Implementation of evidence-based practice and associated factors among nurses and midwives working in Amhara Region government hospitals: A cross-sectional study

Background: Implementation of evidence-based practice is crucial to enhance quality health care, professional development, and cost-effective health service. However, many factors influence the implementation of evidence-based practice. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the implementation of evidence-based practice and associated factors among nurses and midwives. 

Methods: Institutional-based cross-sectional study design was conducted to assess the implementation of evidence-based practice and associated factors from February 15 to March 15, 2019, among 790 nurses and midwives. Data were entered into EpiData version 3.1 then exported to SPSS version 20 for statistical analysis. Categorical variables were presented as frequency tables. Continuous variables were presented as descriptive measures, expressed as mean and standard deviation. Cronbach’s alpha was used to measure reliability, mean, standard deviation, and inter-items correlation of the factors. Independent variables with a probability value (P-value) of less than 0.2 in the Chi-square analysis were entered in the multivariable logistic regression model. Statistically significant associated factors were identified at probability value (P-value) less than 0.05 and adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval. 

Results: The mean age of participants was 28.35 (SD ± 4.5) years. This study revealed that 34.7% (95% CI 31.5–38%) of participants implemented evidence-based practice moderately or desirably. Age of participants (AOR = 5.98, CI 1.34–26.7), barriers of implementation of evidence-based practice (AOR = 4.8, CI 2.2–10.6), the attitude of participants (AOR = 5.02, CI 1.2–21.5), nursing/midwifery work index (AOR = 3.9, CI 1.4–10.87), self-efficacy of implementation of evidence-based practice skills (AOR = 12.5, CI 5.7–27.5) and knowledge of participants (AOR = 3.06, CI 1.6–5.77) were statistically significant associated factors of implementation of evidence-based practice 

Conclusion: Implementation of evidence-based practice of nurses and midwives was poor. Age of participants, barriers of implementation of evidence-based practice, the attitude of participants, self-efficacy of implementation of evidence-based practice skills, nursing/midwifery work index, and knowledge of participants were found to be predictors of implementation of evidence-based practice. Insufficient time and difficulty in judging the quality of research papers and reports were the most common barriers to the implementation of evidence-based practice.