Evidence-based practice in nursing - Research Paper Example

The motivators for evidence-based practice in nursing, also called evidence-based nursing (EBN), come from political, professional and societal factors (McSherry et al., 2006 cited in Scott & McSherry, 2009, p.1085). This paper explores the pros and cons of evidence-based practice in nursing. It analyzes the concepts of clinical expertise, patient preferences, and caring in the context of evidence-based nursing. It also examines the impact of these practices on the art of nursing as a practice.

Pros and Cons of Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing Evidence-based practices, when applied to nursing, can enhance patient outcomes by improving clinical decisions (Scott & McSherry, 2009, p.1087). Evidence-based practice is a combination of patient values and clinical conditions with the best research evidence in clinical decision making (Brown et al., 2010, p.1945). Patient preferences are also used in making decisions. The processes of evidence-based practices concern practical steps that maximize the best evidence.

Evidence-based practice starts with asking an answerable question in a specific clinical situation, collecting the best relevant evidence, critically evaluating the evidence, and using the evidence in consideration of patient preferences in clinical decision-making (Brown et al., 2010, p.1945). The systematic approach in finding and evaluating the best evidence is critical to producing quality patient results (Scott & McSherry, 2009, p.1087). its framework (when and if it is defined and mandated by organizations) and actual implementation (Rolfe, Segrott, & Jordan, 2008; Scott & McSherry, 2009).

McKenna (2010) argued that evidence-based practices create confusion, because of the delimiting definition of evidence. Rolfe, Segrott, and Jordan (2008) studied nurses’ understanding and interpretation of evidence-based practice (EBP). Findings showed that tensions and contradictions in nurses’ understanding of evidence-based practice were prevalent. National and local guidelines, nurses’ own experiences and patients’ preferences continue to dominate the practice of nursing for their sampling.

Brown et al. (2010) noted from their studies that personal and management barriers hinder the implementation of evidence-based practices. Evidence-based practice in nursing reduces the importance of soft approaches to nursing practice (McKenna, 2010). Paley (2006) examined the well-known concepts of expertise and clinical judgment, which evidence-based practice tend to undermine. For him, evidence-based practice should not overlook the value and role of clinical judgment in making quality patient decisions.

He stressed: “…clinical expertise is interpreted as that which is required in order to integrate the research evidence with professional experience, context, circumstances, patient preferences, various holistic considerations, and so on…” (p.87). Kitson (1997) suggested that evidence-based practices cannot be simply transferred directly to individual components of health care (i.e. nursing and midwifery) and merely translating evidence-based management as evidence-based practices in nursing may be inaccurate without changing some elements that underlie the conceptual framework of evidence-based practices