Assessment of Nurses' Knowledge of Evidence-Based Nursing Practice

Abstract

Background. There have been many studies on the knowledge of nurses in matters of evidence-based nursing practice. However, this has not yet been studied in Kazakhstan. Objective: To assess the knowledge of nurses in evidence-based nursing practice and the possibility of applying this knowledge in practice. Methods: This is a quantitative study conducted by the questionnaire method of questioning nurses in two medical organizations (Central District Hospital and Central District Polyclinic) of the Karasay district of the Almaty region. Results: The average value of answers to questions about the knowledge of evidence-based nursing practice among nurses ranged on a five-point scale from 2.40 to 3.55, which indicates a low knowledge of evidence-based nursing practice among nurses. The low values for the application of the knowledge of evidence-based nursing practice by nurses from 1.68 to 3.47 (mean value 2.27) (SD = 0.83) confirms the absence of the use of evidence-based nursing practice in the nurse's workplace. Conclusion: Applying the principles of evidence-based nursing practice is an effective tool for improving the quality of medical services, improving the nursing process, and the satisfaction of the population with the services received. The study showed a low level of knowledge about evidence-based nursing practice among nurses. Low values of the application of knowledge of evidence-based nursing practice in the practice of a nurse confirm the lack of use of evidence-based nursing practice in the nurse's workplace. The development of training programs for nurses and their implementation should be based on current trends in health care and on the activities of each nurse individually.