The BARRIERS scale -- the barriers to research utilization scale: A systematic review

Abstract

BackgroundA commonly recommended strategy for increasing research use in clinical practice is to identify barriers to change and then tailor interventions to overcome the identified barriers. In nursing, the BARRIERS scale has been used extensively to identify barriers to research utilization.Aim and objectivesThe aim of this systematic review was to examine the state of knowledge resulting from use of the BARRIERS scale and to make recommendations about future use of the scale. The following objectives were addressed: To examine how the scale has been modified, to examine its psychometric properties, to determine the main barriers (and whether they varied over time and geographic locations), and to identify associations between nurses' reported barriers and reported research use.MethodsMedline (1991 to September 2009) and CINHAL (1991 to September 2009) were searched for published research, and ProQuest® digital dissertations were searched for unpublished dissertations using the BARRIERS scale. Inclusion criteria were: studies using the BARRIERS scale in its entirety and where the sample was nurses. Two authors independently assessed the study quality and extracted the data. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used.ResultsSixty-three studies were included, with most using a cross-sectional design. Not one study used the scale for tailoring interventions to overcome identified barriers. The main barriers reported were related to the setting, and the presentation of research findings. Overall, identified barriers were consistent over time and across geographic locations, despite varying sample size, response rate, study setting, and assessment of study quality. Few studies reported associations between reported research use and perceptions of barriers to research utilization.ConclusionsThe BARRIERS scale is a nonspecific tool for identifying general barriers to research utilization. The scale is reliable as reflected in assessments of internal consistency. The validity of the scale, however, is doubtful. There is no evidence that it is a useful tool for planning implementation interventions. We recommend that no further descriptive studies using the BARRIERS scale be undertaken. Barriers need to be measured specific to the particular context of implementation and the intended evidence to be implemented.

Barriers to implementing evidence-based practice in a private intensive care unit in the Eastern Cape

“…An 18-item self-constructed measurement was sourced from Brown et al [13] and Kajermo et al [14] A five-point Likert scale was used.…”

Einstellungen Pflegender in deutschen Krankenhäusern zu einer evidenzbasierten Pflegepraxis

“…Eine Grundvoraussetzung dafür und somit für die Implementierung von EBP ist, neben der Entwicklung und Evaluation pflegerischer Interventio-nen, die Identifikation und Beseitigung von Barrieren der Umsetzung einer EBP. Hier gibt es bereits seit vielen Jahren umfangreiche Forschungsaktivitäten (Kajermo, Bostrom, Thompson, Hutchinson, Estabrooks & Wallin, 2010;Hutchinson & Johnston, 2004;Retsas, 2000;Sitzia, 2002). Die Ergebnisse aktueller Arbeiten deuten darauf hin, dass Barrieren vor allem struktureller Natur sind, also in fehlenden Kompetenzen und den Arbeitsbedingungen der Pflegenden liegen (Kajermo et al, 2012).…”

Going beyond the identification of change facilitators to effectively implement a new model of services: Lessons learned from a case example in paediatric rehabilitation

“…In some cases, the same factor was perceived as a facilitator and as a barrier, either At the structure level (theme 1), almost twice as many barriers were noted compared to facilitators. The lack of time and heavy caseloads reported by our participants are identified as barriers in the literature [9,21]. Other barriers concerned the coordination of services and the organization of the programme in sub programmes and regional locations.…”

“…Service providers generally perceived the new model positively. The acceptance of a new model has been described as an important facilitator [21,38].…”

“…This could be accomplished by combining an examination of the various contextual and human facilitators and barriers in a given organizational context [21] with better descriptions of the strategies used to implement a change. Moreover, it is important to know how the initial facilitators and barriers evolve over time during an implementation process, and how the different factors interact and influence the process.…”