Incorporating Evidence-Based Practice Learning Activities Throughout Family Nurse Practitioner Clinical Practicum Courses.

Background: Evidence-based practice (EBP) is crucial to high-quality health care, yet nurse practitioner graduates report low levels of confidence in their EBP abilities. This may be because of limited incorporation of EBP learning opportunities outside of foundational course-work.

Method: Family nurse practitioner (FNP) program faculty incorporated EBP learning activities across the three-semester clinical year curriculum, and the activities scaffolded in complexity. Initial activities included appraisal and application of clinical practice guidelines to patient case scenarios. Later, students used the seven steps of EBP to present frequently asked patient questions and EBP clinical challenges in their clinical rotations to their peers.

Results: This innovative way to thread EBP across the clinical year allowed faculty to continue to evaluate and guide students toward EBP competency.

Conclusion: The integration of EBP learning activities across the clinical year is a feasible strategy to further expand FNP student competency in EBP. .