Running head: EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE 1

Evidence-Based Practice

Tiffany Miller

Baker College
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Evidence-Based Practice

What is evidence-based practice?

Evidence-based practice, also known as EBP, is defined as using previous research and

practices to make the best decision for each patient’s care (Ignatavicius, Workman, Rebar,

& Heimgartner, 2018). Basically, evidence-based practice is based off of the trial and error of

previous patient treatments. Evidence-based practice shows proof of practice that has worked for

previous patients, to create a care plan for patients that have the same condition as the previous

one.

Why is EBP part of the nursing profession?

The nursing profession includes evidence-based practice as part of their work in order to

give the best care to each of their patients; the best way to do that is to use a process that has

worked well before. Evidence-based practice is the best solution to giving patients the best care

possible, but since nurses have to individualize care specific for their patient’s

problem/diagnosis, evidence-based practice does not always work in the patient’s favor. Every

patient is different and reacts differently to treatments or care plans. Even though a plan of care

or treatment word has worked on one hundred different patients in the past, does not mean that it

will work for everyone.

Nursing judgment needs to be intertwined with evidence-based practice in order to make

it work for their patients. Intuitive decision-making is not always based off of evidence, but

needs to also be combined with the nurse’s perception of the patient’s situation (Krishnan, 2018).

While creating a plan of care for the patient, the nurse gathers the patient’s data and comes up
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with ideas that would benefit the patient the greatest; this is not done only by following

evidence-based practice, but also by using intuition based off of what the patient data states.

What are the roots/evolution of EBP in nursing?

Beginning in 2004, evidence-based practice stared being used in nursing by rating the

significance and quality of the evidence (Steelman & Battie, 2015). Making sure that the

evidence is factual and correct is a big part of qualifying for being used as EBP. The AORN rated

their EBP by levels to show the strength of the evidence, and began to improve over the next few

years (Steelman & Battie, 2015).

How is EBP applied to nursing care?

EBP is applied to nursing care in many aspects. According to Ignatavicius, Workman,

Rebar, & Heimgartner (2018), “EBP promotes safety for patients, families, and health care

systems because it is based on reliable studies, guidelines, consensus, and expert opinion”. Other

than safety, nursing uses EBP to assure that their patient is getting the best medical treatment and

nursing care that they need. Every patient has individualized needs that may be similar to others

with the same problem/diagnosis, which is why it is important to use EBP when it comes to the

nursing process.

How can EBP affect patient outcomes?

Evidence-based practice can also affect patient outcomes; if the patient knows it has

worked before, they may be more willing to try what the nurse or doctor has in mind for his or

her treatment or plan of care. For example, a male patient with a broken hip may not want to go
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to rehabilitation to build back his strength because he thinks he does not need extra help, but if

the nurse explains the EBP of previous patients that were in the same situation as him, he may be

more willing to try out rehabilitation for at least a short period of time. By using EBP in

choosing a care plan for your patient, the nurse may be able to come up with a plan of care that

will give the patient the best possible outcomes of his/her situation.

How does EBP influence healthcare professions?

EBP allows healthcare workers to give the best care possible by showing what

treatment/care plan works for patients with certain diseases. EBP provides proof that certain

plans work with their patients, rather than letting the nurse go in blind while deciding what is

best for their patient outcomes. Evidence-based practice could help the nurse come up with a

plan of care that he/she would have never thought of, which could create better outcomes for the

patient. If a plan of care is not patient specific, or will not help the patient benefit in the best

possible way, then the patient will suffer from the poor decision of the plan of care. The patient

may have been fully independent before a car accident, but if the plan of care does not include

physical therapy and daily exercise routines, and occupation therapy, then the patient may not

fully recover.

According to Weng, Kuo, Yang, Lo, Chen, & Chui (2013), evidence-based practice

influences healthcare professions because it allows nurses to “devote most of their time to patient

care” (Para. 3). EBP helps gives the nurses more time to spend with the patients, rather than

sitting in front of the computer while trying to come up with a care plan for the patients; with

evidence-based practice, most of the work is already done for the nurse, except making it patient-

specific. It could take a nurse a long time to come up with a care plan that will have the best
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outcome on the patient; EBP already has a lot of the busy work done for the nurse. By reducing

the amount of time spent in front of the computer, the more time the nurse will be able to spend

with their patients, which has a greater impact on the outcome of the patients’.

How does EBP influence facility policies?

EBP influences facility policies in the same way that it influences healthcare practice, it

changes the way policies are viewed, and gives proof of what works best with patients. With

some hospitals, ensuring that all patients that are a high fall risk are wearing nonslip socks, a

yellow gown, a fall risk wrist band, and fall education, is a policy created from EBP, which is

proof that these things have worked in the past to prevent falls. The Morse fall scale is also a

policy that must be done on all patients admitted to the hospital, to see if the patient is a fall risk.

EBP helps ensure that all policies are correct, up-to-date, and efficient for that specific facility.

Policies are facility specific because some hospitals create their policies off of their own EBP.

What is the relationship between EBP and continuous quality improvement?

EBP is related to continuous quality improvement by proving the best ways to improve

upon in nursing practice. EBP is used to set up new facility policies, which further nursing care,

by quality improvement. New systems and care tools, such as suction tubing, IV tubing

sanitation devices, etc., are used to see which works best in relation to the patient; by using these

new tools on trial and error basis, we are creating more evidence-based practice by “weeding

out” the tools that are not as up to standards as other ones are.

What is the relationship between EBP and patient safety?

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EBP is related to patient safety in the same way as it is related to continuous quality

improvement; EBP is used to give the best care possible, by testing out new, more effective ways

to treat our patients. Some facilities have their own ways in doing things, so they may differ from

place to place. Evidence-based practice let’s us find new ways to treat and care for our patients

while keeping up with new policies, new medications, and new technology.

EBP also helps us find more cost effective ways to help our patients; such as, if a patient

needs to go home with new medications, EBP has proven that off brand medications work just as

well as the generic brand, but is more cost effective. Some patients are not willing to take new

medications because they cannot afford to take any new medications; in this situation, it is better

for the patient to take the off brand medication rather than not taking it at all.

In conclusion, evidence-based practice is always done in the best interest of the patient.

Individualizing care, creating new policies, getting better equipment, making medications more

cost-effective, and creating better patient outcomes are only a few of the amazing things that

evidence-based practice does for not only the patient, but also the medical field as a whole.

Using EBP makes the patients’ lives easier, makes the patients happier, and helps patients get

better faster than they would without evidence-based practice. EBP makes it easier for nurses to

come up with care plans that are specific to each patient, and will give the patients the best

outcomes.
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References

Ignatavicius, D. D., Workman, M. L., Rebar, C. R., & Heimgartner, N. M. (2018). Medical-

surgical nursing: Concepts for interprofessional collaborative care (9th ed., Vol. 1). St.

Louis, MO: Elsevier.

Krishnan, P. (2018). A philosophical analysis of clinical decision making in nursing. Journal of

Nursing Education, 57(2), 73-78. Retrieved from

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73

Steelman, V. M., & Battie, R. (2015). AORN’s evolution to evidence-based practice. The

Dissector: Journal of the Perioperative Nurses College of the New Zealand Nurses

Organization, 43(2), 23. Retrieved from

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Weng, Y. H., Kuo, K. N., Yang, C. Y., Lo, H. L., Chen, C., & Chiu, Y. W. (2013). Implementation

of evidence-based practice across medical, nursing, pharmacological and allied

healthcare professionals: A questionnaire survey in nationwide hospital settings.

Implementation Science, 8, 112. Retrieved from

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