Evidence-Based Practice

1. Evidence-Based Practice Jane H. Barnsteiner, PhD, RN, FAAN

2. Evidence-Based Practice:As Used in this Module Integrating best current evidence with clinical expertise and patient/family preferences and values for delivery of optimal health care.

3. Key Message The key message of this module is: Safe, effective delivery of patient care requires the use of nursing practices consistent with the best available knowledge. This includes use of clinical expertise and patient preferences and values in addition to current best research evidence.

4. Learner Objectives By the end of this module, the learner will be able to: • Define Evidence-Based Practice and Translation Research. • Describe activities in research synthesis. • Describe how to evaluate merit and usability of existing research. • Describe the process from research generation, dissemination, implementation and evaluation. • Analyze personal and patient preferences/values implementing research findings.

5. Introduction

6. Introduction We are living in a fast-moving world where our understanding of what can be achieved in health care is constantly being reframed by advances in science and technology. A major challenge in health care is valuing the continual discovery of new knowledge, assessing it for appropriateness for inclusion in care delivery and putting into practice the knowledge that exists.

7. Introduction It is said that it takes 10 to 20 years for scientific findings to be integrated into practice and that only 20% or less of health care is based on research. The challenge we face is how to increase the rate of adoption and continue the movement from a profession based on ritual and tradition to using a wide range of evidence.

8. Introduction Evidence-based practice (EBP), integrating best current evidence with clinical expertise and patient/family preferences and values for delivery of optimal health care, provides the direction for the way to think about clinical practice and lead practice change.

9. The Role of Evidence Students need an appreciation and understanding of the role of evidence, which includes how to select an evidence-based practice, and how clinical expertise and patient values and preferences should form the basis for nursing intervention. It incorporates the development of skills in locating knowledge, critical thinking and clinical discernment.

10. History of EBP in Nursing Evidence-based practice was first systematically introduced in nursing with the Conduct and Utilization of Research in Nursing (CURN) project in the late 1970’s. They reviewed the research on 10 common nursing procedures including Structured Preoperative Teaching, Preventing Decubitus Ulcers, and Reducing Diarrhea in Tube-fed Patients. The project developed research-based clinical protocols, systematically implemented them into practice, and measured the outcomes. Applying the framework of Everett Rogers, they developed a guide that described, from an organizational perspective, how to advance nursing practice via use of research findings.

11. History of EBP in Nursing The CURN project demonstrated that synthesized research put into clinical protocols would be used by clinicians with beneficial results to patients. Today we have progressed from research utilization to EBP and translational research. Faculty and students need an understanding of the process of getting to EBP and the potential for positive impact on patient care.

12. Definitions

13. Synonymous Terms with EBP A variety of terms are used interchangeably with EBP. These include: • research utilization • research implementation science • dissemination • diffusion • research use • knowledge transfer • uptake • knowledge to action • translational research.

14. Synonymous Terms with EBP Research conduct is the systematic investigation of clinical phenomenon or the generating of new knowledge. Research Utilization (RU) was a term used in the 1980’s and 90’s to describe a 2 step process of dissemination and implementation. Dissemination is the systematic efforts to make research available and implementation is the systematic implementation of scientifically sound, research-based innovation. EBP as is noted above builds on RU and integrates clinical expertise and patient/family preferences and values.  

15. Synonymous Terms with EBP • Translational research is the testing of the effect of interventions aimed at promoting the rate and extent of adoption of EBP by healthcare providers. • Translational research further subdivided to describe both T1, which is moving research findings from "bench to bedside" and T2, the translation of results from clinical studies into everyday clinical practice and health decision making. • The work in this competency is directed to T2.

16. Models and Steps to EBP

17. Models and Steps to EBP Numerous models have been published to guide nurses in moving to EBP. Commonly used nursing models include the Iowa, STAR, Hopkins and University of Arizona. They share a common foundation in that they use a Planned Action theoretical approach but do not necessarily cover all 16 elements in moving knowledge to practice.

18. Models and Steps to EBP

19. 1. Identify Problem and Formulate a Specific Question The PICO model is often used to define a problem and formulate a specific question: • Population • Intervention • Comparison • Outcome

20. 1. Identify Problem and Formulate a Specific Question An example of the PICO is as follows: In hospitalized patients over 60 years of age, how effective is a falls-prevention program in comparison to the normal standard of care in decreasing falls and falls injury rates by 50%? The question guides the search for evidence so the more explicit the question the easier it is to develop the search strategies.

