Five-Step Process in Evidence-Based Practice - Essay Example

"Five-Step Process in Evidence-Based Practice" is a wonderful example of a paper on care. In the past, medical professionals relied on experience, the knowledge gained from the educational institutions, and expertise from their fellow workmates in order to treat their patients. However, some of these sources of information, for example, experience, were flawed (Holland and Rees, 2010). Therefore, some health professionals saw the need to come up with a new practice that would help them make the best decisions when diagnosing their patients. In the past two decades, health professionals decided to utilize available research as evidence, when engaging in clinical decision-making. This was the idea that bore the root of Evidence-Based Practice (Burns, Grove, and Gray, 2011).

Evidence-Based Practice involves the use of contemporaneous research findings to bring about the most effective research evidence and correlating ideas to create an empirical knowledge upon which clinical decisions are based (Hoffmann, Bennett and Mar 2011). It has formed an important part of nursing as it assists the nurses in integrating research information in clinical decision-making. This process allows them to come up with the most effective solutions for their patients. In nursing, Evidence-Based Practice mainly entails the use of procedures that have been carefully analyzed and findings that have been reexamined, critiqued, and published.  Evidence-Based Practice has been emphasized in the nursing profession as it aims at keeping the nurses with up to date information and improves their decision-making ability (Burns, Grove and Gray, 2011).

Five-step process in Evidence-Based Practice

Nurses play crucial roles in ascertaining and rendering Evidence-Based Practice. Evidence-based practice is a five-step process. Firstly, nurses need to ask questions focusing at the problem, patient, the intervention required, and the outcome. Secondly, they need to search for quality-researched evidence that could assist in improving the treatment of the patient. Thirdly, the nurses should critically appraise the evidence to analyze its validity, applicability, and relevance. Fourthly, the nurses should make the decision by applying the results. Fifthly, nurses should evaluate performance. These five steps seek to enhance efficacy among the nurses and other medical professionals, as they aid in improving their skills and knowledge in various medical fields (Twycross, 2011). It is important for nurses to utilize Evidence-Based Practice as it helps them in acquiring updated information that translates to the provision of high-quality patient care. This practice helps to keep the nursing practice relevant and current, achieve effective patient outcomes, and enhance confidence in the decision-making process (Cashin & Cook, 2011).

Utilizing Evidence-Based Practice in Handwashing

Healthcare professionals recognize that hand hygiene especially hand washing is the most significant intervention in curbing and preventing the spread of infections. Hands are considered as the chief transmitters of infections from one individual to another and even from individuals to inanimate objects (British Columbia Ministry of Health, 2012). Therefore, it is important for health practitioners to practice appropriate hand washing before and after caring for a patient. Evidence shows that many nurses do not engage in proper hand hygiene due to heavy workloads, forgetfulness, and lack of proper guidelines. Inappropriate hand-washing techniques have been attributed to many of the infection cases experienced in different healthcare facilities, therefore, proving the need for appropriate hand hygiene. Appropriate guidelines have been formulated based on research evidence to ensure that the infections are lowered, thus reducing the time and costs incurred by patients (Rycroft-Malone, 2012). 

            Nurses and other healthcare practitioners to decontaminate their hands after coming into direct contact with a patient or the patient’s items (Phang et al 2011). The effectiveness of hand washing depends on the cleaning agent used. Evidence shows that the traditional method of utilizing soap and water is very effective and there is no evidence that some antiseptic soaps are more effective than normal soap. However, studies carried out in Britain showed that alcohol rubs were more effective in decontaminating the hands than the use of any antiseptic soaps (Smith, 2009). They also proved that alcohol preparations were very effective in reducing microbiological life, thus indicating a preference for alcohol-based preparations in clinical practice (Phang et al 2011).

            It is always important for nurses to consider the kind of hand decontamination procedure that they utilize. Nurses can choose alcohol-rubs or utilize soap and water to wash their hands depending on the evaluation of the pathogen, available resources, and even personal preference (British Columbia Ministry of Health, 2012). Evidence shows that hand washing using soap and water can be very effective as it physically removes organic material and dirt from the skin’s surface. The use of alcohol-rubs can be ineffective in some situations especially when dealing with some pathogens such as Clostridium difficile (Singh, 2010).

The recommended handwashing technique involves preparation, washing, rinsing, and drying. One has to ensure that the entire hand surface is prepared using soap or a cleaning agent, washed thoroughly for fifteen seconds, and rinsed. The nurses should use clean material such as paper to dry the clean hands. It is also important to ensure that hand or wrist jewelry is removed during clinical practice to ascertain that contamination is prevented. Wounds and abrasions should be covered using waterproof dressings to ascertain that infections are not transmitted to the nurses (Harne-Britner, Allen & Fowler, 2011).  

            Some nurses and other medical practitioners have not realized the essence of Evidence-Based Practice as they continue to employ some traditional methods that are not effective. They have experienced barriers preventing them from implementing this practice. Firstly, some medical facilities lack appropriate leadership, therefore, lagging in the number of knowledgeable mentors and administrative support (Burns, Grove & Gray, 2011). This means that the nurses do not have individuals that can guide them towards implementing the Practice. Some nurses also seem to undervalue the need for research, while others find it hard to change their old ways, therefore, failing to implement the Practice (Mabbott, 2011). However, Evidence-Based Practice proves to be the best method for nurses and other health practitioners when they need to go about making decisions in their workplaces.

Read More