Abstract

Evidence-based practices in nursing improve patient outcomes, decrease healthcare costs, and can be implemented with policies and procedures. However, there is limited literature describing how nurses acquire policy knowledge, the dissemination of which may require a significant investment of resources by a hospital. The purpose of this study was to learn more about how nurses obtain policy knowledge. Rogers's diffusion of innovations theory guided the examination of communication channels and how they relate to the formation of policy knowledge. The research questions were designed to gather information on the relationship of policy communication channels, demographic factors, and the frequency of document access in policy knowledge formation. This correlational study, using select subscales of the Policy Communication Index, was conducted to examine how nurses create and communicate policy knowledge. The sample included 22 nurses who practice at the bedside in a small hospital. Data sources included an anonymous online survey and frequency of policy access data. Data analyses included multiple regression, Pearson's r correlation, and Spearman's correlation of the data. The results showed that nurses report meeting discussions are the primary source of policy knowledge rather than written documents. A subset of participants who supplied an employee identification number showed a strong correlation with electronically distributed. Based on these results, nursing leaders can concentrate policy knowledge dissemination through meetings and safety huddles. The positive social change implication of this study includes better practices to convey evidence-based policy knowledge to nurses practicing at the bedside.

Description

This dissertation has also been disseminated through the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. Dissertation/thesis number: 22621066; ProQuest document ID: 2296781320. The author still retains copyright.

Author Details

Curtiss J. Vavra, PhD, MSN, MBA

Sigma Membership

Phi Nu

Type

Dissertation

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

Descriptive/Correlational

Research Approach

Quantitative Research

Keywords:

Policy Knowledge, Communication Channels, Policy Knowledge Dissemination

Advisor

Deborah Y. Bauder

Second Advisor

Shereeza Mohammed

Third Advisor

Jennifer Lupin

Degree

PhD

Degree Grantor

Walden University

Degree Year

2019

Rights Holder

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All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository.

All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.

Review Type

None: Degree-based Submission

Acquisition

Proxy-submission

Date of Issue

2022-07-07

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