Abstract
Diffusion of new evidence-based nursing techniques is an urgent issue for nursing. Although the term “innovation” is often used in relation to this issue, its meaning remains unclear. The objective of this research is to clarify what “innovation in nursing in Japan” actually means at present so that a strategic model for diffusion of new evidence-based nursing techniques can be established. Rodgers’ concept analysis method was used as the research approach to analyze 15 Japanese articles from the literature containing the terms “innovation” and “nursing” . The results showed that the antecedent to innovation in nursing in Japan was the process of noticing the presence of problems and adopting new techniques to resolve them, and there were factors that acted on the process. The attributes were the details of evidence-based techniques that would replace existing nursing techniques and practice patterns. The primary consequence was incorporating the techniques into an organization and the secondary consequence was the outcome resulting from implementing the incorporated techniques. Innovation in nursing, from the antecedent through to the consequences, showed the process of diffusing new nursing techniques and included factors that affected that diffusion.
