Introduction
Hypertension appears to be one of the most crucial preventable diseases that contribute to the incidence and mortality rates in the contemporary population. Therefore, it is decided to review an evidence-based practice guideline that could decrease the negative impact of hypertension among adults. The guideline under consideration is developed by James et al. (2014). The purpose of this paper is to overview the question of translation of this guideline into practice along with the discussion of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of its implementation.
Development of the Protocol for the Guideline
It is possible to state that the guideline developed by James et al. (2014) is practice-oriented, and thus it appears that it would not be difficult to translate it into evidence-based practice. It is also worth mentioning that the guideline is suitable for the implementation in the hospital setting by an advanced practice nurse. The article contains a comprehensive algorithm for hypertension management, which could serve as the basis for the development of a protocol for translation into practice (James et al., 2014).
Implementation of the Guideline
Strengths
The primary strength of the guideline under consideration is that it is supported by profound and thorough research in the identified area of concern. James et al. (2014) reviewed previously created guidelines to improve and advance their recommendations. The guideline thoroughly investigates such aspects as the use of antihypertensive drugs, age differentiation, and other forms of treatment of hypertension.
Weaknesses
Arguably, the most evident weakness of the guideline developed by James et al. (2014) is that the authors did not pay considerable attention to the aspect of acute hypertension care. Even though the guideline is comprehensive enough for the provision of long-term care, James et al. (2014) do not mention any specific approaches to acute care. However, this aspect is of high importance since a vast majority of hypertension-related incidence and mortality is caused by the insufficient provision of acute care for hypertensive patients (Middleton, Grimley, & Alexandrov, 2015).
Opportunities
One of the primary opportunities for the improvement of the existing guideline is the application of evidence-based practice competencies in the practical implementation of recommended instruction. As it is stated by Melnyk, Gallagher-Ford, Long, and Fineout-Overholt (2014), evidence-based practice competencies, even though it is widely known that they improve the quality of care, are still not sufficiently implemented by healthcare workers. Therefore, there is an opportunity for improvement.
Threats
The most evident threat is the insufficient level of preparedness among advanced practice nurses in the hospital setting in which the guideline will be implemented. It is of high importance that every healthcare worker who is involved in hypertension care reviews the guideline and its practical implications. It is also evident that the current guideline lacks concise and comprehensive recommendations about acute hypertension care, which is also a threat.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is essential to mention that significant progress is made in terms of improving the quality of care for hypertension patients. This paper exemplifies that there is a solid scientific research that could also be effectively translated into practice. This essay states that the identified guideline is considered suitable for advanced nursing practice and that it has significant strengths and opportunities for further development. However, the guideline also has weaknesses and threats that are to be considered by any advanced practice nurse as well as researchers who aim at further improvement of the guideline.
References
James, P. A., Oparil, S., Carter, B. L., Cushman, W. C., Dennison-Himmelfarb, C., Handler, J.,… Smith, S. C. (2014). 2014 evidence-based guideline for the management of high blood pressure in adults: Report from the panel members appointed to the Eighth Joint National Committee (JNC 8). Jama, 311(5), 507-520.
Melnyk, B. M., Gallagher-Ford, L., Long, L. E., & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2014). The establishment of evidence-based practice competencies for practicing registered nurses and advanced practice nurses in real-world clinical settings: Proficiencies to improve healthcare quality, reliability, patient outcomes, and costs. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing, 11(1), 5-15.
Middleton, S., Grimley, R., & Alexandrov, A. W. (2015). Triage, treatment, and transfer: Evidence-based clinical practice recommendations and models of nursing care for the first 72 hours of admission to hospital for acute stroke. Stroke, 46(2), e18-e25.