Discuss an EBP initiative that was implemented in a healthcare setting (use fictitious names for people and places) and whether it was successful or not sustainable, with rationale.

Enhancing the Sustainability of EBP Initiatives

An evidence-based initiative implemented in Jordan Hospital by the president of the hospital, Dr.Jackson, was the reduction of hospital-acquired infections by implementing proper sanitation hygiene. Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are conditions that individuals acquire while receiving medical treatment (Dunne et al., 2018).  HAIs can result in mortalities, morbidities, and increased costs of healthcare. The evidence-based practice involved implementing proper hand hygiene techniques. There were increasing handwashing points, and healthcare professionals were also given portable hand sanitizers. Healthcare providers were advised to clean their hands using soap and water. Cleaning hands has been proven to be effective in reducing HAIs (Dunne et al., 2018). This EBP was not successful since the stakeholders necessary for the change, the healthcare professionals, were not involved in the decision-making process.

The model of organizational change that I would use as an advanced nurse practitioner to improve the sustainability of EBP initiatives is the Iowa model. The Iowa model identifies the trigger that requires an EBP initiative (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2018). The trigger in the case of this hospital was the spread of nosocomial infections. The second step is determining whether the problem identified is a priority for the organization (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2018). Hospital-acquired infections were a concern for this organization since they affected the safety and quality of healthcare services. The third step is forming an interdisciplinary team to develop and implement the change (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2018). After this step, the next step is conducting relevant research by forming a good PICOT question and retrieving relevant literature. The EBP changes will then be implemented, continuously evaluated, and the results disseminated. These efforts will result in a sustainable EBP initiative.

References

Dunne, C., Kingston, L., Slevin, B., & O’Connell, N. (2018). Hand hygiene and compliance behaviors are the under-appreciated human factors pivotal to reducing hospital-acquired infections. Journal of Hospital Infection, 98(4), 328-330. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2018.02.022

Melnyk, B. M., & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2018). Evidence-based practice in nursing & healthcare: A guide to best practice. LWW.