EBP Measurement Tools
Measuring Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) attributes is an important part of any organization's or individual’s EBP journey. Whether you are establishing your organization's current state of EBP or developing a study about EBP, using well-established, valid and reliable EBP measurement tools is critical. The Fuld National Institute for EBP experts have studied EBP for decades, and have leveraged their tremendous expertise to create a broad array of user-friendly and effective tools for you to use.
Below is a list of all the EBP measurement tools available through the Fuld National Institute for EBP. If you are interested in using any of these tools for EBP/Research/QI purposes, click the link below to request permission:
If you have questions, email us at contact-fuld@osu.edu.
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EBP Beliefs Scale (EBPB)
This is a 16-item Likert-type scale ranging from 1= (strongly disagree) to 5= (strongly agree). Sample items include, I am clear about the steps in EBP, and I am sure that I can implement EBP. Higher summed scores indicate stronger EBP beliefs.
Psychometric Testing: The scale has established face, content, and construct validity with internal consistency reliabilities above 0.85 (Melnyk et al., 2008).
References
Melnyk, B. M., Fineout-Overholt, E., & Mays, M. Z. (2008). The evidence-based practice beliefs and implementation scales: psychometric properties of two new instruments. Worldviews on evidence-based nursing, 5(4), 208–216.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-6787.2008.00126.x
Melnyk, B. M., Fineout-Overholt, E., & Mays, M. Z. (2008). The evidence-based practice beliefs and implementation scales: psychometric properties of two new instruments. Worldviews on evidence-based nursing, 5(4), 208–216.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-6787.2008.00126.x
EBP Implementation Scale (EBPI)
Participants respond to 18-item Likert-type scale items by answering how often in the last eight weeks they have performed specific EBP tasks, including (a) generated a PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome) question about their practice, (b) used evidence to change their clinical practice, and (c) shared outcome data collected with colleagues. Higher summed scores indicate greater implementation of EBP.
Psychometric Testing: The scale has established face, content, and construct validity with internal consistency reliabilities above 0.85 (Melnyk et al., 2008).
References
Melnyk, B. M., Fineout-Overholt, E., & Mays, M. Z. (2008). The evidence-based practice beliefs and implementation scales: psychometric properties of two new instruments. Worldviews on evidence-based nursing, 5(4), 208–216.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-6787.2008.00126.x
Melnyk, B. M., Fineout-Overholt, E., & Mays, M. Z. (2008). The evidence-based practice beliefs and implementation scales: psychometric properties of two new instruments. Worldviews on evidence-based nursing, 5(4), 208–216.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-6787.2008.00126.x
Organizational Culture & Readiness for System-wide Integration of Evidence-based Practice Survey (OCRSIEP)
This instrument taps the extent to which cultural factors influence the system-wide implementation of EBP in the organization and overall perceived readiness for the integration of EBP.
Psychometric Testing: The scale has established face and content validity, with internal consistency reliabilities above 0.85 (Melnyk, Fineout-Overholt, Giggleman, & Cruz, 2010).
References
Melnyk, B. M., Fineout-Overholt, E., Giggleman, M., & Cruz, R. (2010). Correlates among cognitive beliefs, EBP implementation, organizational culture, cohesion and job satisfaction in evidence-based practice mentors from a community hospital system. Nursing outlook, 58(6), 301–308.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2010.06.002
Melnyk, B. M., Fineout-Overholt, E., Giggleman, M., & Cruz, R. (2010). Correlates among cognitive beliefs, EBP implementation, organizational culture, cohesion and job satisfaction in evidence-based practice mentors from a community hospital system. Nursing outlook, 58(6), 301–308.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2010.06.002
EBP Shortened Scales
EBP Beliefs Scale (Short Version). The original 18-item EBP Beliefs scale has been shortened to a 3-item scale to measure a person’s beliefs about the value of EBP and ability to implement it. Participants respond on a 5-point Likert type scale with responses ranging from 1=Strongly Disagree to 5=Strongly Agree.
EBP Implementation Scale (Short Version). The EBP Implementation scale that includes 18 items has been shortened to a 3-item scale to measure a person’s ability to implement EBP. Participants respond on a 5-point Likert type scale with responses ranging from 1=Strongly Disagree to 5=Strongly Agree.
Organizational Culture & Readiness for System-wide Integration of Evidence-based Practice Scale. (Short Version). The Organizational Culture & Readiness for System-wide Integration of Evidence-based Practice Survey that includes 19 items has been shortened to a 3-item scale to measure organizational structures/resources to support EBP. Participants respond on a 5-point Likert type scale with responses ranging from 1=Strongly Disagree to 5=Strongly Agree.
