Evidence-based Practice Utilization and Associated Factors among Nurses Working in Public Hospitals of Jimma Zone Southwest Ethiopia: A Cross Sectional Study

Background: Evidence-based Practice is the application of the best scientific evidence for clinical decision making in professional patient care. Most of the time, Nursing care practice in Ethiopia is based on experience, tradition, intuition, common sense and untested theories. There is lack of information on the level of utilization of evidence based practice by nurses in Ethiopia. Methods: An institutional based cross sectional study design was employed from March 10 to April 1, 2018. Stratified random sampling was deployed to select 270 respondents. Data was collected using a pretested, structured and self-administered questionnaire and in-depth interview guide. Data were entered using Epi-data version 3.1 and analyzed by SPSS version 20. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regressions were under taken to identify the associated factors. Results: In total, 253 returned questionnaires which makes response rate of 93.7%. More than half 131(51.8%) of respondents used evidence-based practice. Further the study indicated that, being head nurse was 5.2 times AOR=5.227, 95%CI=(1.252, 21.819) more likely used EBP than staff nurses. Being knowledgeable about EBP was 2.1 times AOR=2.084, 95%CI=(1.118,3.886) more likely used EBP than those not knowledgeable about EBP. Conclusion: The utilization of EBP among nurses working in public hospitals of Jimma zone was 51.8%. Nevertheless, only 16.5% of respondents often utilized EBP in their clinical practice.