21. 2. Identify Need for Change It is important to identify where the need for change has arisen. It may be related to new knowledge that needs to be examined for implementation into the clinical setting while there has not been any concern with current practice noted; or it may be related to a clinical problem which has been identified by clinicians and existing knowledge is being sought to provide solutions or improvements to the clinical problem.

22. 3. Identify Change Agents The earlier that participants who will be instrumental in bringing about the change are identified and included in the process, the more likely the change is to be successful.

23. 4. Identify Target Audience In this step, those who will be affected by the change are identified so the practice change can be tailored to fit the audience.

24. 5. Identify Stakeholders Knowing the individuals or groups who have a vested interest in the project and anticipating their acceptance, support, or resistance is critical to the success of the project.

25. 6. Locate the Body of Knowledge, Synthesize and Extract the Clinical Meaning Searching for evidence in the healthcare literature is difficult and complex. Numerous templates are used for conducting systematic reviews. Detailed search strategies are necessary to locate and compile the studies to address the question, and appraisal methods need to be chosen to summarize the state of the knowledge. Information is gathered from several sources including locating systematic reviews, clinical practice guidelines, and searching journal publications for pertinent research articles.

26. 6. Locate the Body of Knowledge, Synthesize and Extract the Clinical Meaning It includes using multiple search engines such as Medline and CINAHL and databases such as the Cochrane collection, clearly identifying search terms and inclusion and exclusion criteria, developing a Table of Evidence to lay out the findings, grading the research for strength of evidence, searching for bias, determining the benefit versus the risk and burdens of the treatment/care, and extracting the implications for practice.

27. 6. Locate the Body of Knowledge, Synthesize and Extract the Clinical Meaning • There are numerous approaches to locating the body of knowledge to answer a question. • Clinical practice guidelines, which are systematically developed statements gleaned from summaries of best available evidence, may have been developed to assist clinicians to make decisions about specific clinical circumstances. Examples include pain management, falls prevention, congestive heart failure management, and others. These may be found on the AHRQ National Guidelines Clearing House Web site.

28. 6. Locate the Body of Knowledge, Synthesize and Extract the Clinical Meaning High quality systematic reviews provide the foundation for knowledge synthesis and they are indexed in both large, CINAHL and MEDLINE, and small databases such as the Cochrane and Campbell Collaborations.

29. 6. Locate the Body of Knowledge, Synthesize and Extract the Clinical Meaning There are instances where quality summaries of evidence or EB guidelines or systematic reviews are not available and databases are used to locate individual journal articles for review and synthesis. Knowledge synthesis is the analysis and interpretation of the results of individual studies. A librarian is very helpful in assisting with the search for evidence. Once the studies are located they must be critically appraised to determine if the quality of the study is sufficiently sound to use the results and if the findings are applicable in a particular setting. 

30. Hierarchy of Evidence / Strength of Evidence Much has been written about the importance of grading evidence. A hierarchy of evidence model developed for questions regarding the effectiveness of an intervention or therapy has been widely applied to all questions related to health care (AHRQ, 2002). Numerous hierarchical models for rating strength, quality and consistency of research evidence have been disseminated. The models, which use anywhere from four to eight levels for rating strength of evidence, have largely originated from medicine. This hierarchy posits the randomized clinical trial (RCT) as the strongest evidence for EBP questions.

31. Hierarchy of Evidence / Strength of Evidence The Center for Evidence Based Medicine uses Level and grade: Level 1 (a,b,c), Level 2, (a, b, c), Level 3 (a & b) and Level 4, and Level 5. The American Heart Association uses Level A, B, C for the estimate of certainty of the treatment effect and then adds Class I, IIa, IIb and III for the size of the treatment effect .

32. Hierarchy of Evidence / Strength of Evidence The ACCP describes the grading recommendations on the strength of recommendation (Grade I=strong and Grade 2=weak) and then further classifies the quality of the methodology as A (RCT), B (downgraded RCTs or upgraded observational studies) and C (Observational studies or RCTs with major limitations) The US Preventive Task Force uses a consistent set of criteria in assessing strength of evidence

33. Hierarchy of Evidence / Strength of Evidence When grading strength of evidence in nursing what needs to be kept in mind is that different questions have different hierarchies and the RCT is not necessarily the gold standard to be applied across all of healthcare. For each type of question there is an appropriate research design.

