A unique collaborative nursing evidence-based practice initiative using the Iowa model: a clinical nurse specialist, a health science librarian, and a staff nurse's success story.

Purpose/objectives: The purpose of this article was to share how the collaboration of a clinical nurse specialist (CNS), a health science librarian, and a staff nurse can heighten staff nurses' awareness of the evidence-based practice (EBP) process.

Background/rationale: The staff nurse is expected to incorporate EBP into daily patient care. This expectation is fueled by the guidelines established by professional, accrediting, and regulatory bodies. Barriers to incorporating EBP into practice have been well documented in the literature.

Description Of The Project/innovation: A CNS, a health science librarian, and a staff nurse collaborated to develop an EBP educational program for staff nurses. The staff nurse provides the real-time practice issues, the CNS gives extensive knowledge of translating research into practice, and the health science librarian is an expert at retrieving the information from the literature.

Interpretation/conclusion: The resulting collaboration at this academic medical center has increased staff nurse exposure to and knowledge about EBP principles and techniques. The collaborative relationship among the CNS, health science librarian, and staff nurse effectively addresses a variety of barriers to EBP.

Implications: This successful collaborative approach can be utilized by other medical centers seeking to educate staff nurses about the EBP process.