The Evidence-Based Practice In Nursing Practice

Evidence-Base practice (EBP) is defined as: “based on problem identified from the practitioner’s area of practice; a combining of best evidence and professional expertise and an integration of this into current practice; about ensuring patients receive quality care, being part of quality improvement processes; about collaboration and requiring a team approach” (French, 1999). Scott and Mcsherry (2008) supported the French’s assertion, proposing the key elements of EBP are that it is a theory-driven process, which involves the use, evaluation and application of research; identification of best evidence; evaluation of care; problem solving; decision-making; clinical expertise; and requires patient involvement. Evidence-based practice is made of evidence, clinical expertise, patient preference, the context of care (Barker, 2013). In brief, evidence-based practice is the parameter in the nursing practice that it requires that the nurses gather and use clinical evidence to make decision for the patients so that in the nursing process they can deliver the quality of care for the patients (Ellis, 2013). In the other words, in the nursing practice all the nursing procedures performed by the clinical evidence supported.

Evidence based practice is an integral part of nursing care. According to the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses, evidence based practice is defined as, “the conscientious use of current best evidence in making decisions about patient care.” (AMSN) The use of evidence based practice has drastically improved patient outcomes, increased quality and safety of healthcare, and reduced costs for facilities. (Melnyk, 2016) In this paper I will provide the history of evidence based practice, how it has already been incorporated and impacted healthcare, and why it is important to nursing and healthcare as a whole.

The following literature will define the term, “evidence informed practice”. It will discuss the benefits and limitations of integrating evidence informed practice in nursing. It will include information about how nurses can overcome these barriers. It will also illustrate the importance of utilising evidence informed practice to enhance the quality of service delivered within the healthcare profession.

Evidenced Based Practice (EBP) is essential to enable all nurses to provide the most current up to date practises for their patients. This process involves research, systematic review of current practises, critical thinking skills, evaluation and application to the clinical setting. In addition to this, the nurse must take into account the patients’ preferences. For nurses to have professional autonomy they must be able to justify their actions and demonstrate an understanding of why they perform the tasks they do. This defines them as unique professionals judged by their knowledge and not simply by their hands on skills.

This paper will discuss the PICO question of does applying a CHG tegaderm versus a regular tegaderm dressing decrease the rate of infection in patients with invasive lines? There are a high number of invasive line infections and it is important to know if a product can decrease a patient’s rate of infection. This paper will analyze the information found and explore how evidence based practice is useful to nurses.

Sterile technique is required for insertion of an indwelling urinary catheter in the hospital setting, but clean technique can be used for intermittent catheterization in non-acute settings. By itself, sterile technique on insertion doesn't prevent UTI’s. Prevention of UTI’s depends on knowledge of causes, proper care techniques, and early catheter removal. Nurses are taught early on in school that sterile technique helps to reduce infections. It was drilled in our heads the entire time and now to have the evidence tell us that early catheter removal, along with proper technique good hand hygiene is the key to reduce UTI’s.

Evidence based practice is an important priority in nursing because it ensures that the best quality and most effective care is being used. Restraint use is an intervention that is being minimized more and more. It can be an important intervention when necessary but there are specific circumstances and guidelines that must be followed. Evidence based practice is proving that restraint use may be eliminated due to safety concerns and more beneficial interventions being used.

Over the last several years, nurses have been facing critical challenges. This is because there is a shortage of qualified individuals inside many facilities. At the same time, they are expected to serve a variety of roles in order to address the needs of stakeholders. To fully understand what is occurring requires focusing on the use of evidence based practices inside a clinical setting and formulating strategies for overcoming barriers to them. Together, these elements will highlight the underlying challenges and how they can be addressed in the long term. (Lundry, 2009)

Evidence - Based Nursing, An introduction (2008, p. 285 ) “ The rapidity of change and the reorganization of nursing services within the health care sector presents challenges for the advancement of EBP. Managers and administrators should facilitate the uptake of practice based on current, high-quality research by formalizing the expectation that nurses care be Evidence Based”.

Evidence based practice (EBP) is using the most current scientific evidence when making decisions about patient care. Evidence based nursing uses the best evidence available, combined with nursing expertise and preferences of the patient/family to create the best patient care possible (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2014). The definition of EBP continues to broaden in scope in order to include every approach to practice, and now includes both external and internal evidence involving clinical questions to achieve the desired patient outcome (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2014).

Evidence-Base practice (EBP) is defined as based on problems identified from nursing practice; using best evidence and professional expertise and merging them into current practice to ensure patients receive quality care (French, 1999). Evidence-based practice is a part of quality improvement process; it is made of evidence, clinical expertise, patient preference and the context of care (Barker, 2013). In brief, evidence-based practice is the guideline in the nursing practice that requires nurses gather and use clinical evidence to help diagnose or assess patients correctly by using their knowledge and experience in order they can deliver the quality of care to the patients (Ellis, 2013). In the other words, in the nursing practice the clinical evidence supports all the nursing procedures performed.

Evidence Based Practice (EBP) is a process that permits us to evaluate study, scientific strategies, and other evidence resources centered on high quality outcomes and put on the results to run-through [Academic of Medical-Surgical nurse (AMSN, 2014)].

As a new nurse I found myself in situations where I wanted to apply by the book nursing as I was taught in nursing school. I wanted to be a top notch nurse. I soon found out that based on certain situations that were not always the best practice for the patient and me. I also found out that I could not being real life situations to work either, such as when my patient gets a skin tear kiss it and place a band aide on it. I found out in the real world of nursing that there were such things as institutional policies that did not always sync up with the book form of nursing I was always privy too.

Before an evidence-based nursing can be successfully implemented, these barriers need to be tackled because its implementation isn’t easy. The identified major barriers to EVP include clinicians’ lack of EBP and skills, the notion that EBP is burdensome & time consuming, some organizational cultures don’t support EBP environment. It is noted by Melnyk and colleagues that EBP has been hindered mostly by time and organizational culture and because of these reasons has prevented healthcare professionals from using evidence in their practice. They opined that identification of these barriers will lead to education about the importance of

Evidence-based practice (EBP) in nursing means making decisions about patient care on the basis of best, current, standardized practice and guidelines. According to an article, written by Dr. Kathleen Stevens, the development of evidence-based practice (EBP) is fueled by the increasing public and professional demand for accountability in safety and quality improvement in health care (Stevens, 2013). The author also mentioned in her article that the intended effect of EBP is to standardize healthcare practices to science and best evidence and to reduce illogical variation in care,