Evidence Based Practice
Evidence based practice is defined as thorough, clear, and careful use of existing evidence in patients’ care decision making (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2011). Evidence based practice helps to integrate best available evidence that can guide nursing care and create improvement in patient outcomes.
How evidence based practice is used in a practice setting
Evidence based practice involves clinicians undertaking to stay in connection with the research literature and using it in their decision making. It also involves weighing the value in every section of the research evidence including clinical data and the choice of the client. This implies, there is a need to know what is stated in the research, share the knowledge with the clients in unbiased manner, and allow those clients to make decisions about care basing on the evaluation (Houser & Oman, 2011). Evidence based practice is being used in a practice setting using the following procedure. The first step is formulation of a clinical question from the care of the patient. After formulating the questions, appropriate resources are selected to conduct a search. The literature is read and criticized. Recommendations are made for a day to day practice basing on the available literature. Subsequently, the recommendations are implemented, documented and analysis of changes and outcomes of the intervention. In the implementation of the recommendations, research is applied to the clinical setting and the client. The client and the service provider are included in the implementation process (Houser & Oman, 2011). The results of the evidence based practice are finally shared with others through by writing them up. The purpose of EBP is to incorporate a clinical expertise, scientific evidence, and caregiver values in provision of high quality services.
References
Melnyk, B. M., & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2011). Evidence-based practice in nursing & healthcare: A guide to best practice. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Houser, J., & Oman, K. S. (2011). Evidence-based practice: An implementation guide for healthcare organizations. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning.
