Factors Affecting the Implementation and Barriers to Evidence-Based Practice among Nurse Practitioners in Hail Region, Saudi Arabia

Background: While previous studies explored the implementation and barriers to evidence-based practice (EBP), there is a dearth of literature on the causative factors such as demographics that affect the implementation and barriers to EBP. Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the factors affecting the implementation of EBP and determine its barriers as perceived by nurse practitioners. Methods: This study employed a quantitative correlational design. A total of 228 staff nurses from the hospitals in the Hail region, Saudi Arabia, participated in this study through purposive sampling. The evidence-based practice questionnaire (EBPQ) and the barriers scale questionnaire were used to collect the data between June and July 2020. The descriptive statistics, t-test, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to analyze the collected data. Results: The nurses showed a positive attitude (x=15.25±5.07), good knowledge (x=63.44±19.81), as well as good application of EBP (x=28.02±6.68) with an outstanding EBP score of 106.73 out of 168. Nurses’ civil status (p<0.02), nationality (p<0.05), highest degree (p<0.01), job title (p<0.001), and years of experience (p