RESEARCH AND EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE IN NURSING

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VOLUME 8 | NUMBER 4 | SEPTEMBER 2015Quarterly publication direct mailed to approximately 237,000 Registered Nurses & Licensed Practical Nurses in Ohio.

Evidence-Based Practice: Why Does It Matter? This independent study was developed by: Pamela S. Dickerson, PhD, RN-BC, FAAN.

Updates and revisions were made by Terry Pope, MS, BSN, RN

This independent study has been designed to empower nurses to engage in evidence-based practice to strengthen their own professional roles. 1.6 contact hours will be awarded for successful completion of this independent study.

The authors and planning committee members have declared no conflict of interest. This information is provided for educational purposes only. For legal questions, please consult appropriate legal counsel. For medical questions or personal health questions, please consult an appropriate health care professional.

The Ohio Nurses Association (OBN-001-91) is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

Expires 6/2017. Copyright © 2011, 2013, 2015 Ohio Nurses Association

OBJECTIVES Upon completion of this independent study, the learner

will be able to: 1. Define evidence-based practice. 2. Describe ways to use evidence-based practice to

ensure safe patient care.

STUDY Evidence-based practice has become a commonly used

term in health care in the past few years. It is important for nurses to know what it means, how to use it, and how important it is in protecting patient safety. This study will define evidence-based practice and provide examples of how evidence based practice questions can be used to guide delivery of safe patient care. The purpose of the study is to empower nurses to engage in evidence-based practice to strengthen their own professional roles.

Significance In 2002, Sigma Theta Tau International, the honor

society of nursing, developed a position statement on evidence-based practice. This paper describes how important it is for nurses to be able to access, evaluate, integrate, and use “best practices” to promote patient safety. The document was revised in 2005 and is available at http://www.nursingsociety.org/aboutus/PositionPapers/ Pages/EBN_positionpaper.aspx (STTI, 2005). In this document, the society defines evidence-based practice as “integration of the best evidence available, nursing expertise, and the values and preferences of the individuals, families, and communities who are served.”

The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) has stated that evidence-based practice is not just another buzz-word or fad, but that it is an expected standard of ensuring safe patient care that is “here to stay” (Spector, 2007).

Regulatory boards in each state exist for the purpose of protecting the public. One way to do that is to be sure that nurses are practicing in a safe and competent manner. For example, the Ohio Board of Nursing has rules in the Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) that relate to competent practice for registered and licensed practical nurses (4723- 4-03 OAC and 4723-4-04 OAC, respectively). One aspect of competence is that “a registered nurse shall maintain current knowledge of the duties, responsibilities, and accountabilities for safe nursing practice.” (4723-4-03(B) OAC). Similar language exists in rule 4723-4-04 OAC for the licensed practical nurse. The term current means that the nurse is expected to keep abreast of new knowledge, research, and evidence that supports nursing interventions, keeps patients safe, and contributes to quality patient care.

The purpose of the Ohio Board of Nursing, and boards of nursing in all other states as well, is to protect the public. Implementation of evidence-based practice is one strategy for the nurse to use to make sure that the public is protected when nursing care is provided.

Over the past several years, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) has published a series of reports related to patient safety in the United States health care system. Their 2001 report, Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century, states that the attributes of quality care are safety, effectiveness and efficiency, patient- centeredness, timeliness, and equity. Evidence-based practice provides the foundation for safe care, leading to increased effectiveness and efficiency, timeliness, and more appropriate focus of research-based data within the framework of the patient’s current situation and needs. This in turn leads to equity in utilization of resources and assurance that each patient receives the most appropriate individualized care, according to his/her presenting needs.

In 2004, the IOM published a seminal work focused on improving the work environment for nurses as a significant strategy to keep patients safe. Key components of improving the work environment for nurses are stimulating nurses to seek evidence to support practice, providing the resources and tools nurses need to collect and evaluate that evidence, challenging them to assess the evidence in relation to a specific patient’s need, and empowering them to take the initiative to implement best practices.

It is clearly understood that nurses do not work in a vacuum; they must work effectively as members of the healthcare team. The Joint Commission has emphasized the need for all healthcare providers to work together more effectively in the best interests of quality patient care. Their Sentinel Event Alert issued in July of 2008, for example, states that “safety and quality of patient care is dependent

on teamwork, communication, and a collaborative work environment.” Use of evidence-based practice tools provides a common framework for discussion, shared involvement, and decision making. The SBAR example for interprofessional communication included later in this study is one example of an evidence-based practice that has contributed to more effective team interaction.

