Evidence-Based Practice Knowledge Retention Among Nurse Practitioner Students

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Evidence-Based Practice
• Clinical Scholarship

Background:

• Mastery of clinical scholarship and analytic methods for evidence-based practice (EBP) is essential for nurse practitioner (NP) education.
• Retention of EBP knowledge throughout NP programs is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the retention of EBP knowledge among NP students.
• To identify specific areas of EBP knowledge that may decline during NP education.

Main Methods:

• An item response model was used to evaluate EBP knowledge.
• Knowledge was assessed at two time points: during a first-semester research course and the final semester.
• Performance on specific exam items was analyzed for changes.

Main Results:

• EBP knowledge retention varied across different exam items.
• Performance decreased on approximately one-third of the assessed EBP knowledge items.
• A significant portion of EBP knowledge was not retained consistently throughout the NP program.

Conclusions:

• Integrating EBP concepts across the NP curriculum is necessary for skill retention.
• Reinforcement through feedback loops in various courses, beyond the initial research course, is recommended.
• Strategies to enhance long-term EBP knowledge retention in NP education are needed.