Dissemination and implementation: the wider picture

The current trend towards the adoption of evidence or knowledge- based practice in nursing provides the opportunity to reassess what has historically been referred to as the 'theory-practice gap'. I believe that the current way in which research findings are disseminated is the most important contributing factor to this gap. This paper will examine some of the issues and, where available, the evidence related to the dissemination of research findings in nursing. This paper addresses three components of dissemination.