Survey of evidence-based practice among critical care nurses in Denmark

Evidence-based practice (EBP) has been introduced into hospital settings throughout the world with the goal of information management, cost constraint and optimisation of patient care.vAlthough EBP has been defined as the integration of best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values, many use the term synonymously with research utilisation.vThe aim of the study was to describe the extent of the use of EBP in critical care nursing in Danish hospitals in 2004, and to explore nurses' self-reported attitudes and knowledge of EBP by describing the types of information used by the respondents in clinical decision-making.vThe survey was sent to nurses in each intensive care unit in Denmark.The response rate was 79% after two reminders.vThe study suggests that critical care nurses use personal experience as their primary source of knowledge, while research-based journals are the least commonly used source.Nonetheless, the nurses displayed a positive attitude toward EBP and a perception that it promotes the profession of nursing.