Weekly Reflective Journal NRS-490

Week 1 In the first week of this course, I spent a lot of time reading through the requirements and familiarizing myself with what will be expected of me. I think it will be important for me to really take each assignme ...

Week 1 In the first week of this course, I spent a lot of time reading through the requirements and familiarizing myself with what will be expected of me. I think it will be important for me to really take each assignment a step at a time in order to not become overwhelmed while balancing work and school. It is becoming clearer on how important evidence-based practice (EBP) is in nursing and the medical field. I had gained a basic understanding of what EBP is during courses in me AND program and previous courses in this program, however I am beginning to grasp recognizing and applying it in the real-life work setting. EBP helps to improve patient satisfaction as well as patient outcomes. In a field that is always evolving, EBP is becoming increasingly important, as shown by the IOM’s goal 90% of nursing care be EBP by 2020. I am learning that there are barriers and much room for improvement for us to work towards reaching this goal. According to one survey, "lack of time at their workplaces to search and read research articles" followed by "their inability to understand statistical terms and inadequate understanding of technical jargon used in research articles" were the main barriers identified by nurses (Majid, 2011). This shows the need for improved education and time and resources provided to successfully understand and implement EBP into our work. In week one, the Individual Success Plan helped to layout and plan for the course, clearly breaking it down and reducing some anxiety. I also spoke with my mentor, who works for the same employer, shares similar work beliefs and ethics as I do, and is a great role model of mine. She has the work experience and knowledge that I feel will assist me throughout this course. We discussed the course requirements and the importance of continual communication. She has also reassured me that she is available whenever I need anything or have a question. References Majid, S., Foo, S., Luyt, B., Zhang, X., Theng, Y.-L., Chang, Y.-K., & Mokhtar, I. A. (2011). Adopting evidence-based practice in clinical decision making: nurses’ perceptions, knowledge, and barriers. Journal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA , 99(3), 229–236. http://doi.org/10.3163/1536-5050.99.3.010