, and interdisciplinary health
care workers to utilize evidence-based literature and synthesize
research information
Influence the selection of appropriate methods of data
collection
Collect data, evaluate data, disseminate findings, and
implement best practices in a wide variety of patient care
settings
Diffusion of Innovation

2. Vital information regarding best practices may be disseminated
to a broad community of nurses, but it does not necessarily
mean nurses will apply the knowledge. What, therefore, is the
next step? One theory to consider is diffusion of innovations,
originally proposed by Rogers in 1962 (Rogers, 2003). Rogers
(2003) postulates that adopters of any new innovation or idea
can be categorized based on a bell curve. The categories are:
innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and
laggards. Awareness, interest, evaluation, trial, and adoption
influences an adopter's willingness and ability to adopt a new
innovation.
Each category has characteristics that help managers, educators,
and researchers determine if someone is ready to adopt a new
innovation. As the predictable pattern suggests, innovation will
first be accepted and integrated into practice first by early
adopters, then by the majority.
Cochrane Collaboration
The Cochrane Collaboration is a great example of dedicated
health professionals committed to researching, synthesizing,
and disseminating best evidence for providing best practices to
help health care workers guide practice. It is the longest running
electronic publication in health care.
Cochrane was instrumental in making it known that health care
practice is not always based on good evidence, and because
resources are always limited, it is more important than ever to
know which interventions work and which do not.
Promoting Research Capacity
"The professional codes of conduct in practice, nurses,
midwives, and AHP are required to deliver current evidence-
based practice and validate research when possible" (Grange,
Herne, Casey, & Wordsworth, 2005). Grange et al. (2005)
define research capacity as "a process which leads to higher
skill levels and greater ability to perform useful research" (p.
32). They describe examples of strategies for building research
capacity, which includes:
Research mentor networks

3. Research awareness days
Research development programs and support
R&D subcommittees and oversight
Supporting research and use of evidence-based literature need
to include several strategies. Some will include sharing of
research skills, knowledge, and expertise. Promoting research
capacity can influence future directions of nursing practice in
health care delivery. Nurses can increase the capacity by
becoming better collaborators with those who are currently
contributing to research and by committing to their own
professional growth.
Conclusion
Regardless of where your working positions are at the end of
this program, you should now have a foundational
understanding of the steps of evidence-based practice and
possess the professional and ethical responsibility to protect the
public and promote the profession of nursing. The wealth of
knowledge, experience, and energy that graduating RN/B
students bring to the nursing workforce comes at an opportune
time when there are not only shortages at the bedside, but also
shortages of mentors and faculty.
References
American Nurses Association. (2006). ANA position statements.
Retrieved January 12, 2009, from
http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/Healthcarea
ndPolicyIssues/ANAPositionStatements.aspx
The Cochrane Collaboration. (2006). The Cochrane
collaboration: The reliable source of evidence in health care.
Retrieved January 12, 2009, from http://www.cochrane.org/
Grange, A., Herne, S., Casey, A., & Wordsworth, L. (2005).
Building research capacity. Nursing Management, 12(7), 32-37.
Retrieved January 12, 2009, from http://library.gcu.edu, OVID
database.
Rogers, E. M., & Scott, K. L. (1997). The diffusion of
innovations model and outreach from the national network of
libraries of medicine to Native American communities.

4. Retrieved January 12, 2009, from
http://nnlm.gov/pnr/eval/rogers.html
Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of innovations (5th ed.). New
York: Free Press
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