The 2010 IOM report, Redesigning Continuing Education in the Health Professions, supports the requirements of The Joint Commission in advocating for ongoing learning across professions that supports integration of evidence-based practice to improve patient outcomes. This report recommends, among other things, that “continuing education efforts should bring health professionals from various disciplines together” (p. 3) in learning environments that focus on evidence-based practice and practice-based evidence to close gaps in practice that impact patient care.

In 2011, the IOM published an extremely important report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change; Advancing Health. This report has been the stimulus for development of action coalitions in states around the U.S. to implement the recommendations for nursing to be more visible, more active, and more committed to making a difference in the U.S. healthcare system. There are a number of recommendations in this report that focus on nurses practicing to the full scope of their knowledge and skills, nurses as leaders in the transformation of the healthcare system, and nurses achieving higher levels of education that provide them with the ability to critically analyze data and make effective decisions to provide quality care for patients.

In an era where cost effectiveness and efficiency in healthcare operations are key, it is also important to consider the economic benefit of using evidence-based practice. Schifalacqua, Soukup, Kelley, and Mason (2012) describe a cost-of-care metric used to calculate cost savings that accrue when healthcare-acquired conditions are prevented through use of evidence-based practice standards. In their example, one healthcare system was able to document cost-avoidance (money that didn’t have to be spent to care for patients with these conditions) of $8 million in one year! This is clear evidence that evidence- based practice makes a difference – both in terms of preventing avoidable clinical complications and in terms of saving money for the organization.

Definition Evidence-based practice, in its simplest form, means

using evidence to guide practice. This is an alternative to “flying by the seat of your pants,” doing things “because we’ve always done them that way,” or doing things “because I don’t know what else to do, so I’ll try this and see how it

Evidence-Based Practice continued on page 4

Evidence-Based Practice:

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Page 4 Ohio Nurse September 2015

Evidence-Based Practice continued from page 1

works.” Nurses enter practice with a knowledge base that has been acquired through formal education, including opportunities for both didactic learning and clinical practice. This education forms the basis for beginning practice and serves as a springboard for future professional development. This is NOT the end of the learning process!

New evidence comes into play every day as research is completed, technology advances, and patients present with unique challenges and personal experiences. The nurse who bases practice solely on what was learned in basic nursing education soon becomes outdated, and then becomes dangerous. Patients are not safe if they do not receive care that is based on the best evidence available to assist them at the time their needs arise.

Titler (2008, p. 1-113) defines evidence-based practice as “the conscientious and judicious use of current best evidence in conjunction with clinical expertise and patient values to guide health care decisions.” Evidence comes from several sources, including research, our past experiences, the knowledge and experience of colleagues, and the patient/family. One of these alone does not constitute a solid frame of reference for determining a plan of care.

Similarly, Sigma Theta Tau International (2005), in its position paper, defines evidence-based nursing as “an integration of the best evidence available, nursing expertise, and the values and preferences of the individuals, families and communities who are served.” This takes into account not only the research-based evidence, but the unique situations nurses face when implementing best practices with people of various cultures, needs, and healthcare preferences. Sigma Theta Tau considers evidence-based nursing as a foundation for nursing practice.

Melnyk and Fineout-Overholt (2005) also address the fact that evidence-based practice is predicated on several factors: evidence from research, opinion leaders, and expert panels; evidence from assessment of the patient and related healthcare resources; clinical expertise, and information about the patient’s preferences and values. Taken together, this framework empowers the nurse to plan and implement evidence-based clinical decision making.

Using Research When available, research studies that have been

conducted in controlled circumstances provide strong evidence to support practice decisions. For example, research has been done to determine various types of wound care dressings that are most appropriate for different kinds of wounds.

The nurse caring for a patient with a decubitus ulcer needs to thoroughly assess the patient and the wound, and then review the research to determine the best option to aid wound healing. As the nurse and the physician review the patient’s situation, they can develop a plan that incorporates recommendations based on research findings, the specific characteristics of the wound, and the patient’s situation – lifestyle, current self-care capability, availability of resources, and other factors that will determine how the treatment plan is carried out.