EBP Implementation Scale (Short Version). The EBP Implementation scale that includes 18 items has been shortened to a 3-item scale to measure a person’s ability to implement EBP. Participants respond on a 5-point Likert type scale with responses ranging from 1=Strongly Disagree to 5=Strongly Agree.
Organizational Culture & Readiness for System-wide Integration of Evidence-based Practice Scale. (Short Version). The Organizational Culture & Readiness for System-wide Integration of Evidence-based Practice Survey that includes 19 items has been shortened to a 3-item scale to measure organizational structures/resources to support EBP. Participants respond on a 5-point Likert type scale with responses ranging from 1=Strongly Disagree to 5=Strongly Agree.
Psychometric Testing: Factor analysis supported the construct validity of each of the three shortened scales as all item intercorrelations were greater than 0.40 and KMO values were 0.62 to 0.74. The shortened scales Cronbach αs’ were 0.81 for the EBP Beliefs Scale, 0.89 for the EBP Implementation Scale, and 0.87 for the EBP Culture and Readiness Scale. The three shortened EBP scales had acceptable convergent validity (r = 0.42 – 0.72) for the correlations between the shortened and longer scales). (Melnyk, et al., 2021)
References
Melnyk, B. M., Hsieh, A. P., Gallagher-Ford, L., Thomas, B., Guo, J., & Tan, A. (2021). Psychometric Properties of the EBP Beliefs, the EBP Implementation, and the EBP Organizational Culture and Readiness Shortened Scales. Worldviews on evidence-based nursing, 18(4), 243–250.
Melnyk, B. M., Hsieh, A. P., Gallagher-Ford, L., Thomas, B., Guo, J., & Tan, A. (2021). Psychometric Properties of the EBP Beliefs, the EBP Implementation, and the EBP Organizational Culture and Readiness Shortened Scales. Worldviews on evidence-based nursing, 18(4), 243–250.
EBP Competencies Scale
The EBP competencies are measured using an EBP competency self-assessment scale. The EBP competencies include 13 essential competencies for practicing registered nurses and an additional 11 competencies for advanced practice nurses.
Psychometric Testing: The scale has established face, content, and construct validity with internal consistency reliabilities of 0.98 (Melnyk et al., 2018).
References
Melnyk, B. M., Gallagher-Ford, L., Zellefrow, C., Tucker, S., Thomas, B., Sinnott, L. T., & Tan, A. (2018). The First U.S. Study on Nurses' Evidence-Based Practice Competencies Indicates Major Deficits That Threaten Healthcare Quality, Safety, and Patient Outcomes. Worldviews on evidence-based nursing, 15(1), 16–25.
https://doi.org/10.1111/wvn.12269
Melnyk, B. M., Gallagher-Ford, L., Zellefrow, C., Tucker, S., Thomas, B., Sinnott, L. T., & Tan, A. (2018). The First U.S. Study on Nurses' Evidence-Based Practice Competencies Indicates Major Deficits That Threaten Healthcare Quality, Safety, and Patient Outcomes. Worldviews on evidence-based nursing, 15(1), 16–25.
https://doi.org/10.1111/wvn.12269
EBP Knowledge Tool. (EBP-KAQ)
The Evidence-based Practice Knowledge Assessment Questionnaire) includes 25-multiple choice and 13 true or false questions. Five of the test items used to develop the EBP-KAQ were selected from the test item pool developed by Spurlock and Wonder (2015). Questionnaire items were written according to best practice guidelines, judged by a national panel of EBP content experts. Test Scores range from 0 to 38.
Psychometric Testing: This tool has established face, content, and construct validity and the internal consistency reliability of 0.87 (Melnyk et al., 2018).
