Promoting evidence-based practice - perceived knowledge, behaviours and attitudes of Polish nurses: a cross-sectional validation study.

Purpose. Evidence-based practice (EBP) is recognized by the healthcare community as the gold standard for the provision of safe and compassionate healthcare. The aim was to describe nurses' knowledge, behaviours and attitudes regarding EBP. Materials and methods. A cross-sectional approach was conducted during specialty state examinations in Poland in 2014 in a sample of 548 nurses. The self-completed reliable and valid evidence-based practice profile questionnaire (Australia) was used. Statistical analysis included Cronbach's α coefficient, analysis of variance, the Guttman split-half method and calculations in Statistica version 12. Results. Although the participants' beliefs about the benefits of EBP were high, their knowledge was relatively low. Statistically significant correlations were found between barriers and practice, knowledge and attitudes in relation to the level of nurses' education (p < 0.001 to p < 0.05). Total Cronbach's α coefficient was 0.970. Conclusions. Study findings highlight the importance of further supplementation of knowledge about EBP. The difficulties in using EBP in clinical practice are objective and require changes in the Polish system of nursing care. Additionally, life-long updating knowledge in the area of EBP by participation in various forms of postgraduate education can produce improvements in the knowledge, behaviours and attitudes of nurses in creating a positive EBP profile.

Nurse prescribing: Attitudes of medical doctors towards expanding professional competencies of nurses and midwives.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the attitudes of doctors regarding prescriptive competences of nurses and midwives since these have been recently regulated in several countries. . METHODS: The cross-sectional study was conducted at the Medical University of Warsaw from February 1to7, 2016 and comprised doctors working at the Prof. Jan Nielubowicz Regional Medical Chamber in Warsaw, Poland. A specially designed 36-item questionnaire that had 22 statements was used regarding the role of the reform in the healthcare system; the need of granting nurses and midwives particular competencies; and their preparation and readiness for these competencies. The respondents assessed the statements using a Likert scale (1=strongly disagree; 5=strongly agree). STATISTICA 13.2 was used for data analysis. . RESULTS: Of the 436 doctors, 245(56%) were women. The subjects presented different opinions about the reforms, especially about possible improvement in patient care with nurses prescribing, or the process getting simplified for the care-seekers. Most doctors believed that nurses and midwives were not yet equipped enough to prescribe certain medicines or issue prescriptions (1,79/5). Only in case of nurses and midwives being able to 're-order' medicines earlier prescribed by a doctor, the attitudes of primary care physicians was significantly different than those involved with hospital care (p=0.048). CONCLUSIONS: Doctors were sceptical about expanding professional competences of nurses and midwives regarding drug prescription.

Evidence-based selection process to the Master of Public Health program at Medical University.

BACKGROUND: Evaluation of the predictive validity of selected sociodemographic factors and admission criteria for Master's studies in Public Health at the Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Warsaw (MUW). METHODS: For the evaluation purposes recruitment data and learning results of students enrolled between 2008 and 2012 were used (N = 605, average age 22.9 ± 3.01). The predictive analysis was performed using the multiple linear regression method. In the proposed regression model 12 predictors were selected, including: sex, age, professional degree (BA), the Bachelor's studies grade point average (GPA), total score of the preliminary examination broken down into five thematic areas. Depending on the tested model, one of two dependent variables was used: first-year GPA or cumulative GPA in the Master program. RESULTS: The regression model based on the result variable of Master's GPA program was better matched to data in comparison to the model based on the first year GPA (adjusted R2 0.413 versus 0.476 respectively). The Bachelor's studies GPA and each of the five subtests comprising the test entrance exam were significant predictors of success achieved by a student both after the first year and at the end of the course of studies. CONCLUSIONS: Criteria of admissions with total score of MCQs exam and Bachelor's studies GPA can be successfully used for selection of the candidates for Master's degree studies in Public Health. The high predictive validity of the recruitment system confirms the validity of the adopted admission policy at MUW.

Validation study of the Polish version of the Evidence-Based Practice Profile Questionnaire.

BACKGROUND: Decisions about patient care in clinical practice should be made based on proven scientific evidence of efficacy and safety (i.e., evidence-based practice [EBP]). Currently, there are no available tools in Poland for assessing the knowledge and attitudes of specialists in health sciences towards EBP. Therefore, by validating the Polish version of the original English Evidence-Based Practice Profile Questionnaire (EBP2Q), we may provide an appropriate instrument for assessing EBP. METHODS: The validation group consisted of 1,362 people, including nurses and midwives taking the specialization exam, second-degree students in nursing/midwifery, and staff of selected municipal and clinical hospitals in Warsaw, Pruszkow, and Chelm. The study was conducted from March to June 2014. The following psychometric properties of the EBP2Q were assessed: reliability (Cronbach's alpha coefficient, and test-retest), validity (exploratory factor analysis, Spearman's r correlation coefficient, and assessment of inter-group differences), as well as unidimensionality of domains (principal component analysis). RESULTS: All domains of the EBP2Q were characterized by high reliability (Cronbach's alpha ranging from 0.800 to 0.972). The Polish version showed a strong similarity of factor structure with the original English EBP2Q, indicating that the condition for theoretical validity is fulfilled. Maintenance of the theoretical and discriminative validity and unidimensionality of five domains of the EBP2Q was confirmed. CONCLUSIONS: The Polish version of the EBP2Q is comparable in terms of psychometry to the original English version. This questionnaire can be used to assess knowledge, attitudes, and skills concerning EBP among students and practicing professional nurses and midwives. The future validation of the EBP2Q in other groups of specialists in health sciences may increase the scope of applicability of this tool.

NURSE PRESCRIBING. KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES OF POLISH NURSES IN THE EVE OF EXTENDING THEIR PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCES: CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY.

In Poland, since 1 January 2016 nurses who graduated from the master studies or hold a title of a specialist may ordain and prescribe specific medicines ("independent nurse prescribing" - INP). Nurses, who completed bachelor studies or hold a title of a specialist are allowed to prescribe drugs to continue the patient's treatment as ordered by a physician ("supplementary nurse prescribing" - SNP). The aim of this paper was to analyze the knowledge and attitudes of the Polish nurse specialists to their new professional rights in the independent ordaining of some drugs and drug prescribing. Participants were 902 women and 26 men. The age average was 42.4 (min. 26, max. 65, SD = 7.56, median: 43, mode: 40). 300 respondents - secondary medical education, 325 - the bachelor degree, 277 - the master degree. Own, validated questionnaire. Attitudes with answers based on the Likert scale (1-5) assessed by the nonparametric ANOVA Kruskal-Wallis test with the post-hoc analysis. The same statistical model was used in the evaluation of potential differences for the total scale of knowledge and attitudes.On average less than half of answers about the knowledge were correct (average of difficulty index was 39%). Nurses believe that the introduction of nurse prescribing will increase the nurse's control of the therapeutic process (mean: 3.22/5). No significant differences between the attitudes of respondents with different education level (p = 0.206; H = 3.160). 55% of nurses supports the introduction of INP. Respondents with the master education significantly more frequently support INP than those with secondary education (p = 0.001; z = 3.685). The knowledge of nurses on the extension of their professional rights is unsatisfactory and requires urgent complementation. The health policy makers should consider an extensive information campaign, especially in the group of nurses with advanced practice who will have prescribing competences. Nurses' attitudes to nurse prescribing are generally positive. Concerns expressed are the same as in the opinions of nurses from countries where the professional rights underwent extension earlier.