Every healthcare discipline faces the challenge of
conveying research findings to clinicians in a timely
manner. Dissemination is facilitated when activities are
carefully and appropriately considered. A dissemination
plan, targeted at the needs of the nurses who will use the
information, is critical to ensuring efficient adoption of
an innovation. Researchers should craft messages in a
way that is understandable to clinicians (Gagnon, 2011).
Warren et al. (2016) noted that although most nurses are familiar with EBP,
they have little time to keep up with new knowledge or implement best practice
changes in healthcare settings. This challenge to dissemination is not new. As
far back as 1995, Cronenwett suggested that attention be given to: (1) what
information should be disseminated, (2) whom the information should be
targeted to, and (3) the most effective way for nurses to access the information.
One can readily see how her three points are congruent with Rogers’s (2003)
theory of diffusion of innovation. For example, suppose an EBP guideline
for the provision of mouth care to terminally ill patients is revised. For this
practice to be effectively disseminated, details about what products to use,
appropriate techniques, and patient outcomes should be communicated over
time to members of the social system. Therefore, in this example, it would
be most important to get this information to hospice, long-term care, and
home care nurses. Disseminating the revised guideline in professional jour-
nals targeted to these types of nurses would be appropriate. Also, involving
their professional organizations, such as the Hospice and Palliative Nurses
Association, in the dissemination process, by posting the revised guideline
on their websites, would be beneficial. Coleman et al. (2013) have emphasized
the importance of organizational commitment to ensuring translation of
research findings to practice. To ensure dissemination, they recommended
several key strategies:
» Engaging organizational leadership, both clinical and administrative
» Identifying ways to support adoption of new practices
» Collecting, analyzing, and presenting outcome data to demonstrate change
» Explaining how social and political factors influence adoption
Recall the four phases of the cycle of scientific development: theory devel-
opment, research, dissemination, and application to practice. All nurses must
be accountable for professional activities that facilitate dissemination. Just as
theorists and researchers have responsibilities to communicate findings, nurses
have responsibilities to actively seek and apply new knowledge. Without dis-
semination, there is no reason to develop theories and conduct research because
nurses would not read and hear about the latest findings.KEY TERM
dissemination:
Communication
of clinical research
and theoretical
findings to
transition new
knowledge to the
point of careFYI
Dissemination is the communication of clini-
cal, research, and theoretical findings for the
purpose of transitioning new knowledge to
the point of care. EBP cannot evolve unless
communication channels in the societal system
are used effectively to bring about change.490 CHAPTER 19 Sharing the Insights with Others