Paradigm of Evidence-Based Practice
Evidence-based practice (EBP) is a lifelong problem-solving approach to assess current healthcare practices that answers the question, "What is best for our patients?" The answer is discovered and supported through a systematic search for and critical appraisal of the most relevant and best research to answer a clinical question, in addition to incorporating one’s own clinical expertise (including the use of internal evidence) and patient/family values and preferences. This is a dynamic process with the goal of improving clinical practice and patient outcomes (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2023).
Seven Steps of the Evidence-Based Practice Process
1. Promote a spirit of inquiry
2. Explore the problem and develop a PICOT
3. Search for best evidence
4. Critically appraise evidence
5. Integrate evidence with clinical expertise and patient/family preferences
6. Evaluate the outcomes of practice change
7. Develop sustainability plan and disseminate outcomes
The Leadership Institute offers a variety of pathways for EBP training and implementation science experiences. The aims of the educational offerings are to prepare clinicians to understand and apply the steps of the EBP process.
EBP Pathways in the Leadership Institute
This introductory workshop provides the essential tools to integrate EBP into daily clinical decision-making. Participants will learn how to formulate clinical questions, critically appraise literature, and apply findings to improve patient outcomes. The Foundations of EBP Workshop includes live sessions as well as some pre-work. Following completion of the workshop, participants will be able to:
- Explain how EBP plays an integral role in hospitals and health care systems.
- Examine the differences between EBP, Quality Improvement (QI), EBQI, and Research.
- Identify the seven steps of the EBP process.
- Apply the elements of a PICO(T) question as a tool to search for a body of evidence to answer a clinical question.
- Develop basic search strategies to conduct a systematic search.
- Distinguish between sources of evidence and how to utilize bibliographic databases.
- Differentiate research designs of quantitative and qualitative studies.
- Discover the process for critically appraising a body of evidence.
- Construct evidence-based recommendations using evaluation and synthesis tables.
Structure and Content of Foundations of EBP Workshop |
In Person |
Virtual |
EBP steps 0-2 – cultivating a culture of inquiry, identifying the problem, and searching the literature |
Day 1 |
Days 1 & 2 |
EBP step 3, part 1 – guiding participants through critical appraisal of the evidence, including distinguishing between quantitative and qualitative research designs and its correlating levels of evidence |
Day 2 |
Days 3 & 4 |
EBP step 3, part 2 – evaluating the 3 criteria for assessing the quality of the evidence, in addition to the use of evaluation and synthesis tables |
Day 3 |
Days 5 & 6 |
Workshop Dates |
Time |
Location |
Cost |
In-Person: April 29 – May 1, 2025 |
9 AM – 3 PM (on all days) |
UCSF, San Francisco, CA |
$1,425 per participant. Group discounts available for registrations of 5 or more. Email [email protected] for more information. |
Virtual: Every Tuesday, June 24 – July 29, 2025 |
9 AM – 12 PM (on all Tuesdays) |
Zoom |
$1,275 per participant. Group discounts available for registrations of 5 or more. Email [email protected] for more information. |
Upon program completion, participants will be eligible for up to 16.75 contact hours – provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number 12980. In person and virtual programs offer the same number of contact hours. Please review the Leadership Institute's cancellation and refund policy.
This 8-month, hybrid training experience includes a total of six in-person training workshops and integrates virtual EBP mentoring sessions, which allow participants to take a deep dive into evidence-based practice through implementation of a practice change. Frontline care providers and clinical leaders interested in preparing and implementing an EBP initiative at their health care organization with additional EBP mentoring are ideal participants for this program.
The EBP Academy empowers health professionals to improve patient care and clinical outcomes and provides proven EBP approaches. Participants are mentored through the preparation and delivery of an EBP project proposal that is further developed and implemented at their respective organization. This program engages participants in an innovative educational experience focused on facilitating an evidence-based approach to implementing a formal practice change in their unit, in addition to assessing the outcomes and impact of interventions in clinical settings. This professional development experience will leverage concepts of evidence synthesis, implementation science strategies, and evaluation of change.
