ABSTRACT
AIM: To explore the perceptions of nurses in an acute care setting on factors influencing the effectiveness of audit and feedback. BACKGROUND: Audit and feedback is widely used and recommended in nursing to promote evidence-based practice and to improve care quality. Yet the literature has shown a limited to modest effect at most. Audit and feedback will continue to be unreliable until we learn what influences its effectiveness. METHOD: A qualitative study was conducted using individual, semi-structured interviews with 14 registered nurses in an acute care teaching hospital in Montreal, Canada. RESULTS: Three themes were identified: the relevance of audit and feedback, particularly understanding the purpose of audit and feedback and the prioritisation of audit criteria; the audit and feedback process, including its timing and feedback characteristics; and individual factors, such as personality and perceived accountability. CONCLUSION: According to participants, they were likely to have a better response to audit and feedback when they perceived that it was relevant and that the process fitted their preferences. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: This study benefits nursing leaders and managers involved in quality improvement by providing a better understanding of nurses' perceptions on how best to use audit and feedback as a strategy to promote evidence-based practice.