There are many areas of nursing practice, however, in which structured qualitative and/or quantitative research has not yet been done. There may be anecdotal evidence from others’ experiences, or there may be some “soft” data generated by one or two research studies with small populations or with a different focus than the area of current concern. New research is being conducted in a variety of areas of nursing practice and is disseminated through resources such as the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) at the National Institutes of Health, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and Sigma Theta Tau International.

The following information is provided in the “frequently asked questions” of the NINR, found a t h t t p s ://w w w. n i n r. n i h . g o v/s i t e - s t r u c t u r e/f a q #. VWh6GdjbK1s.

Q: What is Nursing Research? A: Nursing research develops knowledge to:

• Build the scientific foundation for clinical practice, • Prevent disease and disability, • Manage and eliminate symptoms caused by illness, • Enhance end-of-life and palliative care.

Many nurses cringe at the topic of “research.” They are unsure of how to read research articles and how to discern the “take home” points from lengthy descriptions of statistical data collection and analysis. Several sources, including the University of Southern California (Guide to Reading Research Articles, 2010), have published tools to aid in reviewing this literature. Key questions they suggest include:

• What is the purpose of the research and how does it relate to the problem?

• How was the investigation done? Was the study conducted in accordance with sound principles and without bias?

• What are the findings and conclusions, and how do they relate to the problem?

• How are the findings applicable to my practice?

Other factors the reader might want to consider when reviewing published research data include:

• How big was the data base in the study? A study that only looked at responses of 10 patients to a nursing intervention may not yield data that is as beneficial as a study in which 100,000 patients were assessed. After all, if six out of ten patients responded positively to a nursing intervention, the response rate would be 60%. That number looks impressive. It isn’t nearly as impressive, however, if six out of 100,000 patients had the same response - then it would only be .006%!

• What was the population in the study? If the study looked at the effects of an antidepressant medication on adults and your patients are children, the results of the study will not benefit your current practice.

• Who funded the study? Publishers and authors disclose the sources of funding for their research. If a study comparing the effectiveness of two antihypertensives was conducted by a pharmaceutical company that makes one of the medications, what steps were taken during the design, implementation, and analysis of the study to ensure that the study was factual? Please note that it is not unethical or illegal for a pharmaceutical company to fund research about its medications. In fact, this is a critical tool for evaluating the effectiveness of a medication. What is critical is to ensure that (1) bias is prevented in the conduct of the study, and (2) readers of the study have full disclosure about funding.

• Who conducted the study? What were the qualifications of the people who carried out the work? Did they have a particular “vested interest” in the outcome? Unfortunately, there have been situations where researchers have had a particular desire to see a certain outcome of a study, so data are manipulated in such a way to make the desired outcome a reality. To protect integrity and try to prevent misuse of subjects and data related to them, facilities in which research is conducted have institutional review boards (IRBs). Prospective researchers submit their proposals to IRBs to get approval prior to conducting their research if human subjects are involved. There may be situations where a researcher is receiving funding from a product manufacturer, or the researcher serves on the speakers’ bureau for the company that makes the

product. In these cases, the researcher has to be sure that his/her involvement with the company does not introduce bias into the research process. Some organizations allow this researcher to continue with the research as long as disclosure is provided and integrity is maintained; other organizations disallow the researcher from participating in that particular research project. Publishers are required to disclose any potential “conflicts of interest” of authors and to indicate how these potential conflicts were resolved.

• What were the outcomes of the study? Do they make sense in relation to the original research question that was asked? Do they have any relevance to your practice or your population of patients? If so, you will want to look further into the statistical analysis of the data to see how the researchers arrived at their conclusions. If not, consider the review of this study as an adventure in new learning, and move on to something else!

While research is an important component of evidence- based practice, an important factor to remember is that one research study does not generally provide “evidence.” A nurse can search databases for individual articles. These include CINAHL, MEDLINE, and others. More valuable is a compendium of research studies that have resulted in publication of evidence that comes from several sources. Three notable sources of this type of data are the Cochrane Collaboration, the National Guideline Clearinghouse, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. All three of these sources provide searchable databases that enable the user to collect evidence compiled from a number of sources in relation to a specific clinical problem.

In some cases, such as the National Guideline Clearinghouse, the evidence has been used to formulate a guideline that is then considered to be a “standard” of practice, based on best-available evidence at the time the standard was written. That is another significant factor to consider: when was the study done, and how current are the findings? Review of the literature may point to evidence of change in a standard over time - the prudent nurse will be aware of the most recent sources of evidence.

