Evaluation of Evidence-Based Intervention Implementation in Adult Intensive Care Settings: A Scoping Review

Although implementing evidence-based interventions has been shown to improve the quality of care, there is limited evidence evaluating how these interventions are implemented. In intensive care settings, the use of evidence-based protocols, guidelines and care bundles has been associated with enhanced care quality and reduced burden on patients.

To identify and map existing evidence on the evaluation of evidence-based intervention implementation in adults' intensive care.

A scoping review was conducted by including original published and unpublished studies in English and Finnish.

The studies were retrieved from five databases (CINAHL, Scopus, Ovid Medline, Medic ja Mednar) from January 2000 to December 2024. The data search was performed on 29 November 2022 and updated on 10 December 2024. The results were synthesized and presented in a tabular and descriptive form.

A total of 19 studies were included in the review. These studies evaluated the implementation of evidence-based interventions, focusing on nurse and patient outcomes. Nurse outcomes included measures such as compliance, knowledge and self-confidence. Patient outcomes included indicators such as body temperature, blood glucose, incidence of pressure ulcers and length of stay.

The evaluation of evidence-based intervention implementation does not consistently extend to the evaluation of the entire implementation process. More consistent research reporting would improve disseminating the evidence. The evaluation implementation makes it possible to show the impact of nurse and patient outcomes. The evaluation results can reveal the success of the implementation. Further research on evaluation implementation, development of systematic and comprehensive evaluation implementation methods, or evaluation matrix is needed.

The review will be useful for nursing professionals in planning evidence of implementation, developing or researching evaluation implementation. Promoting evaluation of evidence-based intervention implementation in Nursing can improve the quality of patient care, improve disseminating evidence and uniformities of care practice.

What Problem Did the Study Address? There is limited evidence of evaluation of evidence-based interventions of implementation. Evaluating evidence-based implementation is important to ensure the quality of patient care and patient safety. What Were the Main Findings? Evaluation of implementation of evidence-based interventions focused on nurse and patient outcomes. Evaluation of the entire implementation process was not identified, and implementation strategies were not evaluated. Where and on Whom Will the Research Have an Impact? Evidence-based practice implementation in nursing for researchers, developers, nursing leaders and clinical nursing practitioners who implement and evaluate evidence-based practice implementation.

PRISMA 2020 statement.

No Patient of Public Contribution: This study did not include patient or public involvement in its design, conduct or reporting.