It stands to reason that efforts to increase patient safety and improve outcomes would be based on the use of evidence-based practices. However, a survey conducted by Columbus-based Ohio State University's College of Nursing suggests that the use of such practices is relatively low among many CNOs and their organizations.
"We found that a substantial percentage of hospitals were not meeting national benchmarks for quality and safety," Bernadette Melnyk, dean of OSU's College of Nursing and the university's vice president for health promotion and chief wellness officer, said in a news release. "As you look at explanations for why 30 [percent] to 40 percent of these hospitals aren't meeting benchmarks on key quality indicators, one key explanation is the low level of evidence-based practice happening in those hospitals."
For the survey, researchers queried 276 CNOs to determine where evidence-based practices ranked as a priority at their institutions. They found that most respondents understood the importance of evidence-based practices, but prioritized improving safety and quality first.
"That's the disconnect — leaders think it is a competing priority when in reality, evidence-based practice is the exact mechanism that needs to be integrated in order to achieve and sustain quality and safety," Lynn Gallagher-Ford, co-author of the study, said in a news release. The authors recommend patients ask their care team questions about the evidence-based nature of the care they're receiving, and should seek care from other providers if they are unsatisfied with the answers.
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