The Role of Continuing Professional Development in Enhancing Evidence-Based Nursing Practice

Posted: Jul 30, 2023

• Grace Brooks
• Hailey Butler
• Hannah Turner

Abstract

The integration of evidence-based nursing practice represents a cornerstone of contemporary healthcare delivery, yet the translation of research findings into clinical settings remains persistently challenging. Continuing professional development has long been advocated as a mechanism for bridging this evidence-practice gap, though empirical support for its effectiveness has been inconsistent and often methodologically limited. This research addresses critical gaps in understanding how CPD interventions can be strategically designed and implemented to maximize their impact on EBNP adoption. Traditional approaches to CPD evaluation have predominantly focused on satisfaction metrics and knowledge acquisition, neglecting the complex interplay between educational activities, organizational context, and sustainable practice change. Our study introduces a novel conceptual framework that reconceptualizes CPD not as a discrete educational event but as an integrated system that dynamically responds to evolving evidence landscapes and individual learning trajectories.