The Influence of Social Capital on Nurse-Perceived Evidence-Based Practice Implementation in South Korea

To examine the relationship between evidence-based practice (EBP) adoption and social capital in nurses and to determine how social capital affected EBP adoption in South Korea.

A cross-sectional, correlational design was used.

In total, 432 registered nurses from two university-affiliated teaching hospitals in South Korea completed the questionnaire, which included demographic items, the Developing Evidence-Based Practice Questionnaire, and the Social Capital Outcomes for Nurses scale. Data were analyzed using hierarchical regression to identify the predictors of EBP adoption.

Nurses with higher social capital scores reported fewer perceived barriers to finding and reviewing evidence, and changing practice. Higher social capital scores were associated with higher levels of perceived facilitators of EBP adoption and skills appraisal in finding and reviewing evidence. Social capital was a significant predictor of EBP adoption.

Nurses with greater opportunities to exchange and communicate their ideas freely are more likely to accept new evidence through diverse channels and trust-based relationships between nurses, which allows healthcare organizations to promote innovations such as EBP adoption. Therefore, social capital in nurses could serve as a driving force for EBP adoption and should provide a healthy foundation for changes in patient care practices.

Nurses with higher social capital are tending to adopt EBP willingly. High trust enables nurses to facilitate and support change in practice. Therefore, to improve EBP adoption in patient care, it needs to be monitored that relationships between nurses are carefully structured and that they foster mutual interaction.