Evidence-Based Practice and Global Health

Introduction

Evidenced-based practice in nursing comprises the application of the current trends in this specific field which requires exploiting a comprehensive research to suggest significant realignment and upgrades in the abovementioned sphere. Evidence-based practice helps the nursing front to deliver health care services that not only meet the demand at hand but also avail the most relevant help. Therefore, evidence-based practice has become a prerequisite to using comprehensive and appropriate health care services. Moreover, with the dynamics in the health care industry, the discussed practice is now recognized as more than a requirement for the nursing. Workers in this field are obliged to familiarize themselves with the current demands and expectations to ensure that they are in a position to properly address the new and old-evolving problems. The goal of evidence-based practices is the integration of the new knowledge in the field of health. This would provide a platform under which the nursing front can draw comprehensive decisions leading to improved health care service delivery.

Part A

Why It Is Important for Nurses to Utilize Evidence-Based Practice

The general intention of evidence-based practice (EBP) lies in eliminating the inconsistency between what nurses know and how they practice their skills (Ellis, 2010). Furthermore, evidence-based practices enhance the nurses’ ability to improve the patients’ welfare by encouraging the art of integrating the problem-solving approach when caring is concerned. At the core of EBP, there are enhanced research undertakings that lead to improved awareness among the nurses regarding nursing care matters. This means that the nurses gain a deeper understanding of different aspects of diseases and the best ways of handling them. There are the times when medical errors occur not because a registered nurse (RN) is incompetent, but rather as a result of being influenced by the status quo (International Council of Nurses, 2012). Since change is inevitable and, in the same spirit, medical practices have steadily been changing, this phenomenon has necessitated EBP.

EBP agitates for the nurses to familiarize themselves with the current trends in the sphere of medicine in terms of mutating disease forms and the most comprehensive manner of treating the disease that is prevailing (Ellis, 2010). One of the components of EBP is the continued formulation of nursing models and framework. The development of these models from the intensive research undertakings provides a body of knowledge that facilitates nurses when making hard practice decisions and taking respective actions. The above illustrations indicate the relevance of nursing utilizing evidence-based approach with regard to solving different dilemmas they may encounter in their line of duty.

Part B

Why Nurses Need to Understand Research Methods in Order To Implement Evidence-Based Practice

Evidence-based practice is aimed at providing the solution for research-practice inconsistency. In other words, it facilitates elimination of the difference between the knowledge gained via research and the prevailing trend in the practice (Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses, 2013). In respect of this phenomenon, it is obvious that one needs to have total command over parameters connected with research. In integrating EBP, the nurse is required to be able to master several aspects of nursing research. The first aspect is the description according to which one needs to identify and understand different phenomena. Apart from that, it is necessary to clarify various relations that nurses face in the line of duty. Prediction is another vital component in enhancing EBP, according to which the nurse must be able to estimate the probable outcome thereby minimizing the element of surprise. Lastly, EBP demands the nurse at hand to be in control of the prevailing situation. Here, the expectation is that a nurse can manipulate certain situation in order to achieve the desired result – an improvement in the patient’s health condition (Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses, 2013).

Therefore, understanding different research methods contributes to a better realization of various avenues of interest that nurses can exploit in the line of ensuring the research-practice inconsistency is eradicated. Eventually, when nurses have mastered the discussed aspects, they gain better comprehension of prevailing conditions in the field of medicine. Learning all aspects of research methods will make it easier for the nurses to identify what reliable and unreliable evidence is in order to arrive at the most appropriate decision at the moment. The result is a more informed workforce where every nurse is able to handle different patients’ conditions diligently and according to the highest standards possible.

Part C

How Nurses Are Utilizing Evidence-Based Practice around the World (Global Health Care)

Evidence-based practice is the norm agitated for around the world as much as in the USA. According to the International Council of Nurses report of 2012, the primary goal of employing EBP is to ensure the disparity between evidence and action is minimal (International Council of Nurses, 2012). Moreover, the council suggests that poor nursing decisions around the world result from poorly informed decision making. The council proceeds and points out that discovering new medicine will never be good enough to improve health care sector. Another assertion of the council is that more effort should also be put towards ensuring that nurses apply more knowledge into action (International Council of Nurses, 2012). In appreciation of the International Council of Nurses claim, there has been an urge for nurses to employ EBP in their line of duty across the globe.

In the United Kingdom, for example, there is a platform known as ‘NHS Evidence’ where nurses can access credible and authoritative evidence from over 250,000 resources (Gov.uk, 2013). Besides, The National Innovation Board continues to agitate and campaign for EBP and the spread of the new technology (Gov.uk, 2013). The impact of the urge for EBP in the UK has been observed with its traces being in the dental care. With the establishment of “Delivering better oral health– an evidence-based toolkit for prevention” in 2007, also known as the “Toolkit”, a conspicuous positive change in England dental health care could be observed (Fenton & Gregory S, 2014). The publication provided forth insights into the minimum amount of fluoride in toothpaste. Furthermore, the evidence-based research raised the awareness of the importance of fluoride varnish as a way of controlling dental caries. As the result, an increased application of these helpful insights by dental caregivers in England led to a more improved dental care. Apart from that, it has brought consistency in terms of the advice given to dental patients by dental teams and other social agencies.

The “Toolkit” has also provided the knowledge regarding the relevance of employing a more preventive approach to dental care which has necessitated retraining of dental care persons (DCPs) in their practice. The most noticeable impact of the “toolkit” is the fact that it has brought consistency in the way dental teams has been practicing considering a common platform where they receive advisory information (Fenton & Gregory S, 2014). This resulted in the improvement of dental patients’ welfare in terms of reducing the confusion regarding the best way of exercise dental hygiene.

In Canada, the perspective of EBP can be traced in the Psychological Treatments. In 2012, the task force was given the mandate of providing a guide on the best approach to dealing with psychological treatment. They intended to ensure that the treatment was governed by evidence, thereby improving the health care delivery to the patients (Dozois et.al, 2012). According to the Canadian Nurses Association (CAN), EBP is essential in guaranteeing that there is a quality improvement in health care delivery. It is the belief of the CAN that all stakeholders in the health care docket should coordinate in order to enhance service delivery. Clearly, the nurses in Canada have been utilizing different sources of evidence that include but are not limited to systematic reviews and research studies, yet provide useful clinically correct reference point (Canadian Nurses Association, 2010).

Conclusion

It is evident that EBP is a critical aspect if quality and reliability are to be upheld in the nursing front. Moreover, clear is the fact that EBP is directly dependent on intensive research and the ability to comprehend and understand all elements of research. Coordination is another element that enhances EBP and consists in sharing the findings relevant to the field of healthcare and suggesting a consolidated platform where nurses and other people involved in the health care can reference. Over and above, EBP can be recognized as a major contributor towards the attainment of a more tailor-made healthcare around the world by assisting in eliminating the inconsistency between what is known and what is practiced when dealing with different medical challenges in hospitals.

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