Diffusion of innovations in long-term care measurement battery

Poor understanding of factors influencing integration of new practices into long-term care (LTC) hinders timely implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs). Using the Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) framework, a new instrument measuring staff perceptions of an EBP was developed as part of a DOI-LTC measurement battery and tested in a cross-sectional survey of North Carolina LTC nursing personnel. Valid questionnaires were received from 95 licensed nurses and 102 certified nursing assistants (CNAs). Internal consistency reliability for five of seven subscales was acceptable (Cronbach's alpha coefficient = 0.77 to 0.95). Perception of innovation attributes was associated with intention to adopt the new practice (Spearman rho correlation: licensed nurses = 0.41 to 0.68, p < 0.0001; CNAs = 0.26 to 0.54, p = 0.05 to <0.0001). The DOI-LTC measurement battery represents a promising new approach to studying implementation of EBPs in LTC. Future work should examine its responsiveness to interventions that facilitate implementation of EBPs in LTC.