The Effect of Evidence-Based Practice on Patient Safety Culture Among Nurses

Patient safety is important when evaluating a healthcare organization's ability to control and eliminate patient dangers when implementing evidence-based practice (EBP). There is limited understanding of how EBP affects safety culture.

The purpose of this study was to assess nurses' perceptions of EBP utilization and its effect on patient safety culture.

A cross-sectional, descriptive design was employed utilizing self-report questionnaires. A convenience sample of 381 registered nurses was recruited from four major hospitals in Jordan. Descriptive and multivariate linear regression analyses were used.

EBP knowledge/skills had the highest positive score. Meanwhile, organizational learning and continuous improvement were the greatest positive scores of patient safety culture among nurses. Nurses who perceived greater knowledge/skill associated with EBP reported higher levels of organizational learning and continuous improvement (β = 0.15, p < 0.001), increased teamwork within units (β = 0.11, p < 0.05), lower perceptions of nonpunitive responses to error (β = -0.15, p < 0.001), greater communication openness (β = 0.16, p < 0.001), and improved feedback and communications about errors (β = 0.13, p < 0.01).

The association between EBP and patient safety underscores the importance of systematically implementing EBP in healthcare settings. As scientific evidence informs clinical practice, it is crucial for hospitals to integrate EBP into their policies and strategies to sustainably foster a culture of safety and optimize nursing practices.