Evidence-Based Practice for Nurse Practitioners

Evidence-Based Practice for Nurse Practitioners

What is Evidence-Based Practice?

Evidence-based practice (EBP) refers to the conscientious use of up to date best evidence while making informed decisions regarding the patient’s care. Therefore, EBP is a problem-solving strategy applied in administrative and clinical practice issues that integrates the following; undertakes a systematic search not only for the critical appraisal but also uses the most relevant evidence in answering critical nursing questions. It also dependents on the individual clinical expertise and takes into account the patient values and preferences.  The EBP process is an approach method that allows the nursing practitioner to weigh the research and clinical guidelines among other information resources depending on the quality of the findings and put on the results obtained into the practice.

Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing Practice

What is a Clinical Practice Guideline?

The Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) refers to a framework that guides clinical decisions to support nursing best practices. CPG are statements that underscore recommendations aimed at optimizing patient care. These statements are informed through the help of a systematic review of the available evidence, assessment of harms and benefits for the alternative care options.  The CPG should adhere to transparent and sound methodology in order to translate the best evidence to clinical practices focused on improving the patient outcome. Thus CPG is a central aspect in the patient-centered care. Evidence-Based Practice for Nurse Practitioners

Hierarchy of evidence includes the following chronology; a systematic review of the RCTs, individual RCT, none or all study, cohort studies that are systematically reviewed, personal or individual cohort study, ecological studies or outcome research, and finally systematic review based on case-control studies also known as expert opinions.

The Impact of Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing

Evidence-based practice in nursing helps to describe the appropriate care for the patient based on the broad consensus and the best available scientific evidence. It highlights the shortcomings of the existing literature and opens up an avenue for future research. Evidence-Based Practice for Nurse Practitioners

It promotes the efficient use of the resource in healthcare and provides a focus for a continuation of education by providing a rationale on which referrals are made. Most importantly, it minimizes inappropriate variation in the nursing practice.

Strategies to Support Evidence-Based Practice

Use of multifaceted approach in teaching EBP to nursing students and promoting the use of technology to enhance EBP studies through enhancing mobility and ease of accessing information. It is also important to integrate EBP studies to the acute and critical care academic nursing education. Evidence-Based Practice for Nurse Practitioners

Encouraging a culture of inquiry, search for the best evidence, critically appraising the evidence, integrating the evidence with clinical values, patient preferences, and clinical expertise and evaluating the achieved outcome.

Evidence-Based Practice for Nurse Practitioners