What is evidence-based practice nhs

One of the key principles in medicine today is evidence-based practice in nursing (EBP). This is the practice of medicine based on solid research, and it adheres to standards for high quality and safety, all while focusing on patients’ needs. This is also why EBP is typically part of RN to BSN program curriculum.

There are many examples of EBP in the daily practice of nursing.

1. Infection Control

The last thing a patient wants when going to a hospital for treatment is a hospital-acquired infection. Nurses play a key role in helping to prevent illness before it happens by adhering to evidence-based infection-control policies. This includes keeping the healthcare environment clean, wearing personal protective clothing, using barrier precautions and practicing correct handwashing. Although nurses are busy with many responsibilities, the time it takes to control infection is well worth the effort.

2. Oxygen Use in Patients with COPD

For patient health and safety, it is essential that nurses follow evidence-based practice in nursing when it comes to giving oxygen to patients with COPD. Despite the belief by some that providing oxygen to these patients can create serious issues such as hypercarbia, acidosis or even death, the evidence-based protocol is to provide oxygen to COPD patients. This practice can help prevent hypoxia and organ failure. Giving oxygen, which is the correct treatment based on the evidence, can enhance COPD patients’ quality of life and help them live longer.

3. Measuring Blood Pressure Noninvasively in Children

Nurses should measure blood pressure according to evidence-based practice because accurate measurements are an essential part of effective treatment. Measuring blood pressure in children is a different procedure than it is for adults. Measuring children’s blood pressure involves the auscultatory method, then comparing the measurement against data gathered with the oscillometric method.

4. Intravenous Catheter Size and Blood Administration

Nurses should follow EBP when using intravenous catheters to administer blood for packed red blood cell transfusions (PRBC). The protocol indicates that nurses should use a smaller-gauge catheter, which increases patient comfort.

Although nurses are using more evidence-based practice, there is still some room for improvement. The following are some areas where nurses could better adhere to EBP:

• Communication involving changes in a patient’s status.
• Soft skills that improve patient interaction.
• Training and onboarding new nurses.
• Shift scheduling and the effect on care.

Because new research and evidence become available on an ongoing basis, EBP must adapt to the latest evidence. Often, old practices may need to change if new research overturns the principles behind them.

Evidence-based practice in nursing has advanced a great deal in recent years, and it will continue to do so.

Learn more about the A-State online RN to BSN program.

Sources:

CriticalCareNurse: Putting Evidence Into Nursing Practice

NCBI: The Evidence for Evidence-Based Practice Implementation

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Evidence based practice seeks to assess the quality of evidence of the risks and benefits of treatments (including the lack of treatment) that may have a direct impact on clinical decisions made by NHS professionals and patient care.

Evidence-based practice supports a bottom up approach that integrates the best available evidence with clinical expertise in making clinical decisions.

The e-Library for health is an online resource for NHS Wales provided by the NHS Wales Informatics Service. It provides links to sources of evidence primarily intended for NHS Wales staff.

NHS Evidence

NHS Evidence is a free service providing quick and easy access to quality health and social care information. It is aimed at everyone working in health and social cares.

NICE Pathways

NICE Pathways is an online tool for health and social care professionals that brings together all related National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance and associated products in a set of interactive topic-based diagrams. The pathways visually represent everything NICE has said on a particular topic.   Each pathway includes all relevant NICE guidance, including clinical guidelines, public health guidance, technology appraisals, interventional procedures, medical technology and diagnostics guidance, and quality standards, and accompanying tools produced by NICE to support implementation.  

NICE Pathways represent current NICE guidance and only make reference to NICE documents. The pathways do not include information or guidance from other sources or previously unpublished guidance.

Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network

The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) develops evidence based clinical practice guidelines for the National Health Service (NHS) in Scotland.

Nurses use the principles of evidence-based practice to make optimal decisions about patient care. When nurses integrate the best available science into their practice, they work from a holistic, patient-centered approach. This post outlines how evidence-based practice is used in nursing, as well as its benefits for patients, nurses, and institutions.

What Is Evidence-Based Practice?

So, what is evidence based practice definition? It is a method by which practitioners across the healthcare professions review and assess the most current, highest-quality research to inform their delivery of care. Although there is no precise standard for what constitutes evidence-based practice in nursing, the approach consists of three main components and five basic steps.

What Are the 3 Components of Evidence-Based Practice?

