Dissemination strategies in evidence-based practice

Dissemination strategies in evidence-based practice

To Prepare:

Review the Resources and reflect on the various strategies presented throughout the course that may be helpful in disseminating effective and widely cited EBP.

This may include: unit-level or organizational-level presentations, poster presentations, and podium presentations at organizational, local, regional, state, and national levels, as well as publication in peer-reviewed journals.

Reflect on which type of dissemination strategy you might use to communicate EBP.

By Day 3 of Week 9

Post
 at least two dissemination strategies you would be most inclined to use and explain why. Explain which dissemination strategies you would be least inclined to use and explain why. Identify at least two barriers you might encounter when using the dissemination strategies you are most inclined to use. Be specific and provide examples. Explain how you might overcome the barriers you identified.

Dissemination strategies in evidence-based practice

Dissemination Strategies

There are many project dissemination strategies that could be used for a proposed change project. Two of these that I feel most inclined to use include publication in peer-reviewed journals and organizational-level presentations. The rationale for choosing these two is that they effectively target distinct audiences while at the same time maximizing impact and credibility. According to Kwan et al. (2023), an advantage associated with publishing complete research study projects is that it is rigorously scrutinized by peers. The value in this is ensuring reliability and visibility within academic and professional communities. According to Connor et al. (2023), this is also important because it ensures that the research positively contributes to scholarly discourse and influencing future studies. In comparison, the key benefit associated with the organizational-level presentation dissemination method is allowing for direct engagement with stakeholders, policymakers, and practitioners from diverse specializations. Another benefit is that this format is more accessible and promotes immediate feedback and practical application of findings. Simply put, the use of the two strategies together helps balance broad, credible dissemination with targeted, actionable communication.

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Least Inclined

From the list of available dissemination strategies, there are several that I feel are not ideal for my research study findings. Specifically, I am least inclined toward using two particular methods, including social media posts and opinion pieces usually published in popular or local media. This is justified by the fact that these two lack the necessary rigor and depth required to convey the intended message. Kwan et al. (2022) added that these two strategies are accessible to the masses, making it rather challenging to target a particular audience, for example, nurses or other healthcare professionals. In their research, Melnyk et al. (2017) observed that the use of social media is ineffective because it is prone to oversimplification and misinterpretation. This is caused by the limited control over the ways in which information is received and shared. In effect, this dilutes the credibility of the research. Opinion pieces in popular media tend to prioritize narrative appeal over factual precision despite being accessible to a general audience. As a result, there is a likelihood that the research will be distorted, rendering it inapplicable. All things considered, the use of either of these two methods makes them unsuitable when targeting academic audiences such as nurses or doctors.

Barriers

There are certain barriers faced when using publication in peer-reviewed journals and organizational-level presentations as dissemination strategies. Connor et al. (2023) mentioned that the peer-review process is lengthy and has audience-specific accessibility challenges. This renders the use of the peer-review process for journals time-consuming, sometimes taking up to several months or, in worst-case scenarios, years. As a result, this risk delays the timely dissemination of findings. Take, for example, a research study on a rapidly evolving public health issue. Delayed implementation risks losing relevance if publication is stalled because of multiple rounds of revisions. The use of organizational-level presentations faces unique barriers related to tailoring content for diverse audiences. Presenting complex data to stakeholders that have varying levels of expertise such as presenting to a mixed group of practitioners might struggle to balance technical detail with practical implications. According to Schmidt and Brown (2025), this could potentially reduce engagement or understanding.

Overcoming Barriers

The two barriers can be overcome by using specific strategies. Research by Schmidt and Brown (2025) recommends the use of strategic planning approach and adopting adaptation. On the one hand, the challenges associated with using the peer-review process, which potentially delays dissemination, the use of target journals would be a preferred approach. The advantage associated with this is ensuring the review of these research studies are done faster. What’s more, the use of target journals or open-access options helps expedite publication, saving valuable time, especially for interventions that urgently need implementation. An added feature of target journals as alternative methods of dissemination is that they supplement with preprints in unique platforms, for example, medRxiv. The value in this is that findings are shared quickly with the targeted academic community. On accessibility challenges identified when using organizational-level presentations, an alternative that would be used is designing tiered communication approaches. This would be done using clear visuals and simplified summaries to ensure that non-experts would understand the findings while at the same time providing detailed technical appendices or follow-up materials for specialists. Importantly, this would ensure all audience members are able to engage meaningfully with the content. Dissemination strategies in evidence-based practice

References

Connor, L., Dean, J., McNett, M., Tydings, D. M., Shrout, A., Gorsuch, P. F., … & Gallagher‐Ford, L. (2023). Evidence‐based practice improves patient outcomes and healthcare system return on investment: Findings from a scoping review. 
Worldviews on Evidence‐Based Nursing
, 
20
(1), 6-15.
https://doi.org/10.1111/wvn.12621

Kwan, B. M., Brownson, R. C., Glasgow, R. E., Morrato, E. H., & Luke, D. A. (2022). Designing for dissemination and sustainability to promote equitable impacts on health. 
Annual Review of Public Health
, 
43
(1), 331-353.
https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-052220-112457

Melnyk, B. M., Fineout‐Overholt, E., Giggleman, M., & Choy, K. (2017). A test of the ARCC© model improves implementation of evidence‐based practice, healthcare culture, and patient outcomes. 
Worldviews on Evidence‐Based Nursing
, 
14
(1), 5-9.
https://doi.org/10.1111/wvn.12188

Schmidt, N. A. & Brown, J. M. (2025).
Evidence-based practice for nurses: Appraisal and application of research (6th ed.).
Jones & Bartlett Learning Dissemination strategies in evidence-based practice