The third proposition considered was that NMs’ attitudes
and behavior with regards to EBP would influence
the evidence culture of their organization. NMs in this
study were to a large extent unaware of the impact of their
own attitudes and behavior in this regard. There were instances
where a positive attitude by Nurse Directors and
NMs had encouraged other nurses to become involved in
EBPI, but the reverse effect was often stronger: Nurse Directors’
and NMs’ ambivalence about EBPI had a negative
effect on the value placed on it by their staff.
The fourth proposition examined was that NMs will often
not possess the knowledge and skills to enable them
to support EBPI because they entered health care at a time
when research was not widely recognized as a basis for
care. Most NMs in this study had completed their nurse
training before the emphasis on nursing research had been
introduced. Nearly all NMs acknowledged the importance