consistency in patient care and can improve health outcomes (Woolf, Grol, Hutchinson, Eccles, & Grimshaw, 1999).
4 Knowledge Translation: Barriers and Facilitators
Despite the advantages of evidence-based care, there are multiple challenges that
must be considered when translating knowledge into practice. These challenges can
exist at the individual nurse level, the organization level, or at both levels. At the
individual nurse level, barriers to integrating evidence into practice may be attributed
to nurses’ lack of knowledge in understanding research, interpreting statistical
information, or due to a lack of time because of workload pressures in the clinical
site (Bradshaw, 2010). Conversely, a nurse’s interest in research and regular use of
research is a facilitator for using evidence in their practice (Yost et al., 2015).
Yost et al. (2015) found that organizational leadership was a strong theme in the
success of implementing knowledge-translation activities. Leaders need to be role
models and demonstrate the organization’s commitment to implementing evidencebased care (Yost et al., 2015). Furthermore, nurse managers must support a climate
that encourages nursing staff to incorporate evidence into their clinical practice
(Bradshaw, 2010; Warren et al., 2016), which may entail providing work time for
the nursing staff to encourage and integrate best practices (Timmins, 2015).
At the organizational level, there needs to be an easy access to computers and
access to databases to facilitate the search of the evidence. In addition, providing
staff with in-service education on how to translate evidence into practice may be
required (Timmins, 2015; Warren et al., 2016). Warren et al. (2016) further recommend that organizations may need to adopt an evidence-based framework to ensure a
successful integration of evidence into decision-making.
5 Knowledge Translation Frameworks
Each day researchers are making new discoveries or interpreting new data that is
health care-related and can influence decision-making for patient care. However,
moving the research data to a form that it can be widely available for usage in clinical
settings and more importantly at the bedside is a challenge. Knowledge translation
frameworks provide a process for moving the evidence or research data to the
clinical setting. These frameworks provide steps that an organization can use to
assist their staff to use the research evidence and incorporate it into their practice
setting.
There are many knowledge translation frameworks available to assist with the
translation of research into practice. One example is the Knowledge-to-Action
Framework developed by Graham et al. (2006) and adopted by the Canadian
Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). The Knowledge-to-Action framework
Translating Evidence into Practice: An Experience with Interprofessional. . .
129
4 Knowledge Translation: Barriers and Facilitators
Despite the advantages of evidence-based care, there are multiple challenges that
must be considered when translating knowledge into practice. These challenges can
exist at the individual nurse level, the organization level, or at both levels. At the
individual nurse level, barriers to integrating evidence into practice may be attributed
to nurses’ lack of knowledge in understanding research, interpreting statistical
information, or due to a lack of time because of workload pressures in the clinical
site (Bradshaw, 2010). Conversely, a nurse’s interest in research and regular use of
research is a facilitator for using evidence in their practice (Yost et al., 2015).
Yost et al. (2015) found that organizational leadership was a strong theme in the
success of implementing knowledge-translation activities. Leaders need to be role
models and demonstrate the organization’s commitment to implementing evidencebased care (Yost et al., 2015). Furthermore, nurse managers must support a climate
that encourages nursing staff to incorporate evidence into their clinical practice
(Bradshaw, 2010; Warren et al., 2016), which may entail providing work time for
the nursing staff to encourage and integrate best practices (Timmins, 2015).
At the organizational level, there needs to be an easy access to computers and
access to databases to facilitate the search of the evidence. In addition, providing
staff with in-service education on how to translate evidence into practice may be
required (Timmins, 2015; Warren et al., 2016). Warren et al. (2016) further recommend that organizations may need to adopt an evidence-based framework to ensure a
successful integration of evidence into decision-making.
5 Knowledge Translation Frameworks
Each day researchers are making new discoveries or interpreting new data that is
health care-related and can influence decision-making for patient care. However,
moving the research data to a form that it can be widely available for usage in clinical
settings and more importantly at the bedside is a challenge. Knowledge translation
frameworks provide a process for moving the evidence or research data to the
clinical setting. These frameworks provide steps that an organization can use to
assist their staff to use the research evidence and incorporate it into their practice
setting.
There are many knowledge translation frameworks available to assist with the
translation of research into practice. One example is the Knowledge-to-Action
Framework developed by Graham et al. (2006) and adopted by the Canadian
Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). The Knowledge-to-Action framework
Translating Evidence into Practice: An Experience with Interprofessional. . .
129