title: Nurses' perceptions of evidence-based practice: a quantitative study at a teaching hospital in Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Evidence-based practice (EBP) provides nurses a method to use critically appraised and scientifically proven evidence for delivering quality health care and the best decision that leads to quality outcomes. The purpose of this study was to measure the practice, attitude and knowledge/skill of evidence-based practice of nurses in a teaching hospital in Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2011.The study sample was composed of 195 nurses who were working at the Fatemeh Zahra Hospital affiliated to Bushehr University of Medical Sciences (BPUMS). The survey instrument was a questionnaire based on Upton and Upton study. This tool measures Nurses' perceptions in the three sub-scales of practice, attitude and knowledge/skill of evidence-based practice. Descriptive statistical analysis was used to analyze the data. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to examine the relationship between subscales.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall mean score of the evidence-based practice in this study was 4.48±1.26 from 7, and the three subscales of practice, attitude and knowledge/skill in evidence-based practice were, 4.58±1.24, 4.57±1.35 and 4.39±1.20, respectively. There was a strong relationship between knowledge and performance subscale (r=0.73,p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings of the study indicate that more training and education are required for evidence-based nursing. Successful implementation of evidence-based nursing depends on organizational plans and empowerment programs in hospitals. Hence, hospital managers should formulate a comprehensive strategy for improving EBP.
authors.affiliation: 1. Assistant Professor, Cardiac Surgery Department, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran. shafiedr@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ebrahim
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shafiei
authors.affiliation: 2. PhD, Associate Professor, Leadership and organizational behavior, Health Management and Economics Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. baratimarnani@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baratimarnani
authors.affiliation: 3. PhD Candidate in Health Services Management, Health Management and Economics Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. goharinezhad@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Salime
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Goharinezhad
authors.affiliation: 4. PhD Candidate in Health Services Management, Health Information Management Research Center, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran. r.kalhor@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Rohollah
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kalhor
authors.affiliation: 5. PhD Candidate in Health Services Management, Department of Treatment Affairs, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran. m.azmal@bpums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Azmal
keywords: Busherhr University of Medical Sciences; Evidence-based practice; Nurses; Teaching hospital