Evidence-Based Practice

Definition
Evidence-based practice is "a total process beginning with knowing what clinical questions to ask, how to find the best practice, and how to critically appraise the evidence for validity and applicability to the particular care situation. The best evidence then must be applied by a clinician with expertise in considering the patient's unique values and needs. The final aspect of the process is evaluation of the effectiveness of care and the continual improvement of the process" (DePalma, 2000).

Factors
The Evidence Source Equation:
Clinician Experience + Patient Preferences + Scientific Findings = Evidence-Based Guidelines

Combining the strongest evidence from all three sources for a specific health problem improves the care of current and future patients who share that problem.

• Clinician Experience: A clinician who makes trustworthy observations, carefully analyzes care situations, knows individual patients' preferences, applies pertinent learnings from previous clinical situations to the current one, and has relevant knowledge can offer insights that improve patient care (Wakefield et al., 1998).
• Patient Preferences: When clinicians solicit and respect the treatment-related desires of patients, the most appropriate health care decisions can be made. Patient preferences are influenced by values, beliefs, culture, and previous personal or family experiences.
• Scientific Findings: Rigorous, credible, clinically relevant research that, when applied to a specific health situation, contributes to improved care.