Evidence-based Practice: attitudes, confidence and competencies among occupational therapy students

Evidence based practice (EBP) is getting more important due to a changing and demanding healthcare environment. OT Students have to see EBP applied in the clinical setting. They need role models (McCluskey, 2003) but these are... [ view full abstract ]

Evidence based practice (EBP) is getting more important due to a changing and demanding healthcare environment. OT Students have to see EBP applied in the clinical setting. They need role models (McCluskey, 2003) but these are still rare due to many barriers that prevent an effective implementation of EBP (Ritschl et al., 2015).
Thus we included an additional task in our EBP curriculum: After learning and practicing essential knowledge in courses, students have to apply EBP skills during their fieldwork placements and communicate the results to colleagues.
From May to September 2015 we evaluated how students experience this task, their attitudes and confidence about EBP (Evidence-Based Practice Profile Questionnaire) as well as their knowledge (K-REC).
Sixty-two students completed an online survey. They responded that an EBP task during fieldwork placement is helpful (60%), enforces a deepened insight in therapeutic topics (41%) and the application of EBP knowledge (43%). Students identified difficulties in finding answerable questions plus useful literature and in transferring the results to practice. Sometimes students were “EBP role models” for fieldwork educators.
First year students reached the same level of knowledge in K-REC (M 7.07) as second year students (M 7.14), but third year students scored lower (M 5.12). Higher knowledge correlated with higher confidence in the ability to utilize EBP.
It is necessary to enhance the acquisition of EBP competences in students. The knowledge and skills they reach during their educational training and fieldwork placements can influence their future use and implementation of EBP.