Evidence Based Practice

In this essay, I am going to consider how evidence-based practice can be used to support, justify, legitimate and/or improve clinical practice. I am also going to explore and discuss primary and secondary research evidences about how nursing interventions can potentially improve the quality of life of patients in the community suffering from heart failure. I will gather these evidences using a literature search which I will include an account of. Using a critiquing framework for support, I will appraise both primary and secondary evidences that I have chosen. I will also look at potential non-evidential factors that can influence evidence utilisation in practice. Finally, a conclusion will be drawn.

Evidence-based Practice (EBP) is about utilising the finest scientific evidence available, incorporating it with clinical experience, patient value and preferences to change or improve targeted healthcare practice (Houser & Oman, 2011). Consequently, it provides professionals a way to address queries to provide best quality care (Fawcett et al, 2001). EBP is also one of the professionals’ responsibilities under the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) code of conduct in which they stated that professionals must deliver care based on current and best evidence attainable (NMC, 2008). However, problems may arise with this method that can affect certain nursing interventions. For example, referencing the aspect of care that I have chosen, there might be new evidences for or against specific nursing actions to help heart failure patients. There may be new research to improve current practice in helping heart failure patients more effectively and efficiently. This shows that professionals should always be aware of new information within their area of care. There are a lot of evidences available to professionals but it may be quite difficult for them to determine which ones provide good quality information. Due to this, hierarchies of evidence have been developed.

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