Vincent, Hastings-Tolsma, Gephart & Alfonzo (2015) indicates that there are many factors that have spurred the adoption of evidence-based practice within the healthcare settings. Aspects of perceptions and evidence that the current care techniques are ineffective of harmful, the presence of variations in practice patterns based on geographical location, rising costs of care as well as changes in reimbursements trends have played in key role in the search of more appropriate methods of care provision. In their view, the authors consider that EBP is a problem-solving approach that is based on strong research evidence, focus on patient values and preferences as well as clinician expert to develop interventions that are tailored to the needs of the patient/population. The article identifies the phases of EBP that are crucial in determining the outcomes of the process. The first step is to identify a problem and define it within the health needs boundaries. This is then followed by the search for evidence by determining the valuable and relevant sources that can provide information necessary in seeking a solution. This is then followed by the development of a research question or a PICOPT question that identifies the population of focus, the proposed intervention, the comparison intervention and the outcomes as well as the timeline for im0plmenetionor testing of the intervention. IN the contemporary society, the authors are of the view that care should be based on EBP and anything less than that is unethical and incompetent.
Levin (2010) notes that when working with nurse practitioner students the presence of the nurse practitioner plays a key role in the ability to utilize the EBP in the future experiences. Levin notes that clinical experience is a critical factor when determining the use of EBP at the clinical level due to the delicate nature of every process and procedure. A constructivist approach that integrates teaching and learning in the presence of an experienced nurse preceptor helps the NP students gather knowledge, skill and experience to work in different situations with a special focus on judgment and decision making. The ability to work and learn within an actual clinical setting helps develop intuition and this can only be possible when there is an experienced head, the nurse preceptor who can guide the NP students even in the most delicate tasks. The nurse preceptor’s role is to initiate a willingness to learn because EBP is a dynamic process and what is best practice today could become outdated in the next day. Intuitiveness and curiosity should be the driving influences for the nurse practitioner students.
SMART GOALS
References
Butler, K. D. (2011). Nurse practitioners and evidence-based nursing practice.Clinical Scholars Review, 4(1), 53-57.
Levin, R. F. (2010). Integrating evidence-based practice with educational theory in clinical practice for nurse practitioners: Bridging the theory practice gap. Research and theory for nursing practice, 24(4), 213-216.
Vincent, D., Hastings-Tolsma, M., Gephart, S., & Alfonzo, P. M. (2015). Nurse practitioner clinical decision-making and evidence-based practice. The Nurse Practitioner, 40(5), 47-54.
