Evidence-Based Practice for Nurses

Initially, only a minimal number of individuals, known as early adopters,
embrace the innovation. With time, early adopters who are opinion leaders,
through their interpersonal networks, become instrumental as the diffusion
progresses through the social system. Those individuals who are slow or who
fail to adopt the innovation are known as laggards. In the scurvy example, it
took about 200 years for the innovation to diffuse throughout the British Navy.
You may also be surprised to see how long it has taken other things we take for
granted to diffuse throughout American households (Figure 1-2).

KEY TERMS

early adopters:

Individuals who are

the first to embrace

an innovation

laggards:

Individuals who are

slow or fail to adopt

an innovation

Fastest Growing Consumer Technologies

Smartphone

Radio

VCR

Internet

Color TV

Microwave

Cellphone

Refrigerator

Home computer

Electric power

Automobile

Clothes dryer

Air conditioning

Clothes washer

Stove

Dish washer

Te lephone

01020304050607080

Years to penetration of US households

0-50%51%-80%

FIGURE 1-2 Diffusion of Technological Innovations Over Time

Courtesy of Asymco.

1.1 EBP: What Is It? 13