Professional nursing societies and evidence-based practice: strategies to cross the quality chasm

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) published Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health Care System for the 21st Century nearly 10 years ago. Nursing societies are in a unique position to promote evidence-based practice (EBP). The purpose of this article is to describe EBP strategies that nursing societies can use to improve the quality of health care, thus decreasing the gap between research knowledge and practice. Nursing societies can take the lead in two key EBP activities: (1) development of evidence-based syntheses, systematic reviews, and guidelines for EBP; and (2) development, implementation, and testing strategies for these EBP resources to become available and used in clinical decision-making. The Oncology Nursing Society will be discussed as an exemplar of developing EBP programs and increasing knowledge of EBP and practice change resources for its members. The discussion stresses the importance of nursing society members and leaders in guiding their societies to contribute to the closing of the US health care quality chasm.