Along-standing Collaborate Governance Practice Council at MedStar Washington Hospital Center is the Nursing Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) and Research Council. “We have two main goals,” explains Lauren Johnston, RN, one of the Council co-chairs. “We want to promote the use of evidence-based practice throughout the Hospital Center. We also want to support and provide guidance for nurses who are pursuing their own research.”
To prepare, members of the Council went through MedStar Health Research Institute’s Human Subjects Research Training and the Program for Ethics Education in Research (PEER) numbers. This background allowed them to review and discuss research policy and ethics for nursing practice.
The Council reviewed data from the MedStar Nursing Research Study and found a gap in Hospital Center nurses’ awareness of research resources and activities. “That led to our first outreach, a program during Nurses Week where we visited units with information,” says Trevor Diaz, RN, co-chair of the Council.
The 13 associate nurses on the council also encourage participation in research dissemination through EBP Rounds, and are available to help any nurse involved in research. The Council meets third Wednesday of every month and welcomes visitors. For further information email the council at whc_nursing_ebp_research_Council@medstar.net.