Translation to practice: a randomised, controlled study of an evidence-based booklet for breast-care nurses in the United Kingdom

Successful translation of research into practice is universally important for quality nursing care worldwide. Recently, evidence in support of the promotion of exercise for breast cancer patients has become increasingly robust, yet it has not yet become part of routine practice for nurses in the United Kingdom. In an attempt to optimise knowledge transfer to breast care nurses (BCNs), a study was conducted in 3 stages to: 1) Identify barriers to research utilisation of BCNs 2) Develop an intervention for translation of research evidence to BCNs 3) Evaluate the intervention. This presentation will detail the final stage. Research question: Can a booklet targeted to BCNs on the benefits of exercise for breast cancer patients be effective in changing knowledge, attitudes and reported practice? Method: The sample consisted of 92 BCNs based at 63 hospitals. A clustered, randomised controlled design was used. The units of randomisation and analysis were individual hospitals, stratified according to type (specialist or general) and randomised to the Control Group (n=28) or the Intervention Group (n = 35) who were given: Exercise and Breast Cancer: A Booklet for Breast Care Nurses. Comparisons between groups were based upon responses to a postal questionnaire at baseline and after two months. Analysis consisted of clustered regression techniques: clustered logistic regression, clustered linear, ologit and clustered multiple regression. Findings: Statistically significant and positive changes were demonstrated for 11 of 17 knowledge items, 4 of 12 practice items and 2 of 9 attitude items. Health promotion attitudes exerted robust effects as predictor variables and covariates. Conclusion: Printed information can be effective when it directly addresses the needs of a target audience. This practical approach can be replicated and applied to other groups of nurses. Details on how this can be achieved will be highlighted.