Evidence-Based Practices in Nursing - Term Paper Example

Evidence Based Practices Name Institution Evidence Based Practices Introduction In nursing evidences, based practice involves the application of the available research based evidence in the filed in the provision of health care services. The application is in terms of the behavior, education, and health outcomes. Therefore, it entails the skills, knowledge, techniques, and strategies that are applied by health care professional in delivering their services to patients and other stakeholders in the medical industry (Liamputtong, 2010). According to Brownson et al (2002), evidence based practices involve both the ethical principles used in the provision of health services as well as the methods, techniques and practices in the medical profession (Brownson et al., 2002). This means that the evidence based practices applies to a wide range of professionals such as social workers, medical officers, nurses, public health, counseling and al the professional involved in human services (Briggs & Rzepnicki, 2004; Gilgun, 2005). The evidence-based practices are applied in the evidence-based programs (Roberts & Yeager, 2004). Evidence based practices are helpful to nurses since they help the nurses to make informed decisions during the course of duty. This ensures that nurses are able to produce quality services. This paper discuss ways of facilitating evidence based practices and the barriers to evidence based practices. Facilitation of Evidence Based Practices Evidence based practices integrate the knowledge acquire from school with what is feasible in the health facilities in order to achieve the best outcomes in the health industry. Therefore, to implement the best evidence based practices, health care practitioners require assistance. Therefore, facilitation is one of the strategies that reduce or minimizes confusion of medical providers in the implementation of evidence-based practices. There are different professional ways to facilitate the implementation of evidence-based practices in nursing (Dogherty et al, 2010). Peer Groups and Conferences: The facilitators in nursing practice may be administrators who are experienced in the field of nursing. These may inform the other nurses who are new in the field on the best way to perform their duties (Booth, 2011). Physicians, nurses and other health care providers arrange and attend conferences, which discuss on new findings that may be adopted in the health industry. This helps the medical professionals to learn on the best ways that can be applied in their hospitals. Conferences also facilitate in addressing the challenges in implementing the evidence-based practices in various settings. Nurses can also form subgroup that focus on service improvement through adoption of the best evidence based practices (Belizan et al., 2007). Library: In addition, literature indicates that health care professionals may improve their practices in cases where there is the need to change through librarians (Dogherty et al., 2010). The library provides various peer reviewed journals and articles that are written by a health professional on the best evidence based practices in nursing (Borbasi & Jackson, 2012). The libraries also provide a comparison on what is already in practice with the new research findings in the fields. In this way, the health care providers are able to adopt the practice that will generate better outcomes. The internet in the libraries also provides a quick access to online articles and blogs on the new best research based practices in the field of nursing (Dalrymple, 2010). Barriers to Adoption of Evidence Based Practices Lack of Time: Most health care practitioners do not spend much of their time in researching for new information in their fields. Most of the health professional is too busy with their work such that they do not have time to visit libraries and online databases (Koufogiannakis and Crumley, 2006). In addition, most of the hospital settings especially in developing countries record a high number of patients. This denies the health processionals time to research on new practices in peer reviewed journal and articles (Prsetty, 2007). The implementation of the evidence-based practices is challenged by limited time (Bexon, 2007). Administrators of various health facilities do not have the time to implement new evidence based practices due to job commitments. Most of these hospital administrators have many responsibilities such that they are not aware of new research findings (Booth and Eldredge, 2010; Lerdal, 2006). Poor Communication: Poor communication between health care providers limits the amount of information shared. This means that health care workers are not able to share information with one another. In addition, the time taken to communicate new research findings is limited. This means that the research findings are poorly communicated making it difficult for nurses to adopt them (Todd, 2009; Booth and Brice, 2007). The Need for Training and Skills: The lack of implementing evidence-based practices by some nurses is due to lack of research skills, which can enable them to conduct research and evaluates the new research finding. The nurses do not have the skills to interpret new research findings and incorporate the findings into practice. This limits their abilities to implement the research findings in their settings (Booth and Eldredge, 2010; Liamputtong, 2010). Lack of Research Culture: According to McNicol (2005), different health professional has a different understanding of the evidence-based practices. These nurses define research or clinical research differently making it hard to implement the evidence based research (Borbasi & Jackson, 2012). The differences in what form research results from poor research cultures in most of hospitals and health care facilities. The majority of the hospitals involve themselves in service provision and relies on the current standard procedures (McNicol, 2005). Professional Characteristics: Some health workers are not able to handle he various work pressures and uncertainty in their profession. Such workers do not have self-efficacy hence cannot implement new research findings. Such workers are unable to commit their time in research and evaluating information from health related journal and magazines (Liamputtong, 2010). Moreover, such practitioners are not able to utilize their time tom interpret evidence based research findings and come up with decisions on the best practices to implement (Fisher and Robertson, 2007; Booth, 2007). Conclusion Evidence based practices involve the integration of the available school based knowledge and the research findings in the medical industry. The implementation of evidence-based practices helps the health care providers to apply the recent research findings that are able to give better outcomes. However, facilitation of these evidence-based practices is necessary to ensure that health care professionals are able to understand and evaluate the best practices that will offer better results. Barriers that prevent adoption of new evidence based practices include poor communication, lack of skills in interpreting research findings, poor time management, and lack of research culture in the health facilities. 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