Implementing evidence-based health care: The nurse teachers' role in supporting the dissemination and implementation of SIGN clinical guidelines

The effectiveness of clinical care and treatment is central to the quality of health care. Clinical guidelines, audit and research are interrelated ac tivities central to the delivery of high quality services and care. A cultu re is required that supports the implementation of clinical guidelines and encourages clinicians to critically appraise and evaluate their practice an d to become more involved in clinical audit and research. An essential elem ent in the effective implementation of clinical guidelines is educational s upport. This paper will describe the results of a study which explored the nature of the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) and the nu rse teachers' role in supporting the dissemination and implementation of cl inical guidelines within acute care nursing and subsequent curriculum desig n. (C) 2000 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.