Spector (2007) states in the NCSBN paper that it is important for nurses to recognize the difference between “research utilization” and “evidence-based practice.” While research utilization suggests that one adopt the findings of a research study as “standard practice,” evidence-based practice indicates that findings from multiple studies, in conjunction with thorough assessment of the current patient situation, form the basis for nursing plans and interventions. She states that goals of this process are to give nurses tools to provide excellent care, provide a valid and reliable way to solve clinical problems, and encourage innovation and creativity in how evidence-based data is implemented to meet specific patient needs. As additional clinical problems and challenges are identified, there is opportunity for more innovation as new strategies are implemented to address ongoing quality improvement initiatives.

Tools and Resources Policies and procedures of facilities should be based

on evidence, not on tradition. One recommendation is to include a footnote with each policy, stipulating the foundational documents that were used in formulating the policy. Regularly scheduled policy reviews can then be conducted by referring to the original sources of data to look for updates and changes.

One example of an evidence-based practice standard that has been shown to increase patient safety is the SBAR tool for interprofessional communication (IHI, 2010). Numerous studies over the past several years have indicated that a major cause of patient safety lapses in acute care settings has been poor communication among members of the healthcare team. As noted earlier, The Joint Commission issued a sentinel event alert in July of 2008, indicating that hospitals must take a more active approach in ensuring respectful, appropriate communication that fosters a culture of teamwork and trust. The SBAR communication tool has proven to be an effective resource to assist healthcare team members in addressing that concern.

The model uses the acronym SBAR to stand for situation, background, assessment, and recommendations. When one member of the team is giving report to another or calling a colleague for guidance, use of this framework provides a consistently reliable way of collecting, analyzing, and organizing data to share with the other person. It is a particularly valuable tool for new members of the team, as they are learning strategies for effective communication. The process is more intuitive for more proficient practitioners. Regardless of whether use of the standard is formal or informal, it provides a way to share data that is understood by both parties, includes relevant information, and excludes extraneous information that might “muddy the water” in making sure the patient’s needs are appropriately addressed. Evidence has shown that integration of this technique in shift-to-shift reports, transfer of a patient from one department to another, or call to a prescriber regarding a change in plan of care has resulted in clearer communication and better patient outcomes.

Several models have been developed to assist people in using evidence to guide their practice. One is the ACE Star Model of Knowledge Transformation©, developed at the

OHBN

September 2015 Ohio Nurse Page 5 University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (Stevens, 2004). According to this model, the five points of a star represent key points in development of evidence-based practice: discovery; evidence summary; translation; integration; and evaluation. New data is discovered, but only as evidence from several studies supporting that finding are accumulated can the data be summarized into a framework that then can be translated into expectations for practice. At that point, nurses need to be educated and system-wide adjustments have to be made in order for those expectations to be incorporated into practice. For example, evidence could show that providing report at the patient’s bedside is an effective tool to promote patient safety and enhance staff functional ability, but if staff is not educated about how to do this new process effectively, it will not be utilized appropriately. Similarly, if staff are educated, but policies and procedures are in place that dictate how report is to be given in the conference room with certain people present at each change of shift, the new practice still will not be able to be implemented. At times, changes in policy/procedure, technology, and/or the culture of the unit or organization are needed in order for new evidence to be incorporated into practice.

Many healthcare organizations have implemented quality improvement or process improvement initiatives, such as the PDCA (plan/do/check/act) process and Six Sigma. These are examples of use of evidence-based practice, starting from the premise that organizations need to work toward quality, cost-effectiveness, and efficiency. While the initial onset of quality improvement initiatives has taken place in the manufacturing and industrial sectors of the economy, hospitals and other healthcare organizations have embraced their value. In light of the IOM reports referenced earlier in this study that indicate hospitals have issues that affect safety for patients and preclude effectiveness and efficiency of providers of care, healthcare organizations are now realizing the need to be more accountable in both the services they provide and the infrastructure that supports provision of those services. According to the American Society for Quality (2009), hospitals have reported success rates in both clinical and non-clinical services as a result of using quality improvement processes.

