Clinical Nurses’ Expectations and Experiences of Self‐Directed Online Training in Evidence‐Based Practice: A Qualitative Study ‐ #EvidencerProject

Abstract

Background Evidence‐based practice (EBP) is essential for improving the quality of care and health outcomes. Despite its importance, nurses’ competence in EBP remains limited, emphasizing the need for more effective training strategies. Aim This study aimed to explore the learning expectations and experiences of clinical nurses who took part in the #Evidencer Project, a self‐directed online course on EBP. Method A qualitative approach was used, applying reflexive thematic analysis. Participants were experienced clinical (Hospital Care n = 10, Primary Care n = 5) nurses who had completed a 72‐h free online training course on EBP. The participants had heterogeneous educational backgrounds (generalist nurses, n = 4; specialist nurses, n = 3; master’s degree, n = 6; doctorate, n = 2). Semistructured virtual interviews were conducted and analyzed following Braun and Clarke’s method. The MAXQDA 24 software supported the analysis process. Trustworthiness was ensured through a collaborative and reflective coding process carried out by two researchers, an audit trail, triangulation with existing literature, and explicit attention to researcher reflexivity. Results A total of 15 nurses participated in the study. Three main themes emerged: (1) motivation and expectations: motivation was primarily intrinsic, driven by personal interest in EBP, the need for professional development, and their roles as student tutors; (2) experience with the training: participants positively evaluated the clarity, flexibility, quality of the content, and nursing‐adapted design, although areas for improvement were identified, such as the need for tutoring and better support for complex content; (3) EBP worldview: a partial understanding of the EBP process was noted, focused on the initial phases (steps 0–2: problem identification and evidence search), with greater difficulty in the advanced phases (steps 3–6: critical appraisal, implementation, evaluation, and dissemination). Added to this was the confusion between research and EBP. Conclusion The #Evidencer Project, self‐directed online training in EBP was well regarded for its accessibility, flexibility, and quality, but participants perceived it as insufficient as a standalone strategy for comprehensive EBP implementation. The nurses indicated a need for institutional support for the comprehensive application of EBP, highlighting the importance of training strategies integrated within the clinical context and backed by the institutions.