Happenings Making Evidence-Based Practice a Reality: The National Center for Children,Families and Communities

Abstract

As the quantity and quality of nursing research have evolved, the discipline has been urging staff nurses to systematically apply research findings in their practice. Larger health-care organizations have created positions for nurse researchers in order to provide the expertise necessary to guide clinicians in evaluating the scientific merit and practical value of published studies, and to develop studies that address important clinical issues. While these efforts have been met with varying degrees of success, the challenge to build evidence-based practice remains a daunting one. In particular, the use of complex, well-tested experimental nursing interventions in clinical practice can be problematic unless the dissemination process is carefully planned and monitored. The National Center for Children, Families and Communities, an interdisciplinary body of the schools of nursing and medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, is devoted to research, development, and replication of programs that enhance the lives of children and families in the context of the communities in which they live. The first major initiative undertaken by the Center is replication of the Nurse-Family Partnership program.