Factors Associated with Reduced Adoption of Evidence-Based Practice Among Nurses: an Analytical, Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) is a systematic approach to healthcare that integrates the best available research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values, yet its implementation continues to face multifaceted individual and organizational barriers. Objectives: This study aimed to identify individual and organizational barriers to EBP adoption among nurses and to determine whether these barriers are associated with nurses' demographic characteristics. Methods: An analytical, cross-sectional study was conducted at Government Teaching Hospital, Shahdrah, Lahore, and Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Lahore. Data were collected from 276 nurses using systematic random sampling and a structured, pre-tested questionnaire. Data were analyzed in SPSS version 23 using descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, mean, standard deviation) and, to test for associations, the Chi-square test and Spearman's correlation. Results: The most reported barriers were inadequate education/training in research skills (83.0%), insufficient time to implement EBP (81.5%), high workload (80.1%), and lack of resources (77.9%). The Chi-square test showed no significant association between any demographic characteristic (designation, qualification, experience, department, hospital, or research certification) and overall individual or organizational barriers (all p > .05). Age also showed no significant correlation with barrier scores (Spearman's correlation, all p > .05). Conclusion: Barriers to EBP adoption were highly prevalent and consistently reported across the sample, regardless of nurses' demographic characteristics, suggesting these barriers are systemic rather than concentrated in particular groups of nurses. The findings support broad, organization-wide interventions to improve access to resources, EBP education, and organizational culture.