Posted: November 16th, 2023
Support for Good Care and Evidence-based Practice
Support for Good Care and Evidence-based Practice
Evidence-based practice (EBP) is the process of integrating the best available research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values to make decisions about health care (Melnyk and Fineout-Overholt, 2019). EBP is essential for providing high-quality, safe, and effective care that meets the needs and preferences of patients and their families. EBP also helps health care professionals to stay updated on the latest developments in their fields and to avoid unnecessary or harmful interventions.
However, implementing EBP in health care settings is not always easy. There are many barriers and challenges that can hinder the adoption and use of EBP, such as lack of time, resources, skills, knowledge, motivation, leadership, and organizational culture (Grol and Grimshaw, 2003). Therefore, health care professionals need support from various sources to overcome these obstacles and to promote EBP in their practice.
Some of the sources of support for EBP include:
– Education and training: Health care professionals need to acquire the knowledge and skills to access, appraise, and apply research evidence in their practice. They also need to learn how to formulate clinical questions, search for relevant information, critically evaluate the quality and validity of the evidence, and integrate it with their clinical judgment and patient preferences. Education and training can be provided through formal courses, workshops, online modules, journal clubs, mentoring, coaching, or peer learning (Straus et al., 2011).
– Information technology: Health care professionals need to have access to reliable and up-to-date sources of evidence, such as databases, journals, guidelines, protocols, decision aids, or point-of-care tools. Information technology can facilitate the retrieval and dissemination of evidence by providing electronic platforms, networks, systems, or devices that can store, organize, search, display, or deliver information in a timely and convenient manner (McGowan et al., 2008).
– Organizational culture: Health care professionals need to work in an environment that fosters and supports EBP. Organizational culture refers to the shared values, beliefs, norms, and practices that influence the behavior and attitudes of the members of an organization. A positive organizational culture for EBP is one that encourages learning, innovation, collaboration, feedback, quality improvement, and patient-centeredness. Organizational culture can be influenced by factors such as leadership, vision, mission, goals, policies, procedures, incentives, rewards, or recognition (Stetler et al., 2006).
In conclusion, EBP is a key component of good care that can improve patient outcomes and satisfaction. However, EBP requires support from various sources to overcome the barriers and challenges that can impede its implementation. Health care professionals need education and training to develop their EBP competencies; information technology to access and use evidence; and organizational culture to create a conducive environment for EBP.
Works Cited
Grol R. & Grimshaw J. (2003). From best evidence to best practice: effective implementation of change in patients’ care. Lancet 362(9391):1225-1230.
McGowan J., Hogg W., Campbell C., & Rowan M. (2008). Just-in-time information improved decision-making in primary care: a randomized controlled trial. PLoS One 3(11):e3785.
Melnyk B.M. & Fineout-Overholt E. (2019). Evidence-based practice in nursing & healthcare: a guide to best practice (4th ed.). Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer.
Stetler C.B., Ritchie J.A., Rycroft-Malone J., & Charns M.P. (2006). Leadership for evidence-based practice: strategic and functional behaviors for institutionalizing EBP write my nursing thesis. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing 3(3):118-128.
Straus S.E., Glasziou P., Richardson W.S., & Haynes R.B. (2011). Evidence-based medicine: how to practice and teach it (4th ed.). Edinburgh: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone.