Partnering to Promote Evidence-Based Practice by Implementing Nursing Reference Center at the Point of Care

Abstract

Nurses need easy access to authoritative resources for decision-making and development of nursing interventions at the point of care. Perceived lack of time, limited awareness of resources, and training opportunities are obstacles to accessing evidence-based resources at the bedside. A medical librarian and the nursing shared governance council for Nursing Research & Evidence Based Practice partnered to enhance education and training for nurses in evidence-based practice. Nursing Reference Center became one of the tools to accomplish the goal. This paper presents one organization’s attempt to overcome obstacles to evidence-based practice that clinical nurses encounter, namely, access to best available evidence at the patient’s bedside.

KEYWORDS:

• evidence-based practice
• library liaison
• nursing