Evidence Based Practice: Valuable and Successful Examples from Nursing and Midwifery in Rwanda

Abstract

While research is needed and necessary, promoting the value of evidence-based practice (EBP), quality improvement (QI) and project evaluation (PE) initiatives could rapidly and economically further the development of nursing and midwifery disciplines globally, perhaps especially in resource constrained settings. We present a review of distinctions between EBP, QI, PE, and research, as well as three examples of successful evidence based practice initiatives: a program evaluation of an EBP course at the University of Rwanda; a study of a teaching strategy aimed at increasing the use of nursing diagnosis to further EBP in nursing; and, the development of an evidence based national model for prevention of Secondary Traumatic Stress in the Health Care worker.

Keywords: evidence-based practice, nursing, midwifery, education, quality improvement, research