Evidence-based practice (EBP) is a core competency for all healthcare
professionals (IOM, 2003). Using an evidence-based approach to
decision-making in healthcare is not only an expectation in healthcare
organizations but also a requirement by professional organizations,
regulators, health insurers, and purchasers of healthcare insurance. In
2009, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) set a vision that 90% of clini-
cal decisions would be evidence-based by 2020 (IOM, 2009). Because
nurses comprise the largest number of healthcare professionals—
greater than 3 million—they have the potential to make a major im-
pact on the appraisal and translation of evidence into nursing practice
(IOM, 2011; Wilson et al., 2015). To do this requires leaders in both
academia and service to align their learning and practice environ-
ments to promote healthcare based on evidence, to cultivate a spirit of
continuous inquiry, and to translate the highest-quality evidence into
practice. Using a model for EBP within an organization fosters end-
user adoption of evidence, enables users to speak a common language,

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The Johns Hopkins Nursing

Evidence-Based Practice

Model and Process Overview