Nurses’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Implementation of Evidence-based Practice in Oman: A Multi-institutional, Cross-sectional Study

Objectives Little attention has been paid to the study of evidence-based practice (EBP) among nurses in Oman. Our aim was to explore knowledge, practice, and attitudes towards EBP among nurses working in Oman. Methods This multi-institutional cross-sectional study utilized the self-reported EBP Questionnaire with a random sample of 262 nurses working in three different health care settings in Al Dakhliyah governorate, Oman (local hospitals, primary health centers and polyclinics, and schools). Results A total of 202 nurses (response rate: 77.1%) completed the questionnaire. The mean age was 32.4±4.7 years. Most respondents were females (92.5%), Omani (79.1%), and holders of a diploma in nursing (73.5%) with a mean clinical experience of 10.9±4.2 years. Attitudes towards EBP showed the highest mean score of 5.5±1.2 followed by knowledge (4.9±0.8) and practice (4.7±1.2). Significant positive correlations were identified between the total years of nursing experience and knowledge (r s = 0.145, n = 198, p = 0.041), practice (r s = 0.172, n = 198, p = 0.015), and attitudes (r s = 0.158, n = 197, p = 0.026) mean scores. No significant difference in EBP scores was found among the three clinical settings. Conclusion Although attitudes towards EBP were positive, knowledge and implementation of EBP were low. This study serves as a baseline assessment for future evaluations and provides a basis for the implementation of strategies to promote EBP utilization among nurses in three different health care settings in Oman.