Factors influencing the implementation of evidence in Chinese nursing practice

Aims and objectives To explore the influencing factors from staff nurses, nurse managers, nursing directors and a physician involved in nursing evidence implementation in Mainland China. Background Although the need for evidence‐based nursing is well recognised, continuous efforts are needed to strive for closing the gap from evidence to action. Previous studies have explored influencing factors from individual and organisational perspectives in Western countries. However, it remains unclear what the influences (i.e., context and culture) in the developing countries as China. Design A grounded theory design using in‐depth individual interviews was conducted. Methods Interviews with 56 participants from 24 evidence‐based nursing implementation projects were conducted in Mainland China. Constant comparative analysis was used to discover the concepts describing the influencing factors during the implementation process. Results Factors that influenced implementation of evidence‐based practice in the Chinese context were identified. These included the leaders of the projects, the nature of the evidence, practising nurses, patients involved in the projects, the system where the projects were implemented, as well as the influence from outside of the system. Conclusions A variety of factors influencing evidence implementation in Chinese nursing context were identified and further explored from the perspective of different project leaders and culture influence. There is apparently a strong demand for a supportive system, targeted strategies to facilitate various evidence implementations and integrated core elements of evidence‐based practice at the point care. Relevance to clinical practice The blurred boundaries and complexity of influencing factors call for a systematic and dynamic perspective during implementation. The competitive priorities emphasise the importance of integration between clinical nursing care and evidence‐based practice.