Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing
Evidence-based practice or EBP, is a process "which involves defining a clinical situation of interest, formatting a good clinical question, conducting a literature search (i.e. finding the evidence), reading and critiquing researching findings or published research reports (or both) and deciding if the 'evidence' warrants a change in practice" (Godshall, 2015, p.xii).
Godshall, M. (2015). Fast facts for evidence-based practice in nursing, second edition : implementing ebp in a nutshell. Retrieved from http://ebookcentral.proquest.com
Research for Advanced Practice Nurses: From Evidence to Practice by ISBN: 9780826137258Publication Date: 2013
- Article: The Value of Library and Information Services in Nursing and Patient Care This link opens in a new windowLibraries are a primary resource for evidence-based practice. This study, using a critical incident survey administered to 6,788 nurses at 118 hospitals, sought to explore the influence of nurses’ use of library resources on both nursing and patient outcomes.
- Article: The Impact of Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing and The Next Big Ideas This link opens in a new windowThe impact of evidence-based practice (EBP) has echoed across nursing practice, education, and science. The call for evidence-based quality improvement and healthcare transformation underscores the need for redesigning care that is effective, safe, and efficient. In line with multiple direction-setting recommendations from national experts, nurses have responded to launch initiatives that maximize the valuable contributions that nurses have made, can make, and will make, to fully deliver on the promise of EBP.
What is Evidence-based Practice?
Evidence-based practice is "the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of the individual patient. It means integrating individual clinical expertise with the best available external clinical evidence from systematic research."
Evidence-based practice is also a process that begins and ends with the patient
Sackett DL, Rosenberg WM, Gray JA, Haynes RB, Richardson WS. Evidence based medicine: what it is and what it isn't This link opens in a new window. BMJ. 1996;312(7023):71-72.
Overview Resources
- BMJ EBM Toolkit This link opens in a new windowThe BMJ's free EBM toolkit enables individuals to learn, practice and discuss EBM, and provides EBM tools. There is information introducing the key methods of EBM such as clarifying a clinical question, designing a search and appraising, synthesizing and assessing the quality of the evidence. Additionally, there is information intended to support and promote discussion around EBM.
- Cochrane This link opens in a new windowCochrane is an international network with headquarters in the UK, a registered not-for-profit organization, and a member of the UK National Council for Voluntary Organizations. Cochrane is for anyone interested in using high-quality information to make health decisions. Whether you are a clinician, patient or researcher, or policy-maker, Cochrane evidence provides a powerful tool to enhance your healthcare knowledge and decision-making.
- Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine This link opens in a new windowThe goal of this website is to help develop, disseminate, and evaluate resources that can be used to practice and teach EBM for undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing education for health care professionals from a variety of clinical disciplines.
Searching for Evidence
- PubMed (MEDLINE) This link opens in a new windowThis NLM Website provides free access to MEDLINE and methodological filters built into the search strategies.
- Cochrane Library This link opens in a new windowThe Cochrane Library consists of a regularly updated collection of evidence-based medicine databases, including The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, which provide high quality information to people providing and receiving care and those responsible for research, teaching, funding and administration at all levels. [Access to abstracts is free.
- Rational Clinical Exam (series from JAMA) This link opens in a new windowArticles focus on diagnosis through physical examination. This series now includes over 40 articles studying the validity of individual components of the physical examination.
- TRIP (Turning Research into Practice) This link opens in a new windowThe TRIP Database is a meta-search engine that searches across 61 EBM sites of high-quality medical information, including online journals such as the BMJ, JAMA, NEJM.
Systematic Review, Meta-analysis and Clinical Practice Guidelines
The following table can be used to help understand the differences between these summary methodologies. One way to use the table is to begin with the headings on top and create the table interactively with the learners answering questions about the different types of studies.
EBP Video Resources
Models for Implementation
There are differing definitions of what a model is and can simply be stated that it is a representation of reality or even an easy way of organizing difficult and involved ideas. Models should be viewed as "conceptual tools or devices that can be used by an individual to understand and place complex phenomena into perspective" (McKenna & Slevin, 2011, p. 108). The following is a list of possible models that address implementing evidence based nursing or evidence based practice:
| Year | Full APA Citation | Name of Model |
|---|---|---|
| 1976, 1994, 2001 | Stetler Model of Evidence Based Practice (also previously known as: Stetler/Marram Model of Research Utilization, Stetler Model of Research Utilization) | |
| 2014 | Iowa Model of Evidence-Based Practice to Promote Quality Care | |
| 2004 | ACE Star Model of Knowledge Transformation | |
| 1998, 2004 | Ottawa Model of Research Use (OMRU) | |
| 2002, 2004 | Advancing Research and Clinical practice through close Collaboration (ARCC) model |
Source citation: McKenna, H., & Slevin, O. (2011). Vital notes for nurses : nursing models, theories and practice. Retrieved from http://ebookcentral.proquest.com
- eBook: Models and Frameworks for Implementing Evidence-Based Practice Linking Evidence to Action
This link opens in a new window
Models and Frameworks for Implementing Evidence- Based Practice: Linking Evidence to Action looks at ways of implementing evidence gained through research and factors that influence successful implementation. It acknowledges the gap that exists between obtaining evidence and the practicalities of putting it into practice and provides direction to help to close this gap
