Background: Incorporating evidence-based practice (EBP) into clinical decision making and professional practice is a requirement for many health disciplines, yet research across health disciplines on factors that influence and predict student intention to use EBP following graduation has not been previously synthesized.
Aim: To synthesize research on factors that influence development of EBP behaviors and subsequently predict undergraduate students' intention toward EBP uptake.
Methods: A systematic review of prediction modeling studies was conducted according to a protocol previously published on the Prospero database: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/. The outcome variable was undergraduate students' future use or intention to use EBP. Evidence synthesis methods were guided by resources from the Cochrane Methods Prognosis Group Web site (https://prognosismethods.cochrane.org).
Results and findings: Only three studies were found to meet inclusion criteria for the review. Factors relating to EBP capability, EBP attitudes, as well as clinical and academic support were identified as influential toward students' intention to use evidence in practice. Heterogeneity limited data pooling, consequently, results are presented in narrative and tabular form.
Linking evidence to action: Although using a developing method, this review presents a unique contribution to further discussions regarding students' intention to use EBP following graduation. Despite limitations, consideration of identified factors for undergraduate curriculum could support student's intention to use EBP in their respective clinical environments.
Keywords: curriculum development; evidence-based practice; evidence-based practice education; structural equation modeling; undergraduate.
© 2017 Sigma Theta Tau International.