Measuring Clinical Decision Support Influence on Evidence-Based Nursing Practice.

Area of Science:

• Oncology Nursing
• Evidence-Based Practice
• Health Informatics

Background:

• Oncology nurse evidence-based practice (EBP) is crucial for quality patient care.
• Clinical decision support (CDS) systems are increasingly integrated into healthcare to guide practice.
• The impact of CDS on EBP documentation in oncology nursing requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effect of clinical decision support (CDS) on oncology nurse evidence-based practice (EBP) documentation.
• To assess changes in EBP rates before and after CDS implementation in oncology clinics.

Main Methods:

• A longitudinal cluster-randomized design was employed across four oncology clinics.
• Nurse documentation data (patient-reported symptoms and interventions) from 600 observations were analyzed.
• The study compared EBP rates at baseline, post-education, and post-intervention using mixed-model linear analysis.

Main Results:

• The average EBP documentation rate was 27% at baseline, increased to 37% after education, and decreased to 26% post-intervention.
• No significant interaction between the CDS intervention and EBP rates was found.
• The CDS intervention did not lead to a sustained increase in nurse EBP documentation.

Conclusions:

• EBP education temporarily enhanced nurse documentation rates but did not result in lasting improvement.
• Nurses may be utilizing evidence in practice without consistently documenting it.
• Further research is necessary to understand the relationship between CDS, nursing practice, and EBP documentation.