Evidence-based practice and nursing theory
Healthcare is evolving at a fast rate, and with it, the functions and duties of nurses. In this age, nurses must be well equipped to thrive in an environment which has continuously been changing. Nurses must be knowledgeable, have high conceptual skills and clinical judgement abilities that are needed to today to stay ahead in an industry that requires the delivery of exceptional care to patients regardless of the environment.
The best practices learned during the course include evidence-based practice (EBP). EBP in nursing refers to “the practice in which nurses make clinical decisions using the best available research and other evidence that is reflected in approved policies, procedures, and clinical guidelines in a particular healthcare agency” (Ignatavicius & Workman, 2015, p.271). One essential thing to note is that nurses must collaborate with physicians and other healthcare practitioners. This is informed by the fact that healthcare professionals should be collaborators in matters to do with healthcare improvements. This means nurse practitioners should lead to identifying issues and areas for improvements. They should also design improvement strategies, and at the same time, track them over time Bend, 2016, p. 15). Therefore, nurses must be equipped with adequate skills and knowledge necessary for making positive changes in healthcare.
These practices improve healthcare outcomes in the sense that it contributes towards the improvement of quality, the safety of healthcare and enhance health outcomes. It also contributes towards decreasing geographic differences in care and minimizes loses. It improves patient satisfaction and improves the health of the entire population. It also advances work-life and reduces burnout among doctors (Ignatavicius & Workman, 2015). The best practice promotes a positive attitude among healthcare practitioners and encourages them to seek the best way to find a solution to the problem at hand. It also ensures that the service being provided by physicians is backed with the best accessible evidence (Mani, 2018, p.12)
Bend, I. N. (2016). Evidence-based practice and nursing theory. Nursing science quarterly, 29(4), 283-284.
Ignatavicius, D. D., & Workman, M. L. (2015). Medical-Surgical Nursing-E-Book: Patient-Centered Collaborative Care. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Mani, M. (Ed.). (2018). Lewis’s Medical-Surgical Nursing, Third South Asia Edition-E-Book: Assessment and Management of Clinical Problems. Elsevier Health Sciences.