Use of professional protective equipment (e.g. gloves)
Safety considerations when using equipment (e.g. sharps)
(or a topic you select yourself in negotiation with your LIC)
Health professionals are very good at seeking information from their clients and their families and also from the settings in which they work but however they have not been as aware of the information that they can gain from research. Although they need information from many sources, evidence based practice shows how research can also play a role in informing clinical decisions, (Hoffmann ,2010). Health professionals use the five steps of evidence-based practice (EBP) as a structure to overcoming barriers and applying best research. Examples of this include use of professional protective equipment and safety considerations when using equipment.
Liamputtong (2010) states that evidence based practice is a “process that requires the practitioner to find empirical evidence about the effectiveness or efficacy of different treatment options and then determine the relevance of the evidence to a particular clients situation” (pp. 252). Sackett (1996, pp.71) states that “conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individuals patients. The practice of evidence based medicine means integrating individual clinical expertise with the best available external evidence from systematic research, and the more thoughtful identification and compassionate use of individual patients’ predicaments, rights and preferences.” The purpose of evidence-based practice is to assist in clinical decision-making. To