Principles of Research and Evidence-Based Practice

Discuss the principles of research and evidence-based practice and how to effectively implement them for advanced practice nurses.

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Principles of Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice            Over the years, nursing has been associated with a rich history of integrating research is practice. Evidence-based practice (EBP) is a common problem-solving technique in nursing practice that encourages advanced practice nurses (APNs) to attain practice competency and provide quality and individualized patient care (Melnyk et al., 2021). Simply put, EBP refers to the judicious application of the available and current evidence in tandem with clinical experience and patient values to help guide healthcare decisions (Indra, 2018). Note that best clinical evidence encompasses evidence derived from randomized controlled trials, qualitative research studies, descriptive research studies, scientific principles, and data from case reports.The Core Principles of Nursing Research and EBP Formulating answerable nursing and clinical questions. In practice, EBP should commence with well-formulated clinical questions. As such, APNs should develop the essential skills required to convert information needs into easily answerable questions. According to Eldredge et al. (2021), a well-formulated and answerable clinical question should be in a PICO format (Patient/Problem, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome). It is important to note that this principle forms one of the most challenging steps in practicing evidence-based practice.Seeking appropriate and relevant evidence. Advanced practice nurses should seek appropriate and suitable evidence to help them answer the formulated clinical questions (Daei et al., 2020). Essential sources of clinical evidence include traditional sources such as textbooks and online bibliographic databases such as google scholar, MEDLINE, PUBMED, and Cochrane. Note that online electronic databases integrate revolutionary search engines that permit direct searches focusing on medical and clinical topics. While conducting research, it is vital that APNs integrate the use of keywords and Boolean operators “AND” and “OR.”Appraising the obtained evidence. This principle aims at analyzing the evidence for its clinical usefulness and validity. Note that the quality of the available research studies varies, and therefore evidence appraisal is critical. For this, nurses should appraise the obtained research evidence, especially regarding relevance, validity, and applicability to the clinical setups. Research articles can be appraised based on the several available tools, with a good example being the Critical Appraisal Skills Program tool.Applying the critically appraised evidence. Integrating the best available research evidence with clinical experience and patient values forms the core basis of this principle (Melnyk et al., 2021). However, the decision to integrate the acquired evidence into practice should take into consideration the costs and the availability of the proposed intervention. It is also crucial that nurses discuss the efficacy and risks of the proposed interventions with the relevant stakeholders for everyone to make informed decisions.Evaluating the outcomes and performance of the practice decisions. APNs must conduct formal auditing on the outcomes and performance of the practice decisions to indicate whether the EBP intervention improves patient care and outcomes (Melnyk et al., 2010). Additionally, APNs should monitor and evaluate potential changes in outcomes. This is essential because positive effects can be maintained and adverse effects remedied or eliminated.Disseminating the EBP results. Advanced Practice Nurses achieve excellent clinical and patient outcomes through evidence-based practice. As such, it is vital to share the best experiences and research evidence with others. The various successful initiatives for disseminating EBP include presentations, peer-reviewed journals report, publications, and the use of professional newsletters.Conclusively, EBP in nursing aims to enhance care quality by integrating the best available and current research with clinical experience and patient preferences. As such, APNs should apply the principles of nursing research and EBP for improved quality of care and safety of patients. ReferencesDaei, A., Soleymani, M. R., Ashrafi-Rizi, H., Zargham-Boroujeni, A., & Kelishadi, R. (2020). Clinical information seeking behavior of physicians: A systematic review. International journal of medical informatics, 139, 104144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2020.104144 (Links to an external site.)Eldredge, J., Schiff, M. A., Langsjoen, J. O., & Jerabek, R. N. (2021). Question formulation skills training using a novel rubric with first-year medical students. Journal of the Medical Library Association: JMLA, 109(1), 68. doi:10.5195/jmla.2021.935 (Links to an external site.)Indra, V. (2018). A review on models of evidence-based practice. Asian Journal of Nursing Education and Research, 8(4), 549-552. doi:10.5958/2349-2996.2018.00115.5 (Links to an external site.)Melnyk, B. M., Fineout-Overholt, E., Stillwell, S. B., & Williamson, K. M. (2010). Evidence-based practice: step by step: the seven steps of evidence-based practice. AJN The American Journal of Nursing, 110(1), 51-53. doi: 10.1097/01.NAJ.0000366056.06605.d2Melnyk, B. M., Tan, A., Hsieh, A. P., & Gallagher?Ford, L. (2021). Evidence?Based Practice Culture and Mentorship Predict EBP Implementation, Nurse Job Satisfaction, and Intent to Stay: Support for the ARCC© Model. Worldviews on Evidence?Based Nursing, 18(4), 272-281. https://doi.org/10.1111/wvn.12524 (Links to an external site.)Discussion 4_Theories and Principles.docx ReplyReply to Comment