Evidence-Based Practice Utilization and Associated Factors Among Nurses in Public Hospitals, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract Background: To make an evidence-based practice, clinical research and updates matters, thus the result of this study will help nurses to exercise evidence-based practice for the utmost care to their patients. With regards all the various programs and strategies to promote the use of clinical research and updates, there is still a gap in practicing. A number of studies from various countries have reported that nurses’ experience of evidence-based practice is low. In Ethiopia, there is a gap on evidence-based nursing practice. Objective: To assess evidence-based practice utilization and associated factors among nurses at public hospital Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2020. Methods: A mixed-method approach (concurrent triangulation) was employed from November to December, 2020 among 422 study participant. Semi-structured and pretested self-administered questioners were used to collect data. Then the collected data were cleaned, coded, and entered into Epi data version 4.6 and exported to SPSS version 22 for analysis. The result was displayed through simple and multiple linear regressions. The total scores were expressed using regression coefficient (β), 95% Confidence interval. For the qualitative study, in-depth interviews were conducted with a purposive sampling method. The data were entered and analyzed using open code software version 4.0. Results: Of 422 distributed questionnaires, all were completed with 100% response rate. EBP exercised by the participant to the degree of 28.4%, 48.8% and 8.8% respectively to low, medium and high level. Those with a good knowledge about EBP, increases their implementation by 0.338. Educational status of nurses was significantly associated with evidence-based practice utilization (β=0.647, P=0.02).Having a managerial support will increase the implementation by 0.835. Conclusion: Small number of participants had implemented EBP to a high level. Evidence-based nursing practice was positively associated with knowledge, attitude, and educational status, lack of managers’ support and availability of information resources. Intervention programs on awareness creation, training, resource provision, and curriculum issues to improve implementation of evidence based nursing practice by stakeholders are recommended.