Renewing the spirit of nursing: Embracing evidence-based practice in a rural state

A group of nursing leaders from several organizations in the central and northern regions of the state established the Maine Nursing Practice Consortium (MNPC). The MNPC has created educational opportunities through workshops that assist nurses with the development and implementation of evidence-based practice (EBP) in rural Maine. Through collaboration and consultation with EBP leaders, members have ignited a spirit of inquiry and gained the support of nurses from varied backgrounds to engage actively in EBP initiatives. This article briefly summarizes the process of establishing these collaborative partnerships, describes some of the outcomes from the workshops, and describes the organizational and individual commitment that was essential to the work.