Another model is one suggested by The University of Minnesota (2010). In this model, there are five key processes one uses to collect, use, and evaluate evidence-based data. First, the nurse must frame the correct question in order to search databases for appropriate supportive literature. Second, from the literature resources available, find those which are most appropriate to your particular situation, patient need, or clinical challenge. Next, review those articles using some of the questions and suggestions in the “Using Research” section above. After finding supportive evidence of the initiative to be implemented, develop and use the evidence. The final step in the process is then to re- evaluate. Did the process work as intended? Did the generalized evidence support the particular need in this case? Is this something that could be used by this facility in similar situations in the future?

Megel (2009) suggests a framework similar to the University of Minnesota model to develop processes staff nurses can use to frame research questions, collect and analyze relevant data, and implement the findings to improve quality of care. She suggests that formulation of the question is a key to the process of data mining. Since there is so much data available, strategically framing the question to be asked significantly reduces the amount of material that is retrieved by the search engine and aids in focusing on the most helpful information. A well-designed question is thought to include the following:

P: the patient or population I: the intervention that is being considered C: comparison interventions, if available (is “A” better than “B”?) O: desired outcome

For example, a question might be posed as “for a normal-weight newborn, is breast- feeding or bottle-feeding more effective in protecting the immune system?” The population under consideration is the normal-weight newborn, so you can immediately rule out any articles that discuss breast feeding benefits for premature babies. The intervention being considered is breast feeding, and the desire is to compare the relative benefits of breast feeding and bottle feeding to achieve the desired outcome of protecting the newborn’s immune system. Data from the evidence retrieved will guide the nurse in education of new mothers. Nursing interventions are thus based on evidence, rather than on “usual” practice at the hospital or the personal preference of the nurse who happens to be caring for the patient that day.

Stillwell, Fineout-Overholt, Melnyk, and Williamson (2010), provide helpful information in their article, Searching for the Evidence. They suggest, too, use of the PICO formula, with addition of a “T,” to address the time required to achieve the outcome (PICOT). This article also presents a “hierarchy of evidence” to help the nurse evaluate the relative quality of various sources of evidence.

The National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators® was established in the late 1990’s as a vehicle for collecting data about nurse-sensitive indicators - those variables that reflect the structures, processes, and outcomes that affect the quality of nursing care that is provided to patients in hospitals. The database has grown significantly in its ten-year history and has contributed substantially to the evidence supporting nursing’s critical role in patient safety. Data are collected from member hospitals and benchmarked with other facilities and quality standards. Reports are provided to the members, which can be used for internal quality improvement initiatives, reporting requirements, staff education, and recruitment/retention efforts. Evidence of quality nursing practice is substantiated through controlled data bases such as that maintained by NDNQI.®

Professional nursing associations also have a wide variety of activities currently underway to investigate and support evidence-based practice in particular areas of nursing. As an example, the Oncology Nursing Society has substantial evidence-based practice information available in regard to nursing care of patients with cancer. The Emergency Nurses Association has practice standards, publications, and guidelines based on best practices in emergency nursing. Contact a professional association of interest to you to learn about the resources, education, and data bases they currently have available.

Other Sources of Evidence

Clinical Expertise With all of this discussion surrounding research and data bases, don’t lose sight of

the fact that collecting evidence from the literature is only one step in implementing evidence-based practice. Going back to the definition of evidence-based practice, remember that there are three key components: the evidence, clinical expertise, and the patient. Clinical expertise is a required element of evidence based practice. That might be the expertise you have, or the “borrowed” expertise of a colleague or mentor. Recognizing when you need help, and finding the appropriate person to provide that assistance, enables you to “data mine” to develop a strong evidence-based plan of care.

Clinical expertise comes with clinical experience. The novice nurse is very focused on policy and procedure and “how to do,” rather than “what to do” or “why to do,” let alone “how and when to modify” based on a patient’s need at any given point in time. As clinical experience grows, the nurse transitions to higher levels of thinking and functioning (Benner, 1984). As the nurse progresses from novice through the stages of advanced beginner, competent practitioner, proficient provider, and expert, the ability to think about “what if ” strategies increases significantly. The nurse who is able to do “what if ” thinking explores options and alternatives and uses research-based evidence to support recommendations to modify a plan of care to meet unique needs of an individual patient.

