Learning programme for on-the-job reflection on guideline use in district nursing practice: a protocol for an action...

Area of Science:

• Nursing Science
• Healthcare Management
• Action Research

Background:

• Growing demand for district nursing care requires improved evidence-based decision-making.
• Suboptimal adherence to nursing guidelines highlights a gap between guideline development and practice.
• The Learning And Reflection for Nurses (LEARN) programme is designed to address this gap.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline the development, components, and evaluation strategy of the LEARN programme.
• To enhance guideline use and foster a learning attitude within district nursing teams.
• To improve the adoption of new knowledge and evidence-based practices in district nursing.

Main Methods:

• Utilizes an action research approach for iterative development and evaluation of the LEARN programme.
• Includes a team-learning intervention focused on guideline use and collective learning.
• Incorporates a leadership training intervention for district nurses and employs data collection through observations, reflections, focus groups, and mobile questionnaires.

Main Results:

• The team-learning intervention will be deployed in four district nursing teams over approximately 5 months each.
• The leadership training will be conducted in two cohorts, each lasting about 5 months.
• Data analysis involves parallel collection and analysis during interventions, followed by a longitudinal qualitative approach.

Conclusions:

• The LEARN programme aims to bridge the gap between nursing guideline development and daily district nursing practice.
• Findings will be disseminated to stakeholders, including nurses, care organizations, policymakers, and the academic community.
• The study protocol provides a framework for developing and evaluating interventions to enhance evidence-based practice in district nursing.