Five-Year Program Evaluation of an Evidence-Based Practice Scholars Program

The purpose of this article is to describe the findings of a 5-year program evaluation of a hospital-based Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) Scholars Program. The EBP Scholars Program was developed in 2011 to (a) educate and engage staff in the EBP process and (b) develop a cadre of EBP mentors within each clinical unit of the organization. The evaluation of the EBP Scholars Program examined both the feasibility and the impact of the program. The findings suggest that not only is the program feasible to implement and highly acceptable to the participants, but it also significantly increases staff EBP self-efficacy and promotes staff engagement in EBP, organizational leadership, and professional development. Most importantly, this program has been foundational to motivating and sustaining a strong culture of inquiry at our Magnet (R) designated organization.