If you’re a nurse who wants to make decisions according to evidence based medicine practice, use these three components:1,2

1. Best external evidence: Evaluate and implement the most current, clinically relevant, and scientifically sound research. (See next section about types of research used.)
2. Individual clinical expertise: Draw on your personal experience of what has worked and not worked in your clinical practice.
3. Patient values and expectations: Consider and value the preferences of your individual patients.

What Types of Research Are Used in Evidence-Based Practice?

Levels of evidence in healthcare research can be grouped into four categories according to how credible the information is.3 These four categories, ranging from the most credible to least, include:

1. Randomized controlled trials
2. Evidence from cohort, case-control, or observational studies
3. Expert opinions that are supported by experience, studies, or reports
4. Personal experience

You can glean useful information from any of these types of healthcare research, but you should strive to make decisions based on the most credible science available.

What Are the 5 Steps of Evidence-Based Practice?

According to the Cleveland Clinic, there are five steps in the process of implementing evidence based medicine practice.4 Also known as the “five A’s of evidence based practice” in health science, these steps include:

1. Ask: Formulate answerable clinical questions about a patient, problem, intervention, or outcome.
2. Acquire: Search for relevant evidence to answer questions.
3. Appraise: Determine whether or not the evidence is high-quality and valuable.
4. Apply: Make clinical decisions utilizing the best available evidence.
5. Assess: Evaluate the outcome of applying the evidence to the patient’s situation.

Some healthcare organizations choose to add a sixth step, “disseminate,” to the cycle.5 When you share your own research and evidence with colleagues, this supports the widespread use of evidence-based practice in nursing. You can disseminate knowledge by communicating the information directly to fellow practitioners, publishing in peer-reviewed journals or professional newsletters, or presenting at conferences.

Benefits of Evidence-Based Practice

Evidence-based practices have proven to lead to better patient, provider, and institutional outcomes, such as more consistent care and reduced costs.6

Benefits to the field of nursing include:

• Prioritizing the needs of patients. Although evidence based nursing relies on research, it also considers the desires of individual patients. Since one of the main tenets of nursing is focusing on the patient’s needs, evidence based practice helps you continue to improve patient outcomes while weighing the preferences and experiences of each patient.
• Better patient care decisions that also save nurses time. Evidence-based practice can save time, as you can stop engaging in activities that have no known benefit to patients. For example, nurses used to spend up to 20 minutes a day bathing each patient and changing their dressings, until research revealed that some dressings are better left in place longer and that daily baths don’t impact outcomes. (Of course, under some circumstances it may be indicated to perform these practices daily or even more often; it depends on >the individual patient case.)

Evidence-based practice also benefits nursing by keeping practices current and relevant, increasing nurses’ confidence and decision-making skills, and contributing to the science of the profession.7

Examples of Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing

Through evidence-based practice, nurses have improved the care they deliver to patients. Key examples of evidence-based practice in nursing include:

• Giving oxygen to patients with COPD: Drawing on evidence to understand how to properly give oxygen to patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
• Measuring blood pressure noninvasively in children: Using the auscultatory method and then comparing the measurement against data obtained with the oscillometric method as suggested by evidence.
• Using the correct intravenous catheter size: Recognizing the benefits of using smaller-gauge catheters to improve patient comfort.
• Valuing the role of family members: Knowing that the recognition of family involvement may lead to more efficient and effective care, as family members may significantly influence how a patient presents symptoms to healthcare providers.
• Improving infection control practices: Understanding that wearing personal protective clothing and practicing handwashing are key to infection control.
• Recognizing alarm fatigue: By reflecting on current practices, nursing staff can create effective protocols ensuring that nurses who are desensitized to sound due to alarm fatigue are monitoring patients correctly.

When you apply scientific evidence to your nursing practice, it helps you deliver high-quality, safe care—and it improves outcomes for patients, your workplace, and your own career. If you are studying to become a nurse or a nurse practitioner, you can expect to learn how to evaluate research, make informed decisions, and deliver the best care you can. At the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, coursework in both of our graduate nursing programs—the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)—is dedicated to the evidence-based practice process.

The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) offers a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program, a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program, and Post-Graduate Nursing Certificates designed for working nurses. Our degrees are offered online, with optional on-campus immersions* and an annual interprofessional trip abroad. Role specialties include Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Nurse Educator,** and Nurse Executive. The MSN has several options to accelerate your time to degree completion. Complete coursework when and where you want—and earn your advanced nursing degree while keeping your work and life in balance.

*The FNP role specialty includes two required hands-on clinical intensives as part of the curriculum.
**The Nurse Educator role specialty is not available for the DNP program.