Developing the skills to implement evidence based practice - a joint initiative between education and clinical practice

The current political climate stresses the need for health care to be seen to be effective. A joint initiative between a college of nursing and an acute hospital Trust was formed to develop an Evidence Based Practice course. The course aimed to achieve a clear and identifiable outcome that could be used to enhance patient care. Before starting the course the students identified a clinically related question to explore. The course itself introduced the concept of evidence based practice, emphasising the practical skills of information searching and retrieval and of dissemination techniques. The course culminated in a formal presentation, attended by clinical and education staff, and management, including non-executive directors. Discussion followed each presentation to debate how the changes suggested could be implemented, including what resources might be needed. This paper will discuss the development of the course, its content and the benefits for the students, the sponsoring Trust and for patient care. Examples will be given to illustrate the success of the initiative and discussion will take place around the importance of the close partnership that has to be forged between the Trust and college.