Evidence-based Practice Essentials for Nurses and the Healthcare Workforce: A Competency-Based Practical Guide for Improving Quality, Safety, and Outcomes

Although it is widely known that evidence-based practice (EBP) improves healthcare quality, reliability, and patient outcomes as well as reduces variations in care and costs, it is still not the standard of care delivered by practicing clinicians across the globe. Lack of specific EBP competencies for nurses and advanced practice nurses (APNs) who practice in real world healthcare settings impedes institutions from attaining high-value, low-cost evidence-based healthcare. Incorporation of these EBP competencies into healthcare system expectations, orientations, performance appraisals, job descriptions and clinical ladder promotion processes could drive higher quality, reliability and consistency of healthcare as well as reduce costs.

Evidence-Based Practice Essentials for Nurses and the Healthcare Workforce, Second Edition is unique in that it is the first book available in the market that describes in detail the research-based EBP competencies for practicing nurses and advanced practice nurses, outlines methods to achieve the competencies and highlights strategies for implementation in real world clinical practice settings. Exemplars of how the competencies can be integrated into organizational operations will be highlighted. Because this book is written in an easy, understandable, relatable way, it is an excellent book for nursing students beginning their academic programs as it walks through the seven steps of EBP in an easily digestible way.

The primary audience will be students in undergraduate and beginning graduate programs as well as clinicians and nursing leaders in all healthcare settings. The new edition of this book will be an essential tool kit for any organization, particularly those striving to gain or maintain their Magnet status as well as all faculty who teach EBP in academia and their students. This book will assist everyone with moving from evidence to action in the implementation of EBP by having an actual tool kit that can be used to teach, measure, and integrate the competencies in real world settings.

Bernadette Mazurek Melnyk, PhD, APRN-CNP, EBP-C, FAANP, FNAP, FAAN, is Vice President for Health Promotion and Chief Wellness Officer at The Ohio State University, the first at an institution of higher learning in the nation, where she also is the Helene Fuld Health Trust Professor of Evidence-based Practice (EBP) in the College of Nursing and Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry in the College of Medicine. In addition, she is founder of the Helene Fuld Health Trust National Institute for Evidence-based Practice in Nursing and Healthcare. Dr. Melnyk is recognized globally for her expertise, leadership and innovation in evidence-based practice (EBP), mental health, clinician well-being, entrepreneurship, and intervention research as well as her innovative approaches to population health and well-being.

Lynn Gallagher-Ford, PhD, RN, DPFNAP, NE-BC, FAAN, is the Chief Operating Officer and Director of the Fuld National Institute for EBP, where her work is dedicated to research, education and consultation focused on the development, promotion, integration, implementation and sustainability of evidence-based practice in both academic and clinical settings.

Ellen Fineout-Overholt, PhD, RN, FNAP, FAAN, is a recognized nursing leader, educator and promoter of evidence-based decision making (EBDM), innovation, learning and leadership across the United States and globally. She is passionate about fostering inquiry and wonder in learners, whether novices or experts.