Evidence-based practice "is a systematic approach to clinical problem solving which allows the integration of the best available research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values" (Sackett et al., 2000).
And "it also requires the health professional to consider characteristics of the practice context in which they work." (Hoffman et al., 2017, p. 4).
Best Available Research Evidence:
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Clinical research is a continuous, ever-changing process
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New publications and information are shared daily
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By the time you join a facility, new practices may have been implemented
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Healthcare practitioners and nurses are required to keep pace with changes in the field by attending conferences, trainings, or continuing education courses
Clinical Expertise:
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As healthcare practitioners and nurses, your professional experiences, your observations, your informed knowledge, and your medical reasoning will influence your interactions with patients
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Clinical research may be performed by: hospitals, healthcare providers, researchers, specialists, universities, companies (ex. medical equipment manufacturers)
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Clinical trials can sometimes take place in hospitals, outpatient clinics, or real-world environments
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Healthcare practitioners and nurses may work with or become part of a clinical or hospital research team, which might include observations about how clinical research changes in a real-world environment
Patient Values:
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A patient's personal beliefs, personal values, cultural practices, and/or personal preferences can influence applicable healthcare options
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Individualized high quality, patient-centered care is the core of healthcare
Practice Context:
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A facility's available resources or characteristics (ex. leadership, team dynamics, type of facility, equipment etc.) can influence the EBP process.
References:
Hoffman, T. Bennett, S. & Del Mar, C. (2017). Evidence-based practice: Across the health professions (3rd ed.). Elsevier.
Sackett, D. L., Straus, S. E., Richardson, W. S., Rosenberg, W., & Haynes, R. B. (2000). Evidence-based medicine: How to practice and teach EBM (2nd ed.). Churchill Livingstone.