References
Spurlock, D., Jr, & Wonder, A. H. (2015). Validity and Reliability Evidence for a New Measure: The Evidence-Based Practice Knowledge Assessment in Nursing. The Journal of nursing education, 54(11), 605–613.
https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20151016-01
Melnyk, B. M., Gallagher-Ford, L., Zellefrow, C., Tucker, S., Thomas, B., Sinnott, L. T., & Tan, A. (2018). The First U.S. Study on Nurses' Evidence-Based Practice Competencies Indicates Major Deficits That Threaten Healthcare Quality, Safety, and Patient Outcomes. Worldviews on evidence-based nursing, 15(1), 16–25.
https://doi.org/10.1111/wvn.12269
Spurlock, D., Jr, & Wonder, A. H. (2015). Validity and Reliability Evidence for a New Measure: The Evidence-Based Practice Knowledge Assessment in Nursing. The Journal of nursing education, 54(11), 605–613.
https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20151016-01
Melnyk, B. M., Gallagher-Ford, L., Zellefrow, C., Tucker, S., Thomas, B., Sinnott, L. T., & Tan, A. (2018). The First U.S. Study on Nurses' Evidence-Based Practice Competencies Indicates Major Deficits That Threaten Healthcare Quality, Safety, and Patient Outcomes. Worldviews on evidence-based nursing, 15(1), 16–25.
https://doi.org/10.1111/wvn.12269
Implementation Self-Efficacy for EBP Scale. (ISE4EBP)
The EBP Implementation Strategies Self-Efficacy Scale, is a 29-item scale assessing level of self-efficacy (confidence) related to implementation strategies on a scale of 0% to 100% for all 29 items. (Tucker, 2018)
Psychometric Testing: The scale has established face and content validity, with internal consistency reliabilities of 0.987 (Tucker, Zadvinskis, Connor, 2020).
References
Tucker, S., Zadvinskis, I. M., & Connor, L. (2020). Development and Psychometric Testing of the Implementation Self-efficacy for EBP (ISE4EBP) Scale. Western journal of nursing research, 193945920925032. Advance online publication.
https://doi-org.proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/10.1177/0193945920925032
Tucker, S., Zadvinskis, I. M., & Connor, L. (2020). Development and Psychometric Testing of the Implementation Self-efficacy for EBP (ISE4EBP) Scale. Western journal of nursing research, 193945920925032. Advance online publication.
https://doi-org.proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/10.1177/0193945920925032
EBP Nurse Manager Competencies Scale
This is a 22-item Likert-type scale ranging from 1=Not Competent to 4 = Highly Competent that helps measure nurse manger leadership competencies that constitute effective support for EBP. These 22 items are organized into 3 domains: leading EBP, building infrastructure for EBP, and promoting EBP.
Psychometric Testing: The scale has been tested and the indices of internal consistency ranged between 0.895 and 0.919 on the 1st round. On the 2nd round, Cronbach's alpha ranged between 0.875 and 0.901. On both administrations of the survey, internal consistency coefficients were very high for all 3 sections.
References
Caramanica, L., Gallagher-Ford, L., Idelman, L., Mindrila, D., Richter, S., & Thomas, B. K. (2022). Establishment of Nurse Manager Leadership Competencies to Support Clinicians in Evidence-Based Practice. The Journal of nursing administration, 52(1), 27–34. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNA.0000000000001099
Caramanica, L., Gallagher-Ford, L., Idelman, L., Mindrila, D., Richter, S., & Thomas, B. K. (2022). Establishment of Nurse Manager Leadership Competencies to Support Clinicians in Evidence-Based Practice. The Journal of nursing administration, 52(1), 27–34. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNA.0000000000001099
EBP Mentoring Scale
This is a 8-item Likert-type scale ranging from 1= (None at all) to 5= (Very much so) that taps the degree of EBP mentorship available to nurses. Examples of items include: (a) I have access to a mentor who assists me in implementing the seven steps of EBP, and (b) I have a mentor who is consistently available to me when I have questions about EBP. The scale scores are summed for a total score of 0 to 32.
Psychometric Testing: Face, content, and construct validity of the scale has been established. The internal consistency reliability of the scale with this sample was .99.
References
Melnyk, B. M., Gallagher-Ford, L., Zellefrow, C., Tucker, S., Thomas, B., Sinnott, L. T., & Tan, A. (2018). The First U.S. Study on Nurses' Evidence-Based Practice Competencies Indicates Major Deficits That Threaten Healthcare Quality, Safety, and Patient Outcomes. Worldviews on evidence-based nursing, 15(1), 16–25.
https://doi.org/10.1111/wvn.12269
Melnyk, B. M., Gallagher-Ford, L., Zellefrow, C., Tucker, S., Thomas, B., Sinnott, L. T., & Tan, A. (2018). The First U.S. Study on Nurses' Evidence-Based Practice Competencies Indicates Major Deficits That Threaten Healthcare Quality, Safety, and Patient Outcomes. Worldviews on evidence-based nursing, 15(1), 16–25.
https://doi.org/10.1111/wvn.12269