Implementing Guidelines

More and more clinical practice guidelines are evolving. Are they being used effectively?

The RNAO (Registered Nurses Association of Ontario) has developed a toolkit "designed to assist healthcare settings in maximizing the potential of clinical practice guidelines through systematic and well planned implementation."

The toolkit was designed because it has been shown that guidelines are not fully utilized unless they are effectively introduced, supported and implemented. It is essentially a workbook that the "project manager" - the individual chosen to lead the guideline implementation process - uses to step-by-step work their way to ensuring guidelines are adopted and used with success.

The toolkit is based on the conceptual model that ensures implementation of any new guideline:

• selecting the guideline
• identifying, analysing, and engaging stakeholders
• assessing environmental readiness
• deciding on the implementation strategies
• evaluating success of the implementation
  
• considering resource implications to carry out the guideline