Evidence-Based Practice Implementation in the Treatment of Breast Cancer - Research Paper Example

Download file to see previous pages... As the paper states evidence-based practice is a way to deliver healthcare to patients that targets problems in the existing system by integrating the practices that yielded the best results through research of relevant studies and accurate patient-care data, along with the expertise of specialists and the input of patients with regards to their preferences and values. The best patient outcomes can be realized when EBP is conducted in the context of care, within a supportive organizational structure and if it is integrated into the organization’s culture. Over the years, many healthcare institutions have adapted EBP in making clinical practice guidelines for the treatment and care of patients afflicted with various diseases.
From this report it is clear of the diseases that EBP has been applied to, the most important can arguably be breast cancer. Breast cancer is still the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women worldwide and it is the most common type of cancer to afflict females with over 1.1 million new cases diagnosed each year. Breast cancer is also considered as the single most prevalent cancer in the world because more than 4.4 million women diagnosed with breast cancer in the last five years are currently alive and are taking in-patient and out-patient care from different healthcare institutions worldwide. It has been theorized that with the aid of EBP to improve clinical practice, 5-year survival after breast cancer treatment could increase by up to 10%....
5-year survival after breast cancer treatment could increase by up to 10% (Sainsbury, Haward, Rider, Johnston, and Round, 1995 as cited in Sacerdote et al., 2013). Sacerdote et al. (2013) conducted a study in Piedmont, Italy to evaluate the difference in breast cancer patient care quality before the implementation of an EBP guideline and after the implementation of the EBP guideline. The guideline that Sacerdote et al. evaluated was the Piedmont guideline (PGL) and it constitutes the compliance of 14 quality-of-care indicators in accordance to EBP. The focus of their study is to evaluate the effects of EBP on breast cancer treatment and to determine how well the PGL has been implemented. Summary of the Study Since Sacerdote et al.’s study was concerned with the status of breast cancer care before and after the implementation of the PGL, two patient groups were selected. Breast cancer patients diagnosed and treated during the 1st half of 2002 were the pre-PGL group while patients who were diagnosed and treated after 2004 were the post-PGL group. The practices recommended in the PGL were already being done in the regional hospitals even before the implementation of the PGL. Between 2002 and 2004, 8 indicators out of the 14 moved towards the expected standard, however only 4 of these 8 improvements were statistically significant. It is highly recommended for patients with medium-to-high risk of distant metastasis to undergo chemotherapy or radiation after Breast Conservative Surgery but for patients with low risk of distant metastasis, the exposure to radiation and chemo may actually worsen their condition or hasten the recurrence of cancer. Following the recommendations of nurses and specialists using EBP, the percentage of low risk patients that took chemo- and ...Download file to see next pagesRead More