ASSESSMENT OF KNOWLEDGE REGARDING EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE AMONG NURSES AT THE SELECTED PRIVATE TERTIARY CARE HOSPITALS OF PESHAWAR: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Background: Many studies have actually looked at how well nurses understand evidence-based nursing practice. Researchers have definitely examined this topic thoroughly. However, this topic has surely not been studied in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Moreover, no research work has been done in this area before. Objectives: Objective of this study was to assess the knowledge regarding EBP among Nurses working at the selected tertiary care hospitals of Peshawar. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out by researchers at Rehman Medical Institute (RMI) and Northwest General Hospital & Research Centre. A total of 235 registered nurses (RNs) were selected from an estimated population of 600 using a convenient sampling method. Data were gathered using a validated, structured questionnaire called the Evidence-Based Practice Questionnaire (EBPQ). The data were analyzed using SPSS version 23, with the help of descriptive statistics and one-sample t-tests. The questionnaire proved to be highly reliable, with a Cronbach’s alpha score of 0.964. Results: The study included 235 nurses, the majority of whom were male (63.8%) and relatively young, with an average age of about 27 years. Most had 1 to 5 years of work experience, and around two-thirds (65.1%) had received training in Evidence-Based Practice (EBP). The findings indicated that nurses generally had a positive attitude towards using research in their practice. Over 70% agreed that EBP helps improve patient care and decision-making, although 77% reported that heavy workloads made it difficult to keep up with new evidence. More than 60% of the nurses rated their EBP skills as very good or excellent. The statistical analysis showed high levels of both EBP knowledge (average score 52.46) and skills (average score 95.20), both of which were found to be statistically significant at p < .001. Conclusion: The study found that nurses working in private tertiary care hospitals in Peshawar have a good understanding of evidence-based practice (EBP) and a positive attitude towards its use in improving patient care and making clinical decisions. Despite having strong awareness and skill levels, the practical application of EBP is often limited due to factors like heavy workloads and insufficient time for staying updated with new evidence. These results emphasize the importance of institutional support, including ongoing EBP training and effective workload management, to better integrate evidence-based practice into routine nursing care.