Learn about EBP
- Evidence-Based Medicine: how to practice and teach EBM byPublication Date: 2019
- How to Read a Paper byPublication Date: 2014
What is Evidence Based Practice?
Using the best evidence available
Good health professionals inform their clinical practice by consulting the best evidence available to them.
Depending on the type of clinical question (risk, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, prevention, harm), the level of hierarchical evidence available will vary from the lowest levels, such as expert opinion, through to individual case studies, cohort studies, clinical trials and, finally, randomised trials and meta-analysies at the highest level.
Evidence based practice is the integration of clinical expertise, patient values, and the best research evidence into the decision making process for patient care. Clinical expertise refers to the clinician's cumulated experience, education and clinical skills. The patient brings to the encounter his or her own personal and unique concerns, expectations, and values. The best evidence is usually found in clinically relevant research that has been conducted using sound methodology (Sackett et al., 1996).
5 steps of EBP
Five steps of evidence based practice
- Ask the clinical question
Convert the need for information into an answerable question. Take time to formulate a clear and detailed question. - Acquire the evidence
Find the best evidence to answer the question. Search for the best possible evidence from high quality, peer-reviewed sources. - Appraise the evidence
Critically appraise the evidence for validity, impact and applicability. - Apply the evidence
Apply the evidence in combination with clinical experience and patient values and circumstances. - Assess the process
Assess the effectiveness and efficiency of our process and find ways to improve for next time
Adapted from Straus et al. (2019).
Find the evidence - sources you can't get by without
Clinical evidence databases
- JBI EBP database (Ovid)Contains a wide range of summarized and appraised evidence to inform practice.
- Cochrane LibraryProvides in-depth research summaries, data, and interpretations of clinical trial results with a focus on evidence-based medicine and healthcare.
- PubMed Clinical QueriesA specialized search within PubMed that focusses on evidence based clinical studies, systematic reviews, and medical genetics. Note: Griffith University users may not have access to the full-text as user registration, a subscription fee, or some other type of fee may be required to access the full-text of articles in some journals.
Point-of-care resources
- BMJ Best PracticeDecision-support tool containing research evidence, guidelines and expert opinion on prevention, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis.
- UpToDateHelps answer clinical questions including drug information.
- DynaMedA decision support tool using current evidence.
References
Sackett, D. L., Rosenberg, W. M., Gray, J. A., Haynes, R. B., & Richardson, W. S. (1996). Evidence based medicine: what it is and what it isn't. BMJ, 312(7023), 71–72. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.312.7023.71
Straus, S. E., Glasziou, P., Richardson, W. S., & Haynes, R. B. (2018). Evidence-based medicine: How to practice and teach EBM (5th ed.). Elsevier.
