The Evidence-Nursing Practice Connection
Improving patient care and outcomes is paramount to the practice of nursing. As we conclude the learning journey through our world of research and evidence-based practice, please reflect on the following:
• Think about nursing practice and describe one barrier that you think prohibits nurses from engaging in EBP; share one strategy you could use to facilitate the use of evidence to help improve nursing care for patients.
• Describe how your thinking has changed about nursing research and evidence-based practice over the past 8 weeks; describe one new learned item during this course that you believe was the most helpful.
Sample Solution
One of the major barriers that I feel prohibits nurses from engaging in evidence based practice (EBP) is a lack of education on how to locate, interpret and apply research findings. The majority of nursing programs do not require students to take an evidence-based course which limits their ability to utilize research when making clinical decisions.
Additionally, nurses may not have access to the most current literature due to time constraints or financial limitations; this can further restrict their knowledge and prevent them from utilizing EBP.
To facilitate the use of evidence in order improve patient care, I believe that there needs to be a shift in nurse's attitudes towards EBP and research utilization. One way this could be accomplished is by incorporating continuing education opportunities on EBP into nurse's professional development plans as well as providing adequate resources for nurses who would like additional information about research findings related to their field of work. This could include developing online webinars or offering seminars at hospitals/medical facilities highlighting recent studies related to different areas within nursing practice. This type of training would help nurses identify gaps in their knowledge base regarding specific topics and allow them search for applicable research relevant those areas. Establishing databases with easy access points would also make it easier for nurses find the pertinent information they need quickly and confidently integrate it into their practice.
My thinking has drastically changed since taking this course; prior my enrollment I had minimal experience with nursing research so this class was a perfect start point me gain more insight into how evidence based practices are developed and implemented throughout healthcare settings. Through my journey I learned several new concepts such as levels of evidence, reliability assessment tools, qualitative versus quantitative methods etc., all which are essential components when looking critically at data collected through studies conducted by researchers or clinicians alike . Although each lesson was vital the success formation an educated opinion regarding any given body literature, one area which really stands out me was synthesizing information effectively through critical appraisals process ensure accurate interpretation results derived from experiments/studies being analyzed . By using PICO framework identify key characteristics relevant topic , one can there receive maximum benefit out given material understand its impact without overlooking any important details potentially lead inaccurate conclusions . Ultimately , properly evaluating data will only lead more informed decision making able increase value patient care resulting improved outcomes .