Date of Award

1995

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Nursing

Program

Nursing

Supervisor

Dr. Cheri Hernandez

Second Advisor

Charlene Beynon

Abstract

Barriers to using research findings to guide nursing practice have been identified in hospital settings, but little has been reported in a public health setting. The purpose of this survey was to describe barriers to research utilization perceived by staff public health nurses (PHN) in Southwestern Ontario and to examine the relationship of perceived barriers to the availability of on-site library services. A convenience sample of PHNs (n = 172) was stratified according to level of library services and administered the BARRIERS Scale, a self-report questionnaire. The investigators found no relationship between perceived barriers to research utilization and level of library services (F(2,68) = 1.30, p = ∙28). The PHNs ranked several setting, nurse, and presentation barriers as being great or moderate barriers. The implications of this study are directed primarily at public health practice and management and involve the development of strategies to remove or modify the barriers in order to promote research-based practice within public health nursing. The need for further development of the BARRIERS Scale for use in a public health setting is discussed.

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