Advanced Practice Nurses' Evidence-Based Healthcare Competence and Associated Factors in Finland and Singapore-A...

Area of Science:

• Nursing Science
• Healthcare Management
• Global Health

Background:

• Evidence-Based HealthCare (EBHC) is crucial for quality patient outcomes.
• Assessing EBHC competence in Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs) is vital for healthcare systems.
• Understanding country-specific factors influencing EBHC competence is essential for targeted development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe and compare the Evidence-Based HealthCare (EBHC) competence of Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs).
• To identify factors associated with EBHC competence in APNs across different countries.
• To inform targeted strategies for developing APN EBHC skills.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study was conducted.
• Data were collected from 157 APNs in Finland and 99 in Singapore using self-assessment and knowledge tests.
• Analyses included descriptive statistics, ANOVA, K-mean clustering, and multivariate analyses.

Main Results:

• APN EBHC competence varied significantly between Finland and Singapore.
• Three distinct EBHC competence profiles were identified in both countries.
• Highest competence was in 'Knowledge Needs Related to Global Health'; lowest in 'Evidence Synthesis and Transfer'.

Conclusions:

• APN EBHC competence requires planned, needs-driven development.
• Country-specific factors must be considered when developing EBHC competence.
• Systematic development and continued research are recommended.