title: Stroke unit Nurse Managers' views of individual and organizational factors liable to influence evidence-based practice: A survey.
abstract: The uptake of evidence into practice may be impeded or facilitated by individual and organizational factors within the local context. This study investigated Nurse Managers of New South Wales, Australia, stroke units (n = 19) in their views on: leadership ability (measured by the Leadership Practices Inventory), organizational learning (measured by the Organizational Learning Survey), attitudes and beliefs towards evidence-based practice (EBP) and readiness for change. Overall Nurse Managers reported high-level leadership skills and a culture of learning. Nurse Managers' attitude towards EBP was positive, although nursing colleague's attitudes were perceived as less positive. Nurse Managers agreed that implementing evidence in practice places additional demands on staff; and almost half (n = 9, 47%) reported that resources were not available for evidence implementation. The findings indicate that key persons responsible for evidence implementation are not allocated sufficient time to coordinate and implement guidelines into practice. The findings suggest that barriers to evidence uptake, including insufficient resources and time constraints, identified by Nurse Managers in this study are not likely to be unique to stroke units. Furthermore, Nurse Managers may be unable to address these organizational barriers (i.e. lack of resources) and thus provide all the components necessary to implement EBP.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine (NSW & ACT), Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Peta
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Drury
authors.affiliation: Nursing Research Institute, St Vincent's Health Australia (Sydney) and Australian Catholic University (ACU), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.|School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine, Australian Catholic University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McInnes
authors.affiliation: Clinical Education Academic, Sydney Nursing School, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hardy
authors.affiliation: Nursing Research Institute, St Vincent's Health Australia (Sydney) and Australian Catholic University (ACU), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Simeon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dale
authors.affiliation: Nursing Research Institute, St Vincent's Health Australia (Sydney) and Australian Catholic University (ACU), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.|School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine, Australian Catholic University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Sandy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Middleton
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D055318:Evidence-Based Nursing; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006757:Hospital Units / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009718:Nurse Administrators / Q000523:psychology*; D015279:Organizational Culture; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: attitudes and beliefs; evidence-based practice; leadership; organizational learning; readiness for change