During 1980s, a trend of using scientific evidences to determine the best approach to treat patients emerged and it was initially coined as “evidence based medicine” and got acceptance in 1992. As this approach progressed from 1993 to 2000, the term changed to “evidence based practice (EBP)”. Beyea and Slattery (2006). Since its emergence, EBP has been defined in various ways, however the most popular definition is “the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of the current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients” (Sackett, Rosenberg, Gray, Hayes, & Richardson, 1996).
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EBP allows healthcare practitioners to infer assessment of existing research, standard operating procedures of clinical treatments and many other available credible information to solve problems they faces daily. Thus EBP demands for the most recent and relevant information and observations to be used in solving clinical cases. EBP helps to eliminate the dated method of sole reliance on book knowledge healthcare workers tend to adhere as they do study lot of information from books during their courses. Karkada (2015).
Evidence based practice in nursing comprise of a problem solving process in terms of the caring that heavily relies on best available existing evidences, patients charts, records(patients ‘data), nurses’ prior experiences, expertise. In addition, EBP in nursing encompasses patients’ preferences and values as one of the integral component. Burns et al. (2013).
Use of EBP in Nursing
It is no secret that patients’ depends on nurses more than any other healthcare practitioners thus nurses’ accountability is immense regarding their patients’. As a result, the newly emerged EBP amalgamation to nursing courses will enhance their research knowledge that in turn will improve patient care no matter the setting. EBP will teach nurses’ how to do research and critically analyses, apply and asses the research in real situation in their practice. Teaching of EBP will create an environment among nurses and they will start giving importance to evidences in their daily duties which will have direct positive effect on quality and safety of patient care. Carlisle et al. (2017).
Salinas (2017) illustrates that during his clinical practicum a veteran nurse corrected him for not aspirating a syringe during an intramuscular injection. However EBP proves aspirating intramuscular is obsolete and is no longer a standard practice. Furthermore EBP has proven that aspirating during intramuscular injection can cause trauma to patients. EBP creates high quality care as a result of the best evidences that has been collected over many years which in turn gets formulated into standard care procedures.
(Beyea and Slattery., 2006 cited Madsen et al., 2005) who published EBP findings regarding routine practice of listening to the bowel sounds of patients recovering from abdominal surgeries. Madsen et al reviewed the literature and compared the existing practice and came up with a new practice procedure. The new EBP advocates to focus on Flatus (Gas in the intestinal tract or gas passed through the anus) and first bowel movement after the surgery to measure the gastrointestinal mobility after the surgery instead of bowel sounds. The new findings and practice emphasizes that nurses can save time and patient outcomes are also better with the new method.
Importance of EBP in Nursing
EBP make it possible for nurses to deliver high quality care by relying on research and findings instead of relying solely on outdated text book knowledge, dated methods followed for years or because it’s just the way some senior nurses have always done the treatment.Beyea and Slattery (2006).
Furthermore it is found that EBP results in better