This program will take participants through the entire EBP process, including project implementation. Participants must have a topic that has been approved by their organization’s leadership and a mentor from their organization to help them navigate implementing their project.
Program Structure & Dates
Topic |
Date |
Foundations of EBP* |
April 15-17, 2025 |
Mentoring |
April – June 2025 |
Consultation Days |
June 24-25, 2025 |
Implementation Science Strategies* |
July 9-10, 2025 |
Mentoring |
July – November 2025 |
Dissemination* |
November 13, 2025 |
*In-Person Sessions* – these sessions are held from 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM at the UCSF Leadership Institute, San Francisco, CA.* Upon successful completion of the program, participants will be awarded 37.5 contact hours of nursing continuing education credits.
Cost: $5200/participant. Group discounts are available for registrations of 5 of more. Please email [email protected] for additional information and review the Leadership Institute's cancellation and refund policy.
The e-learning module series provides multi-disciplinary direct care providers with a basic introduction to understanding and improving their EBP knowledge. The online module experience is self-paced and can be a great way to get a start on EBP fundamentals or reinforce knowledge that you want to review. This includes 10 hours of content divided into seven modules that provide an overview of the EBP process, in addition to describing the need for evidence in health care and how EBP can improve quality outcomes and advance clinical practice. Each module is accompanied by an EBP Playbook, which stimulates critical thinking in applying the EBP concepts.
Seven-module series:
- Introduction to EBP & Cultivating a Spirit of Inquiry
- Exploring the Problem & Developing a PICOT
- Searching for the Evidence
- Critical Appraisal of Evidence
- Integrating the Evidence and Implementation Science
- Evaluating the Outcomes
- Dissemination
click here to register for the e-learning series
Upon completion of the modules, 10 continuing education contact hours are awarded.
- Cost: $159.00
- For a group discount, please contact [email protected]
- If you are a UCSF employee, search for “Evidence-Based Practice E-Learning Series” in Nursing Connect to find and launch this curriculum.
- If you are an external user, please create a Nursing Connect account at: https://ucsfnursing.csod.com/selfreg/register.aspx?c=ucsf001. Once you have created your account, search for “Evidence-Based Practice E-Learning Series” in Nursing Connect to find and launch this curriculum.
- Please review the Leadership Institute's cancellation and refund policy and contact [email protected] for any questions regarding registration.
These three-hour micro-learning sessions introduce the steps involved in incorporating EBP into clinical practice. This learning experience option is great for those who need a refresher or want to concentrate on honing specific EBP skills with an experienced EBP mentor. Join one session or join them all!
Session topics and dates offered in the table:
- Session 1: Exploring the Problem and Developing a PICOT
- Session 2: Searching for the Evidence
- Session 3: Critically Appraising the Evidence, Part 1
- Session 4: Critically Appraising the Evidence, Part 2
- Session 5: Integrating the Evidence/Evaluating Outcomes
- Session 6: Disseminating Results/Sustainability Strategies
All sessions are held virtually from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM Pacific Time.
Session Topic |
Date |
Exploring the Problem and Developing a PICOT |
March 27, 2025 |
Searching for the Evidence |
April 24, 2025 |
Critically Appraising the Evidence, Part 1 |
May 15, 2025 |
Critically Appraising the Evidence, Part 2 |
June 26, 2025 |
Integrating the Evidence/Evaluating Outcomes |
July 24, 2025 |
Disseminating Results/Sustainability Strategies |
August 28, 2025 |
Cost - $159 per person per session. Group discounts available for registrations of 5 or more and email [email protected] for more information. Please review the Leadership Institute's cancellation and refund policy.
Upon completion, participants will be eligible for up to 3 contact hours per session – provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number 12980.
EBP Fellowship Program
EBP Mentor Training Program
EBP Immersive Experience