Building a learning collaborative.
BACKGROUND
Development and dissemination of evidence-based practice (EBP) guidelines are important first steps, but without active translation efforts, they do little to promote knowledge uptake by direct care providers. In order to close the gap between discovery and use of knowledge, efforts should focus on methods to speed translation of research findings into practice.


OBJECTIVE
To facilitate this process, the National Nursing Practice Network (NNPN) was established to provide participating health care organizations with access to resources, information, opportunities for learning and knowledge transfer, and legitimacy and credibility with internal and external stakeholders.


METHODS
Designed as a practice collaborative learning network, the NNPN uses an interactive learning approach by valuing and learning from the experiences of members and encouraging active participation through conferences, teleconferencing, and use of an interactive member Web site. Use of a network of acute care sites to increase the uptake of EBP is based on social network theory; the NNPN is a network of acute care hospitals through which data, information, knowledge, practices, and behaviors flow.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of a collaborative nursing network provides an innovative way to address the difficulty of implementing and sustaining EBP in organizations and also for maximizing resources and knowledge. Early evaluation data are promising. This approach is offered as one possible method of moving use of EBP in nursing forward.
University of Iowa College of Nursing, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA. susan-adams@uiowa.edu
Susan
S
Adams
Marita G
MG
Titler
D019985:Benchmarking / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D055318:Evidence-Based Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination / Q000379:methods*; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D016730:Program Development