Date of Award

12-2013

Document Type

Graduate Project

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Abstract

Background: Nursing leaders, regulatory and government agencies insist nurses incorporate evidence-based nursing interventions into their practice. Nurse educators are challenged to change nurses' use of interventions from those based on tradition to those based on science. Providing adults with new infom1ation does not guarantee learners will actualize or even remember new infonnation. Objective: This ai1icle describes the use of Transformative Leaming theory as framework for an educational event to change current practice of psychiatric nurses. Design: Qualitative, descriptive surveys evaluated the effectiveness of the education to motivate learners ' change in practice. Results: Participants recognized gaps between current nursing interventions and those supported by evidence. Conclusion: Transformative Learning theory provided an effective framework for assisting the participants to acknowledge false assumptions in current practice. Identification of false assumptions created discomfort with existing nursing practice and critical evaluation of this current practice led to agreement of the need to adopt evidence-supported interventions

Keywords: transformative learning theory, evidence-based practice, psychiatric nurses, nurse educator

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