Most of this information is laid out in the form of check-lists designed to be of practical assistance to those responsible for disseminating, implementing or using these guidelines. Awareness is created by effective dissemination. Different audiences may benefit from different strategies. Tailoring and targeting, for example, are likely to be quite different for an audience of service managers than for an audience of nursing staff. 6.2 Implementation Even effective dissemination of a set of guidelines will not necessarily ensure their use.
Complex factors influence how and why new knowledge affects people's practice.
It has been a subject of interest for theorists and researchers in many areas, including psychology, agriculture, education and management. There is no single answer. Check-list 2 summarises some key ideas from this literature in a format that is designed to assist those responsible for introducing guidelines, and thereby increase the likelihood of successful implementation. Clinical audit is a widely used method which compares current clinical practice against previously agreed standards. Clinical practice guidelines can be used as a basis for developing measurable, evidence-based standards.