Nurses use clinical evidence daily to make decisions about patient care. Evidence-based practice describes the process of applying the best available evidence to real-world scenarios. Positive clinical outcomes depend on strategic decision-making that is timely and applicable to each health condition's unique aspects.
The purpose of evidence-based nursing is to provide efficient, effective care that is grounded in scientific research and trustworthy information. This blog provides examples of evidence-based practice in nursing to help you understand the sources of evidence and how they are integrated into the critical thinking skills of nurses everywhere.
What is Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing?
Clinical decisions are made throughout the nursing care experience by nurses and patients in collaboration. Evidence-based practice in nursing is not limited to research evidence and best practice. It also includes applying that evidence with consideration of each patient and family's preferences and values. For this reason, evidence-based practice does not describe a standard method of nursing care that applies universally across every patient care scenario. Instead, evidence-based nursing is an approach to care that incorporates evidence from various sources for consideration.
Evidence-based practice in nursing combines:
- Relevant research evidence
- Data-driven best practice recommendations
- Nursing clinical knowledge (sometimes called “expert opinion”)
- Continuous quality improvement
- Patient preferences, values, and unique circumstances
When these sources are combined and applied with critical thinking to each patient scenario, evidence-based practice in nursing is happening. With these sources in mind, let’s explore practical steps that guide implementing evidence-based practice in nursing.
Steps to Implement Evidence-Based Practice
Research evidence comes in many forms. An initial step in the evidence-based practice process is to evaluate current research about relevant health conditions and the characteristics of the patient receiving care. Nurses stay current on the latest evidence through their dedication to lifelong learning and awareness of research findings published in the news and nursing journals.
Nurses first formulate a clinical question before searching for research evidence when caring for a particular patient. Knowing the question about patient care that evidence seeks to answer is a starting point for implementing evidence-based practice. Databases can then be searched to find relevant research.
Critical appraisal of the research evidence for strength and quality is an essential skill for nurses to hone. When reviewing a research study, the type of study is one factor that helps determine whether the evidence is strong or weak for a particular intervention or care approach.
Other important factors for nurses to consider when appraising research evidence include:
- Consistency of findings from research studies on the same topic
- Potential for implicit bias in nursing research
- Applicability of research to the patient population receiving care
- Confounding variables in the research that may affect the interpretation of findings
Once the research is reviewed and appraised, consistent findings can be incorporated into clinical knowledge to help formulate an effective patient care plan. As nurses integrate evidence-based approaches into their daily care, outcomes can be evaluated to gain additional clinical expertise with patients of various backgrounds and diverse health needs.
Why is Evidence-Based Practice Important?
When evidence drives the decision-making process in nursing, there is a foundation for evaluating the translation of laboratory and academic research into clinical practice. Translational research focuses on studying the real-world results of implementing evidence in clinical practice to improve patient outcomes.
Data resulting from clinical studies allows informed decisions for:
- Wise use of health resources (including supplies, personnel, and time)
- Cost-effective care delivery
- Patient safety and infection control
- Standardization of clinical guidelines and practice
Quality nursing programs help students assimilate the steps for evidence-based practice through a combination of learning methods. When you become a nurse online, didactic coursework is applied in the field during the required clinical experiences that prepare you for implementing evidence-based nursing after you graduate.
Examples of Evidence-Based Nursing
A frequently asked question regarding evidence-based practice in nursing is about specific examples of this approach to care. The American Nurses Association outlines several examples of evidence-based practice in nursing that broadly include:
- Disease and symptom management
- Population-specific assessment tools
- Promotion of nurse wellness
- Preventive measures
- Holistic approaches to care
Let’s explore these five examples of evidence-based nursing in more detail.
1. Disease and Symptom Management
Chronic diseases are managed with evidence-based practice guidelines published by major organizations such as the American Diabetes Association and the DASH Diet for nutritional guidelines to reduce high blood pressure. Protocols for oxygen therapy to manage respiratory distress in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are another example of evidence-based nursing.
2. Population-Specific Assessment Tools
Hospice patients are monitored through Mexalogix Muse technology that uses research evidence in the predictive care modeling algorithm designed to alert providers of critical patient care needs during the final days of life. Palliative care evaluation tools for assessing pain, fatigue, and other common symptoms are often the starting place for research and evidence-based intervention.
3. Promotion of Nurse Wellness
Nurse wellness can impact the delivery of safe and effective care. Nurses who work in hospital settings may experience alarm fatigue, a problem characterized by desensitization to the volume and frequency of alarms in these settings. An alarm management program is an example of an evidence-based project to reduce the potential impact of alarm fatigue on patient safety and promote nurse wellness.
4. Preventive Measures
Quality care metrics for hospital accreditation often include incidence rates of falls, infections, and pressure ulcers. Examples of evidence-based practice in nursing include programs designed to control, reduce, and prevent these occurrences and improve patient safety.
5. Holistic Approaches to Care
Holistic nursing practices include assessing environmental and family support for improving patient outcomes. Evidence-based nursing considers the support and impact of family and friends on a patient’s treatment goals. Balanced approaches to care for patients with serious mental illness that combine medication therapy, peer support groups, and psychotherapy are examples of evidence-based nursing.
Nursing Programs for Improving Patient Care
Several types of nursing education programs prepare future nurses to improve patient care. Traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs take approximately four years of study to complete, while Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) programs can be finished in two years or less. Accelerated BSN (ABSN) programs can reduce the completion timeline even further while still resulting in the BSN degree.
If you currently have a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field, the ABSN route can prepare you with the skills for evidence-based nursing. When comparing ADN vs. BSN programs, it is notable that BSN preparation is recognized as the minimum requirement for professional nursing practice.
Earn Your ABSN at Holy Family University
Holy Family University (HFU) offers an exciting opportunity for aspiring nurses to pursue a BSN degree. Why choose Holy Family’s ABSN program if you already hold a bachelor’s degree?
- Rigorous yet rewarding experience
- More affordable than local programs
- High NCLEX pass rates
- Fewer prerequisite courses required (5 at HFU vs. 8 or 9 with competitors)
The Second Degree Distance Hybrid BSN saves you time and money with clinical placement support and experienced faculty who bring active clinical backgrounds into the classroom. Get started today by filling out the online form for your digital program guide.
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