Nurse Leader Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) Competency Scale

OVERVIEW

• Brief, valid, and reliable assessment tool measuring the evidence-based competencies specifically of frontline nurse leaders/managers.Reliability and validity of the scale has been demonstrated
  
• Used in implementation science to describe contextual factors promoting or hindering adoption of evidence-based clinical interventions
  
• Essential for assessment of organizational leaders’ EBP competencies as they build capacity for use of EBPs in healthcare
  

INNOVATION

The Nurse Leader EBP Competency Scale is a 16-question, self-administered instrument to measure competencies of nurse leaders/managers regarding evidence-based practice. The instrument assesses evidence-based competencies in two domains: (1) Their knowledge and understanding of evidence-based practice, and (2) Their activity/actions supportive of evidence-based practices on their units.

The scale uses a 4-point Likert scale consisting of 16 items for nurse leaders/managers to indicate their perceived level of competency in understanding and applying key evidence-based concepts. Scoring of the scale results in a total competency score, and two subscale scores—one for evidence-based knowledge and one for evidence-based activity/action. A guide is provided to score the instrument and interpret the findings.

Nurse leaders are ideally situated to influence the use of EBPs in healthcare, as well as fostering unit climates supportive of EBP. There is a critical gap, however, in instruments designed to assess evidence-based practices of nurse leaders/managers. It is essential to assess competencies of nurse leaders in promoting use of evidence-based healthcare practices to improve quality of care and patient outcomes. The Nurse Leader EBP Competency Scale is short (only 16 items), has established reliability and validity, is easy to score, and was developed by experts in healthcare leadership and EBP.

The Nurse Leader EBP Competency Scale can be used in research. For example, research about factors influencing adoption of a specific evidence-based clinical intervention (e.g., fall prevention) might assess the EBP competencies of nurse leaders to explore the association between the NM EBP competencies and level of adoption of the fall prevention practices.

The Nurse Leader EBP Competency Scale can also be used for organizational improvement to assess organizational leadership regarding evidence-based practice. For example, an organization or health system might use the Nurse Leader EBP Competency Scale to assess nurse managers competencies regarding EBP knowledge or activities and then design educational programs to address areas in need of improvement. Similarly, if the assessment findings reveal a group of nurse leaders/managers with high competency, they could mentor those with lower competency scores and thereby improve unit climate for EBP implementation.

LICENSING INFORMATION

ACADEMIC RESEARCH EDUCATION USE LICENSE: This license is for academic research users only. Use of this license requires authorization. Please complete the authorization request form that appears after selecting the "Buy" button below. Requests must be made from a valid academic domain email address (.edu or equivalent) and must include a description of the nature of your study and research objective in the notes section of the form. Failure to provide this information will result in the denial of your request.

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For questions on the use of the Nurse Leader EBP Competency Scale or scoring of the assessment, you may contact: Dr. Clayton Shuman, PhD, MSN, RN at clayshu@med.umich.edu or by phone at 734-762-1302.

Drs. Shuman and Titler are available for consulting on interpretation of the Nurse Leader EBP Competency scores from your research and how scores can be used in statistical analysis of study data. Drs. Shuman and Titler are also available to assist with strategies to address EBP competencies of nurse leaders that are based on competency assessments in your organization or setting. For more information, please contact clayshu@med.umich.edu or mtitler@umich.edu.