Abstract
The issues of quality and patient safety have increasingly become the focus of nursing practice in contemporary society. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the significance of incorporating evidence-based practice (EBP) in nursing care. EBP involves the incorporation of scientific knowledge into care processes to enhance healthcare quality and safety. The introductory section of this essay will provide the background information regarding EBP, including the thesis statement. Part A will underscore the goal of utilizing evidence-based practice in nursing. Part B will explore the rationale for teaching students and practice nurses research methods as a prerequisite for EBP. Part C will appraise a nursing journal that illustrates how Australia is using EBP to manage the catheter-associated urinary tract infections in nursing homes. The final section (Part D) will summarize the main ideas presented in the entire paper.
The issues of quality and patient safety have increasingly become the focus of nursing practice in contemporary society. The provision of efficacious and safe care is essential to facilitate quality improvements and healthcare reforms (You et al., 2013). Evidence-based practice (EBP) has emerged as the principal prerequisite that is now driving the patient care processes. According to Polit and Beck (2008), EBP entails the incorporation of the best available research evidence into nursing decisions to optimize the caring process. Polit and Beck have argued that EBP informs clinical decisions based on scientific proof rather than personal intuitions. As such, it is imperative for every nurse to employ the evidence-based practice as the foundation for improving health care quality and enhancing clinical outcomes.
Evidence Based Practice
The transition towards EBP has played a fundamental role in bridging the quality chasm between the conventional practices and the most effective health care. One of the critical concerns of healthcare has been the irrational disparities in the delivery of care (You et al., 2013). Titler (2007) has identified these variations as the underlying risk factors for the unpredictable clinical outcomes. Thus, the EBP movement encourages all the health care professions, particularly the nurses, to integrate the best scientific knowledge of care processes (Lubejko, 2014). The EBP standardizes healthcare practices to improve quality (Finkelman & Kenner, 2013). The evidence-based practice is core to nursing care for various reasons.
Firstly, EBP has played an instrumental role in establishing the tenets of accountability both at the public and professional levels. Medication errors, coupled with the rising incidences of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) have moved to the forefront the issues of quality and safety (Polit & Beck, 2008). Titler (2007) has found out that the traditional practices of nursing care may be harming patients inadvertently. Thus, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) has generated reports that have consistently underscored the role of evidence-based interventions in addressing these concerns. The continuous use of the untested interventions is unjustifiable in ethical terms (Finkelman & Kenner, 2013). The best available evidence is crucial because it helps the nurses to make rational decisions when developing and implementing care plans (You et al., 2013).
Secondly, EBP eliminates the unnecessary and ineffective practices that compromise the quality and safety of nursing care. Nurses have traditionally employed the trial-and-error approach when providing care to patients. Nonetheless, this methodology is not only time-consuming but it is also counter-productive (Polit & Beck, 2008). EBP has addressed these critical concerns by facilitating the process of developing the tools for managing patient care. The nurses are now using different sources of research evidence to formulate care maps, protocols, and critical pathways. The patient management tools reduce the inherent variability in nursing care and practices (Armola et al., 2009).
Thirdly, EBP supports the implementation of person-centered care in nursing practice. One of the core competencies developed by the IOM is the delivery of personalized and holistic care. Conversely, the uniqueness of individual patients may discourage nurses from using the best evidence (Finkelman & Kenner, 2013). Lubejko (2014) has acknowledged the uncertainty that is inherent in the nursing care processes. The integration of scientific evidence from these procedures quantifies these uncertainties. The uniqueness of patients mandates the caregivers to apply the best available evidence critically and appropriately (Polit & Beck, 2008).
Research Methods to Implement EBP
The effectual translation of research findings into nursing practice necessitates the systematic analysis of the scientific evidence. In practice, the EBP challenges the nurses to review the current procedures and practices critically prior to identifying the best strategies for quality improvement (Lawrence, 2007). The nurses will not always find pre-appraised literature to find quick answers to their questions. By contrast, they have to conduct either design unit-based studies or systematic reviews (Polit & Beck, 2008). This information is essential to make sound judgments concerning clinical practices and decisions (Armola et al., 2009). It is imperative for the nurses to understand research methods to implement EBP adequately.
The evidence that supports EBP is always in the form of multiple levels of quality. For instance, the research findings from randomized clinical trials (RCTs) are more superior to those from expert opinions (Lawrence, 2007). Consequently, practicing nurses must appraise the research evidence to ascertain its methodological rigor and strength before utilizing it decision-making processes. An in-depth understanding of the nursing research methods enables the nurses to grade the scientific evidence based on various components (Armola et al., 2009). These aspects include the study design and methodologies. The clinicians should also possess the requisite skills to evaluate both the benefits and risks of using the research findings (Kent & Fineout-Overholt, 2008).
The successful implementation of EBP mandates the nurses to locate the research evidence that is both reliable and valid. The initial step of this process entails the formulation of a research question. According to Lawrence (2007), research questions enable the nurses to conduct a literature search of the most relevant studies from the nursing databases. Thus, the nurses require analytical skills to identify and synthesize the best available evidence (Gallagher-Ford, 2008). Kent and Fineout-Overholt (2008) have warned clinicians against the indiscriminate use of the information published in internet sources. The sagacity of this statement is that some information may be based on personal intuitions rather than sound scientific methodologies.
The clinical research designs are crucial elements of evidence-based practice in nursing. The multiplicity of these approaches may be confusing to the majority of nurses. For instance, some clinicians may not comprehend the differences in quality between experimental and observational designs (Gallagher-Ford, 2008). Polit and Beck (2008) have indicated that the most nurses lack the self-efficacy to incorporate EBP into nursing practice. One of the barriers to the effectual use of EBP is limited training and education. Kent and Fineout-Overholt (2008) have highlighted the significance of ensuring that nursing students develop the scientific underpinnings for EBP. The introduction of continuing education enables the practicing nurses to update their skills and knowledge (Gallagher-Ford, 2008).
Utilizing EBP Around the World
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) represent one of the most severe hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) among the elderly living in residential care (Beveridge, Davey, Phillips, & McMurdo, 2011). The indwelling urinary catheters inherent in this population group increase the risk of the urinary-associated UTIs (Flanagan et al., 2014). As such, hospitals across the globe have started using evidence-based practice to improve the quality of care. Yu, Traynor, and Hailey (2014) developed a mixed method research to explore the assessment and management of urinary continence in five Australian nursing homes.
The authors identified significant differences in evaluation and management practices across the hospitals. Accordingly, Yu et al. (2014) have used the findings from their research to formulate evidence-based practices. Some of the areas that require improvements include enhanced training for effectual continence care in the Australian nursing homes and compliance with care plans. The authors have also underscored the need to improve person-centered care to facilitate the efficacious assessment and management of urinary continence. Other nursing homes across the world could also use this evidence to enhance their healing practices.
Conclusion
The demands for accountability in nursing practice have increasingly shifted focus toward patient safety and quality. As such, it is imperative for every nurse to employ the evidence-based practice (EBP) as the foundation for improving health care quality and enhancing clinical outcomes. EBP has been instrumental in EBP supports the implementation of person-centered care in nursing practice. Secondly, EBP eliminates the unnecessary and ineffective practices that compromise the quality and safety of nursing care. Thirdly, EBP has played a critical role in meeting the demands for healthcare safety and quality. Nonetheless, the successful realization of these goals requires the nurses to have sound research skills. Thus, it is essential for both the student and practice nurses to gain in-depth knowledge of research methods to implement EBP adequately.
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