Evidence Based Practice--is it still a mystery?

Hi! I just got back from the Case Management Society of America conference where nearly 3,000 case managers met to talk about current practice in beautiful (but hot!) Denver, Colorado. From that conference, I came away with a few things:
(1) Very few people know how to do evidence based practice;
(2) Even fewer know how to do it correctly;
(3)Everyone wants to know how to do evidence based practice.

That final point is a good one but what is deeply concerning are those that think they are doing evidence-based practice when, in fact, they are performing research. Recently in AJN, an article led one to believe that they were doing evidence-based practice in relation to IV dressings when, in fact, they were actually performing a research study. No mention was made of IRB approval. It's also concerning that the evidence that may be used to support an EBP project may not be the best evidence rather the evidence that someone "liked" or supported their position.

So I pose these questions:

• Do the people you work with clearly understand EBP and its differentiation from research?
• Is there a general lack of knowledge in the clinical setting about what EBP is and what it is not?
• Do people know how to find the best evidence?

To post a response, you don't have to be a part of this system so feel free to discuss.