Barriers to Research Utilisation Among Psychiatric Nurses in Türkiye: A Multi-Institutional Cross-Sectional Study

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Psychiatric Nursing
• Evidence-Based Practice

Background:

• Evidence-based practice (EBP) is crucial for high-quality psychiatric nursing care.
• Integrating research evidence into clinical practice presents ongoing challenges for nurses.
• Understanding barriers to research utilization (RU) is essential for improving psychiatric nursing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify perceived barriers to research utilization among psychiatric nurses in Türkiye.
• To examine the relationship between these barriers and nurses' socio-demographic, professional, and institutional characteristics.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted with 172 psychiatric nurses in Istanbul.
• Data were collected using a sociodemographic questionnaire and the Turkish version of the BARRIERS Scale.
• Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, t tests, ANOVA, correlation, and multiple linear regression.

Main Results:

• Nurses reported moderate overall barriers to RU (mean score = 67.0).
• Key barriers included lack of time, limited access to native-language research, and insufficient synthesized evidence.
• Setting-related barriers were most prominent; higher barriers correlated with university hospital employment, 3-5 years of experience, and infrequent research use.

Conclusions:

• Organizational constraints, limited access to research, and lack of dedicated time hinder evidence-based practice integration.
• Perceived institutional support and clear expectations for EBP correlate with lower barrier levels.
• Strategies to overcome these barriers are needed to facilitate EBP in psychiatric nursing.