34. Hierarchy of Evidence / Strength of Evidence The wiki Evidence-Based Medicine Librarian is a community of librarians involved in teaching and supporting EBP. On this site are listed numerous tutorials and resources for grading evidence for various clinical questions. Toolkits are available to guide clinicians in the critical appraisal of studies to determine if study results are valid, interpreting the results in the context of the patient population and determining if the results apply to the clinical setting.

35. 7. Adapt the Knowledge / Design the Innovation to the Local Users. • This is often referred to as academic tailoring and is the adapting of the protocol or message to fit the audience. It includes identifying any processes that may be peripheral to the clinicians who will implement the EBP change and should be developed in consideration of any barriers for change. In nursing this may include pharmacy, information technology, and other professional disciplines.

36. 8. Assess the Barriers to Using the Knowledge Consideration of barriers that may be encountered and resolving them prior to dissemination will help to ensure the success of the EBP. This includes identifying resources that may be necessary and plans to garner them.

37. 9. Develop the Dissemination Plan A comprehensive and detailed plan including communication of the change to all those affected, training requirements, development of detailed protocols, and notifying other departments and individuals who may be affected by the change is included in the dissemination plan. Active interventions such as self-study, learning labs, reminders, and decision supports are more likely to induce change than passive education.

38. 10. Develop Evaluation Plan Identifying the predictors of success and developing a plan for collecting and analyzing data are components of the evaluation plan. This includes identifying who will be responsible for collecting, analyzing, and reporting the data and at what intervals.

39. 11. Pilot Test the EB Practice • Pilot test the EB practice. It is always preferable to pilot test a practice change. Research is conducted under controlled conditions and it is uncertain how the intervention will work when applied to real world conditions. • Doing small tests of change allows for identification of challenges and refining of the protocol.

40. 12. Evaluate the Process. Determine how the practice change is used. Audit and feedback demonstrates the gap between actual and desired results and address questions such as did the clinicians receive the information about a practice change and did they adhere to the practice change. How difficult or smooth was it to use the new way?

41. 13. Implement the Practice Change When the practice change has been modified sufficiently so that it is working as expected, it is ready to be implemented in other areas. A dissemination plan similar to the steps outlined above is needed to ensure a smooth implementation process. This includes planning for communication, training, and obtaining sufficient resources.

42. 14. Evaluate the Outcome Quality of Care has assumed increasing importance. The public, government, and third-party payers want to know the outcomes of our interventions and the outcomes of care being delivered. Does it make a difference in the patient’s health, the provider components of care, and is it cost effective? Increasingly, nursing is being held accountable for the quality of nursing care delivered.

43. 15. Maintain the Change A plan for continued monitoring with feedback to clinicians promotes sustainability of the EBP change over time and allows for assessment of achievement of desired results.

44. 16. Disseminate the Results of the Practice Change Inform clinicians and all stakeholders of the results of the practice change including financial and clinical improvements.

45. Tailoring the EBP to Users EBP may be about an individual having a clinical question or discovering knowledge that may improve one’s own practice or it may be related to widespread implementation and organization system change. When tailoring the EBP to users and developing the implementation plan, Rogers identifies five steps that need to be considered.

46. Tailoring the EBP to Users • Relative advantage—whether the new EBP is viewed as being better than the previous practice. This includes economic considerations and making a business case • Compatibility—how the EBP is perceived as consistent with the needs of the adopters or with past practice. • Complexity—how difficult the EBP is to use and understand. • Triability—degree to which the EBP may be "tried out" to solve any glitches in the process. • Observability—how visible the EBP is to others. The more visible a change the more likely clinicians are to take up a new practice.

47. Barriers to EBP

48. Barriers to EBP Much has been written describing barriers to EBP and little has changed in nurses responses over the past 15 years, regarding why nurses do not use evidence in their practice.

49. Barriers to EBP Barriers identified include: • Lack of time to locate and synthesize knowledge • Negative attitudes towards research and EBP • Lack of skill to search the literature and to interpret evidence • Access to the internet and computerized resources • The perception of lack of authority to change practice These barriers need to be kept in mind even as one moves through the steps in the process.

50. Knowledge Explosion