EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE IMPLEMENTATION AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG POINT-OF-CARE CLINICIANS WORKING AT PUBLIC HOSPITALS OF SOUTH OMO ZONE, SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA,

Abstract

Background: Evidence-based practice is an approach to healthcare that incorporates the best available evidence with clinical expertise and patient preferences to make well-informed clinical decisions. It is very crucial for bridging the gap between research, theory, and practice. Evidence-based practice also ensures the delivery of high-quality, most up-to-date, and cost effective patient care. Despite its positive impacts on patient outcomes and clinical practice, little is known about the implementation and its associated factors hindering point-of-care clinicians working in the public hospitals of South Omo Zone. Objective: This study aimed to assess the levels of evidence-based practice implementation and its associated factors among point-of-care clinicians working at public hospitals of South Omo Zone, Southern Ethiopia, 2024. Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 287 respondents selected using a simple random sampling technique from January 1 to 30, 2024. The data was collected using pretested, self-administered questionnaires. Data was entered into Epi Data software version 4.6.0.6, then exported to Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 27 for analysis. Descriptive statistics, including mean, standard deviation, frequency, and proportion, were used to summarize the findings. Then, the result was interpreted and presented using tables, graphs, charts, and texts. Both bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to test the association between the independent and outcome variables. Accordingly, all the variables with a P-value < 0.25 in the bi-variable analysis were included in the multivariable analysis, and the statistical significance was declared at a P-value of < 0.05. Results: This study revealed that 48.8% (95% CI: 41.7, 54.4) of point-of-care clinicians had good evidence-based practice implementation. Being knowledgeable (AOR: 3.212, 95% CI: 1.586, 6.504), training (AOR: 4.018, 95% CI: 1.945, 8.302), availability of recent treatment guidelines and protocols (AOR: 4.693, 95% CI: 2.331, 9.448), supportive hospital managers (AOR: 2.475, 95% CI: 1.229, 4.983), clarity on the importance of evidence-based practice (AOR: 3.882, 95% CI: 1.830, 8.235), and fear of mistakes and errors (AOR: 0.449, 95% CI: 0.231, 0.873) were significantly associated with the implementation of evidence-based practice. Conclusion: More than half of the study participants had poor evidence-based practice implementation. Knowledge, training, treatment guidelines and protocols, hospital managers, clarity on the importance of evidence-based practice, and fear of mistakes and errors were factors significantly associated with the implementation. Hence, educational initiatives to improve knowledge, training programs on specific clinical areas, availing of recent guidelines and protocols, fostering a supportive organizational culture, creating awareness on the implication of evidence-based practice, and providing a non-punitive learning-oriented environment to decrease fears of mistakes and errors would be suggested to improve the implementation.