D029 CPE Phase 2

Student Name

Western Governors University

D029 Informatics for Transforming Nursing Care

Prof. Name

Date

Phase 2 Clinical Practice Experience for Informatics for Transforming Nursing Care

This report presents an in-depth summary of the clinical practice experience undertaken during Phase 2 of the Informatics for Transforming Nursing Care course at Western Governors University. It details the schedule of clinical activities, demographic and professional characteristics of nurse participants, and explores the perceived barriers nurses face in incorporating research findings into their clinical practice. The insights gained aim to highlight how nurses engage with evidence-based research and the obstacles they encounter in applying it effectively in healthcare environments.

What was the schedule for Phase 2 clinical practice activities?

The Phase 2 clinical practice activities were organized with a structured timeline to help participants manage their workload while ensuring steady progress throughout the phase. The schedule encompassed essential tasks with estimated time commitments and target completion dates, allowing adequate focus on both analysis and documentation processes critical for evaluating clinical practices.

Activity	Estimated Time	Estimated Completion Date
Completion of Clinical Practice Experience Schedule Table	30 minutes	To be determined
Data Analysis (Continuous, Categorical, Nominal, Ordinal)	4 hours total	To be determined
Educational Level Pivot Table/Screenshot	1 hour	To be determined

This timeline enabled participants to allocate sufficient effort for comprehensive data analysis and accurate reporting, which are fundamental to understanding clinical practice dynamics.

What are the descriptive statistics related to perceived barriers to research utilization?

Analysis of Total Barriers Scores

The study surveyed 76 nurses to assess their perceptions of barriers to research utilization within clinical settings. Key statistical outcomes are summarized below:

Statistic	Value
Mean total barrier score	73.30
Median score	75
Mode score	82
Standard deviation	14.00
Score range	44–103
Sum of all scores	5571

The mean score of 73.30 reflects a moderate level of perceived barriers overall, with variability among responses as indicated by the standard deviation of 14. This diversity highlights differing nurse experiences and attitudes toward research use, suggesting a need for tailored strategies to address these challenges.

How experienced were the participating nurses?

The professional experience of the nurses, measured in years as Registered Nurses (RNs), showed considerable variation. The following descriptive statistics illustrate this diversity:

Statistic	Value
Mean years as RN	9.39
Median	7
Mode	8
Standard deviation	7
Experience range	2–28
Total combined years	714

With an average of approximately nine years of nursing experience and a range spanning from 2 to 28 years, the group represents a wide spectrum of clinical expertise. This variation may influence perceptions of research barriers and how nurses address them in practice.

What are the demographic and professional characteristics of the sample?

The 76 nurse participants came from diverse backgrounds concerning age, gender, race/ethnicity, work settings, and educational attainment. This diversity enriches the understanding of how various factors intersect with research utilization in nursing.

Age Distribution

19–39 years: 55 nurses
40–59 years: 15 nurses
60 years and above: 6 nurses

Gender Breakdown

Female: 58
Male: 18

Race/Ethnicity

White: 53
African American: 12
Asian: 9
Other: 2

Healthcare Settings

Patient Care: 42
Academic Roles: 16
Community Health: 11
Other Sectors: 7

Educational Attainment

Associate’s Degree: 23
Bachelor’s Degree (BSN): 31
Master’s Degree (MSN): 16
Doctorate (DNP/PhD): 6

The sample’s broad demographic and professional scope allows for a nuanced perspective on barriers to research use, influenced by roles, experiences, and educational backgrounds.

What barriers to research utilization were identified by the nurses?

Participants rated potential barriers on a scale from 1 (no extent) to 4 (great extent). The responses revealed a spectrum of perceived challenges, highlighting key issues that limit effective research application.

Which barriers were considered most significant?

Barriers receiving the highest rating of 4, reflecting major impediments to research use, included:

Lack of awareness about current research findings
Insufficient time to read and understand research
Limited authority to implement changes in patient care
Overwhelming volume of research information
Time constraints during work hours to apply new knowledge

These findings point to systemic problems involving time management, information overload, and organizational support, which need addressing to promote research integration in clinical nursing.

Which barriers were perceived as minimal?

Barriers rated with the lowest score of 1, suggesting negligible impact, were:

Perceived lack of value of research in clinical practice
No documented need for changes in practice
Skepticism about research validity

This indicates that nurses generally recognize the importance of research but encounter external hurdles when trying to apply it.

How does education level vary across work settings?

Educational qualifications among nurses differ depending on their work environments. The following table summarizes the distribution of educational attainment across various clinical and academic settings:

Work Setting	Associate Degree	Bachelor’s Degree (BSN)	Master’s Degree (MSN)	Doctorate (DNP/PhD)
Patient Care	12	13	14	3
Academic	7	6	2	1
Community/Public Health	1	9	0	1
Other	3	3	0	1

This distribution reveals a concentration of advanced degrees in patient care and academic roles, reflecting the varying educational demands across work settings.

What is the racial composition across different age groups?

The racial distribution within two main age cohorts (19–39 years and 40–59 years) is presented below:

Race	Age 19–39	Age 40–59
White	34	10
African American	9	3
Asian	8	1
Other	1	1

This data indicates a predominance of younger White nurses, with minority groups also well represented, particularly among younger participants.

Conclusion and Future Directions

The Phase 2 clinical practice experience provides valuable insights into nurse demographics, professional backgrounds, and the barriers nurses perceive in utilizing research within clinical practice. Key challenges identified include time limitations, information overload, and organizational constraints affecting the implementation of evidence-based practices. These findings underscore the importance of addressing systemic issues and empowering nurses to integrate research more effectively.

Future studies could further investigate the relationship between educational levels and perceived barriers, allowing the development of more targeted strategies that enhance research adoption and promote evidence-based nursing care across diverse clinical environments.

References

Melnyk, B. M., & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2019). Evidence-based practice in nursing & healthcare: A guide to best practice (4th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.

Stetler, C. B., et al. (2019). The role of nursing research in evidence-based practice. Nursing Outlook, 67(3), 196-204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2018.12.005

Titler, M. G. (2018). The evidence for evidence-based practice implementation. In Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.