Critical thinking, while taught in nursing schools, is more of a theoretical exercise until there is a practice framework to guide the thinking. The more experience the student has,

the better the critical thinking ability will be. Critical thinking derives from the ability to look at the big picture, ask relevant questions, seek additional information, and challenge the “usual.” It includes the nurse’s ability to not only collect data, but to analyze that data in context with the patient situation. Critical thinking requires that the nurse be present in the moment and not act reflexively in providing what may be perceived as “routine” care. According to Benner and colleagues (2008, p. 1-88), “critical thinking involves the application of knowledge and experience to identify patient problems and to direct clinical judgments and actions that result in positive patient outcomes.”

You may have a significant amount of clinical expertise, based on years of practice and continued learning. It is a misjudgment, however, to assume that expertise and length of practice are equivalencies. Many nurses have practiced for a significant number of years but have not continued their professional development, either formally or informally. This often leads to ineffective, inefficient, and ultimately dangerous practice, as this nurse is not able to keep up with new advances in knowledge and technology.

Because of the increased specialization of nursing, no one nurse can be expected to be knowledgeable about every aspect of the profession. Therefore, it is most helpful to have trusted resources that can be called upon to provide expert guidance. For example, a patient with chronic depression is admitted to a medical-surgical unit after having a stroke. The med-surg nurse might feel quite capable of handling the post-CVA needs of her patient but is not sure of the right approach in dealing with the co-morbidity of chronic depression. A phone call to the psychiatric unit can elicit the support of a mental health nurse to provide guidance and direction in addressing the unique needs of this patient.

Expertise can be gained in a number of ways. Certainly, years of experience helps. Continuing education, both formal advanced academic education and continuing professional development, helps to keep the nurse updated and aware of new developments in his/her area of practice. Attending activities such as the hospital’s “grand rounds” or other in-service opportunities helps the nurse continue to learn and grow. Membership in a professional association expands the nurse’s horizons in a particular practice area of interest.

The Patient As important as critical thinking is, by itself, it is not enough. Critical thinking forms

the foundation for applying clinical judgment (sometimes called clinical reasoning) to a specific situation. Clinical reasoning is defined (Benner, 2008, p. 1-90) as occurring “within social relationships or situations involving patient, family, community, and a team of health care providers.” In other words, clinical judgment takes the ability to critically think and applies it to a particular patient with a particular need at a particular point in time. All of the evidence in the world is not going to matter if it is not relevant in this specific instance.

True understanding of the patient includes many facets and is based on the nurse’s knowledge of biological and social sciences in general and an assessment of the patient/ family situation in particular. Knowledge of the patient’s spiritual frame of reference, cultural background, decision-making processes, and health-related values is just as important in planning appropriate care as knowing the person’s HgA1C or triglyceride levels.

Another factor to keep in mind is that the patient’s condition is not static. A nursing assessment is only valid for the moment of time in which it was conducted. The nurse must be continually vigilant to changing conditions, which call into play new “evidence” that must be considered in adjusting the plan of care. Additionally, the nurse must always be thinking forward - anticipating what is probably going to happen next, while at the same time being prepared to respond if things don’t go as planned. Nurses have often been called a hospital’s “first-responders” because they are typically the ones who first recognize that a hospitalized patient is in need of emergent assistance based on a changing condition. In fact, the rise of rapid-response teams in healthcare facilities has been brought about by evidence suggesting that the nurse at the bedside is in the best position to recognize a patient’s need and call for the appropriate resources to aid in care of the patient.

Summary Evidence-based practice is a reality, and a critical component, of today’s healthcare

practice. The nurse must be aware of and able to use evidence-based practice in order to promote patient safety. Effective utilization of evidence-based practice depends on the ability to find and analyze data, critically examine a patient’s current condition and needs, and apply the appropriate interventions to achieve the desired outcome. Patient safety and quality of care are at stake. Evidence-based practice provides an efficient, effective, and cost-beneficial way to provide care.

The Cleveland, OH Campus is recruiting for energetic, imaginative, thoughtful faculty members to join our team.

[email protected]

South University – Cleveland Campus 4743 Richmond Road

Warrensville Heights, OH 44128

For more information, you may also contact Dr. Melissa Smith at 216-755-5000

Page 6 Ohio Nurse September 2015

Evidence-Based Practice: Why Does It Matter Post-Test and Evaluation

Evaluation:

1. Were you able to achieve the YES NO following objectives?

a. Define evidence-based practice. Yes No

b. Describe ways to use evidence-based practice to ensure safe patient care. Yes No

2. Was this independent study an effective method of learning? Yes No

If no, please comment:

3. How long did it take you to complete the study, the post-test, and the evaluation form?

4. What other topics would you like to see addressed in an independent study?

Name: ____________________________________________

Date: ______________________ Final Score: __________

DIRECTIONS: Please complete the post-test and evaluation form. There is only one answer per questions. The evaluation questions must be completed and returned with the post-test to receive a certificate.

