Advancing Research and Clinical Practice Through Close Collaboration (ARCC): A Pilot Test of an Intervention to Improve Evidence-Based Care and Patient Outcomes

NCT00635869 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 5199
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 29
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The primary aim of this pilot study is to evaluate the effects of two variations of the ARCC Intervention Program on nursing processes and outcomes (job satisfaction, group cohesion, EBP knowledge, EBP implementation, EBP beliefs), patient/family outcomes (e.g. pt/family satisfaction with care), and institutional processes and outcomes (e.g. nurse-physician collaboration, cost, RN turnover, incidence frequency relevant to the topic). Secondary aims are to test the feasibility of study methods and reliability and validity of questionnaires. This study is designed as a three-group randomized clinical trial with repeated measures. Three inpatient units (medicine, surgery, surgical intensive care) will be randomly assigned to one of three interventions: ARCC enhanced (didactic content presentations, use of an EBP tool kit which will stay on the unit, environmental EBP prompts, availability of an EBP coach on the unit); ARCC standard (all of the above, but without the coach); non-EBP intervention (didactic content and environmental prompts, but not related to EBP; placebo). The interventions will be implemented over an estimated 14 weeks, including a 4-week training period, and an estimated 10 weeks to implement an EBP initiative that the nurses on the two ARCC intervention units will develop. Baseline information and questionnaires will be collected from nurses at the start of the study, and again at completion of the intervention phase. Outcome data will be collected from nurses approximately 10 weeks after implementation of the ARCC interventions are completed (i.e., 22 weeks after the study is commenced). Nurse-physician collaboration data will be collected from physicians working with study unit nurses as well as from the nurses. Patient satisfaction data will not be separately collected in this study, but will include use of unit-level Press-Ganey scores immediately prior to and over the study time period. Unit level and institutional RN turnover will be tracked monthly during the entire study period and will be compared across units at the same time as well as compared within each study over time (i.e., unit retention during those same months in the previous year). Costs of each EBP intervention will be tracked during the study and compared descriptively. Survey data will be analyzed using analysis of variance statistics. Questionnaires will be tested for reliability and construct validity. Because this is a pilot study, statistically significant differences are not expected, however, effect sizes will be calculated

Conditions

Evidence-Based Medicine; Physician-Nurse Relations

Keywords

evidence based practice beliefs; evidence based practice implementation; evidence based practice knowledge; nurse physician collaboration

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• EBP beliefs

  baseline, week 5, week 16, week 24

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• EBP Implementation

  baseline, week 5, week 16, week 24

Study Arms (3)

ARCC standard

RNs on unit receiving basic ARCC information with staff nurse champion

Behavioral: ARCC standard information

ARCC enhanced

RNs on unit receiving ARCC standard content plus with an EBP mentor

Behavioral: ARCC enhanced

C

RNs on the unit receiving the placebo intervention

Behavioral: Placebo

Interventions

ARCC standard information BEHAVIORAL

EBP didactic education sessions, EBP toolkit, environmental prompts, identification of an EBP champion among unit staff RNs

ARCC standard

ARCC enhanced BEHAVIORAL

same as ARCC standard plus EBP mentor on-site twice each week plus available by e-mail for consultation

ARCC enhanced

Placebo BEHAVIORAL

didactic education sessions on physical assessment

C

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Registered Nurse staff working on inpatient study units (medicine, surgery, surgical intensive care)

You may qualify if:

• employed by Upstate
• working full or part time on study unit
• able to attend all education sessions

You may not qualify if:

• employed by temporary agency
• not able to attend all education sessions

Sponsors & Collaborators

• State University of New York - Upstate Medical University: lead

Study Sites (1)

University Hospital, SUNY Upstate Medical University

Syracuse, New York, 13210, United States

Location

Study Officials

• Priscilla S Worral, PhD, RN

  State University of New York - Upstate Medical University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 7, 2008
• First Posted: March 14, 2008
• Study Start: September 1, 2005
• Primary Completion: August 1, 2006
• Study Completion: August 1, 2006
• Last Updated: March 14, 2008

Record last verified: 2008-03

Locations

US (1)