This document provides questions and templates to help identify barriers to evidence-based practice changes in a work environment. It suggests considering how practices are selected for improvement projects, whether an interdisciplinary team is in place to provide guidance, and if leadership supports the work. Evaluating communication methods and assessing unit ownership of needed changes and links to quality initiatives can also help understand barriers. Developing strategies, assigning responsibilities, and setting timeframes can help remove barriers and ensure projects succeed.

1. Jumpstart Your Blueprint for EBP
Barriers in the Work Environment
Copyright Clinical Linkages, Inc.

2. Questions to Consider
Start the Baseline
Unit Level
•How do you determine which practice
needs an evidence translation project?
•Do you have a designated team to guide
this project to success? Is this team
interdisciplinary?
•Is the team supported by management
and organizational leadership?
Environment
•What policies currently affect this
practice?
•Is there unit ownership of the need for
change?
•What are the usual methods of
communications among all members of
the clinical team? Are these methods easy
to use, reliable and do people use them?
Organizational
Level
•Will staff be evaluated on use of
evidence?
•Are there links to Quality, RM, Infection
Control?
Copyright Clinical Linkages, Inc.

3. Jump Start Worksheet
Barriers to
Practice Change
What is Needed
to Remove
Barriers?
Strategies to
Succeed
Who Assumes
Responsibility?
What is the
Timeframe?
Copyright Clinical Linkages, Inc.