1. Learning from prelicensure education is adequate to enable the nurse to practice safely throughout his/ her career. a. False b. True

2. Evidence to guide practice decisions can come from: a. Experience b. Patients c. Research d, All of the above

3. In the PICO formula, the “O” is indicative of the: a. Objective b. Operation c. Opportunity d. Outcome

4. In the PICO formula, the “P” stands for: a. Possibilities for actions b. Prediction of the desired outcome c. Problem the patient has d. Procedure the nurse is considering

5. In the PICO formula, the “I” stands for: a. Individual needs of the patient b. Intervention being considered c. Investigation technique to be used d. Involvement of the healthcare team

6. In the PICO formula, “C” is used to indicate: a. Coordination of the plan b. Communication strategies c. Comparative interventions d. Comprehensive plans

7. The group that represents all of the state boards of nursing is the: a. NCSBN b. NNSDO c. NNCOC d. NRB

8. The Ohio Board of Nursing has a rule regarding practice according to ____ knowledge, skills, and ability. a. Acquired b. Current c. Previously learned d. Tested

9. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing states that evidence based practice is a a. Buzz word b. Fad c. Fallacy d. Reality

10. A nurse who practices only based on what was learned in nursing school becomes: a. Dangerous b. Inefficient c. More proficient d. Stronger

11. The purpose of the Ohio Board of Nursing is to: a. Perform public service b. Protect the public c. Provide post-graduate nursing education d. Safeguard the nurse

12. Policies and procedures are best written based on: a. Accreditation requirements b. Evidence c. Experience d. Tradition

13. One research study is usually not adequate to provide evidence for clinical decision-making. a. False b. True

14. Sigma Theta Tau International considers evidence based practice to play what role in nursing practice? a. Experiential b. Foundational c. Guiding d. Supportive

15. SBAR is an evidence-based practice standard used for: a. Communication among health professionals b. Maintaining adherence to Joint Commission

standards c. Reporting patient safety violations d. Working through patient clinical problems

16. The National Institute of Nursing Research is part of the: a. American Nurses Association b. National Honor Society of Nursing c. National Institutes of Health d. World Health Organization

17. Pharmaceutical companies cannot conduct research about medications they make. a. False b. True

18. An important aspect of reading a research article is to look at: a. How bias was prevented in the design,

implementation, and analysis of the study b. How many people researched and/or authored the

study c. How the results of the study have been used by other

organizations d. Why the investigators chose to study this particular

issue

19. A process to validate the integrity of a research study is use of an: a. Administrative Research Review b. External Panel of Experts c. Institutional Review Board d. Optimal Research Outcomes Analysis

20. Evidence-based practice suggests that findings of several research studies support the planned intervention. a. False b. True

21. Education of nurses about change in practice based on new evidence is sufficient to create new practice. a. False b. True

22. For new evidence to be integrated into practice, there needs to be: a. Education, system-wide support, and availability of

resources to make the change b. Enough staff to implement the new plan c. Data from at least five sources to support the need

for a change in current practice d. Wide-spread understanding that the new process

will not cost more than the current one

23. The National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators® is a data collection venue for nursing indicators of quality in: a. All healthcare settings b. Ambulatory Care c. Hospitals d. Nursing Homes

24. The SBAR acronym stands for: a. Sample size, Biology, Anatomy, and Research b. Situation, Background, Assessment, and

Recommendations c. Suggestions, Basis of opinion, Algorithms, and

Responses d. Surgery, Bariatric, Anesthesia, and Radiology

25. Evidence to support evidence based practice comes from: a. Empirical research, previous experience, and

clinical data b. Evidence-based study, analytical data, and NDNQI c. Supportive data, use of EBP models, and non-

biased research d. The literature, clinical expertise, and the patient

26. Sigma Theta Tau defines evidence based practice to include: a. Evidence based on the nurse’s personal value

system b. Information that was learned in nursing education

programs c. Standards of practice from licensure boards d. Values and preferences of individuals and families

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