Instrument Development

Diffusion of Innovations in Long-Term Care Measurement Battery

Eleanor S. McConnell, PhD, RN, GCNS-BC; Kirsten N. Corazzini, PhD; Deborah Lekan, MSN, RN, C; Donald E. Bailey, PhD, RN; Richard Sloane, MPH; Lawrence R. Landerman, PhD; Mary T. Champagne, PhD, RN, FAAN

  • Research in Gerontological Nursing
  • January 2012 - Volume 5 · Issue 1: 64-76
  • DOI: 10.3928/19404921-20110602-04
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Abstract

Poor understanding of factors influencing integration of new practices into long-term care (LTC) hinders timely implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs). Using the Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) framework, a new instrument measuring staff perceptions of an EBP was developed as part of a DOI-LTC measurement battery and tested in a cross-sectional survey of North Carolina LTC nursing personnel. Valid questionnaires were received from 95 licensed nurses and 102 certified nursing assistants (CNAs). Internal consistency reliability for five of seven subscales was acceptable (Cronbach’s alpha coefficient = 0.77 to 0.95). Perception of innovation attributes was associated with intention to adopt the new practice (Spearman rho correlation: licensed nurses = 0.41 to 0.68, p < 0.0001; CNAs = 0.26 to 0.54, p = 0.05 to <0.0001). The DOI-LTC measurement battery represents a promising new approach to studying implementation of EBPs in LTC. Future work should examine its responsiveness to interventions that facilitate implementation of EBPs in LTC.

AUTHORS

Dr. McConnell, Dr. Corazzini, and Dr. Bailey are Associate Professors, Ms. Lekan is Clinical Associate, Mr. Sloane is Statistician, Duke University School of Nursing, Dr. Landerman is Associate Professor, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, and Dr. Champagne is Laurel Chadwick Professor of Nursing and Professor, Duke University School of Nursing and Department of Community and Family Medicine, Durham, North Carolina. In addition, Dr. Corazzini, Dr. Bailey, and Dr. Champagne are Senior Fellows, Mr. Sloane is Statistician, and Dr. Landerman is Associate Professor, Duke Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Durham, North Carolina. Dr. McConnell is also Clinical Nurse Researcher, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Durham, North Carolina.

The authors disclose that they have no significant financial interests in any product or class of products discussed directly or indirectly in this activity. The authors acknowledge funding from the following sources: Duke University (National Institutes of Health [NIH] 1 P20-NR07795-01), Trajectories of Aging and Care in Nursing Science (Eleanor S. McConnell & Elizabeth C. Clipp, PI); University of Iowa (NIH P30-NR03979) (Toni Tripp-Reimer, PI) and the University of Iowa John A. Hartford Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence (Kathleen C. Buckwalter, PI); and an Alzheimer’s Association Medical and Scientific Division Investigator Initiated Research Grant 05-14332 (Sheryl Zimmerman, PI).

Address correspondence to Eleanor S. McConnell, PhD, RN, GCNS-BC, Associate Professor, Duke University School of Nursing, Box 3322 DUMC, Durham, NC 27710; e-mail: eleanor.mcconnell@duke.edu.

Received: December 31, 2009
Accepted: December 07, 2010
Posted Online: June 29, 2011

doi: 10.3928/19404921-20110602-04

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