A new implementation strategy for evidence-based practice in Occupational Therapy Practice

Background: Health care literature reports an increasing importance of evidence-based practice (Sheldon 2007). Despite the fact that OT practitioners consider EBP important (Curtin & Jaramazovic 2001; Bailey et al. 2007), its... [ view full abstract ]

Background:
Health care literature reports an increasing importance of evidence-based practice (Sheldon 2007). Despite the fact that OT practitioners consider EBP important (Curtin & Jaramazovic 2001; Bailey et al. 2007), its sustainable implementation often fails. Concerns about a sustainable implementation in occupational therapy practice are increasing (Straus et al. 2011; Sudsawad 2005).

Method:
To achieve a sustainable implementation an EBP service center was established at UAS FH Campus Wien (Austria). Fourteen participants attended an EBP training and received consultation afterwards. Practitioners sent clinical questions to the service center who conducted literature search, critical appraisal and wrote a summary (CAT). The service offered by the EBP service center was evaluated by conducting an online questionnaire (November 2013 and March 2014), supplemented by focus group interviews (March 2014).

Results:
Thirteen questionnaires were collected. Positive significant differences were found regarding attitudes, competencies and barriers. Four major categories identified through content analysis are: changes in the way of working, changes in the professional points of view and attitudes, changes in job satisfaction and other benefits of the EBP service center.

Conclusion:
An EBP service center seems to be effective to support sustainable implementation of EBP, as it addressed most known barriers to EBP-implementation. Nevertheless, more research with an increased number of participants is required to confirm these results.

Application to Practice:
Recommendations for practice are to establish EBP service centres at universities to bridge the gap between research and practice. This helps to overcome barriers and supports a sustainable implementation of EBP.