Evidence-Based Practice I - Vocabulary Flashcards

A curriculum-focused set of vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts from the Evidence-Based Practice lecture, including EBP steps, evidence models, critical appraisal, and implementation considerations.

Evidence-Based Practice (EBP)

An approach that integrates the best available research evidence, clinical expertise, and client values to guide practice; not cookbook medicine and always client-centered.

PICO format

A template for formulating clinically relevant questions: Patient/Population/Problem, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome.

IMPROVE (EBP five-step process)

A five-step process for EBP: Identify, Measure, Problem Analysis, Remedy & Operationalize, Validate and Evaluate.

Step One: Identify

Define the problem and formulate a clinically relevant question (often using the PICO format).

Step Two: Measure

Search for best evidence in reliable sources and organize evidence, guided by the evidence pyramid.

Step Three: Problem Analysis

Critically evaluate and appraise evidence; review the article using a standardized approach and determine validity and relevance.

Step Four: Remedy & Operationalize

Apply evidence to clinical scenarios and plan how to implement it (WHO, WHEN, HOW); consider whether the intervention fits the patient.

Step Five: Validate and Evaluate

Assess outcomes, track metrics over time (e.g., 30/60/90/120 days), refine practice, and share findings.

Five A's of EBP

Ask, Acquire, Appraise, Apply, Assess—the sequence for locating and using evidence in practice.

Tomlin Evidence Pyramid

A framework for OT evidence with four equally valued types—experimental, qualitative, descriptive, and outcomes—linked to levels of rigor.

Traditional Levels of Evidence

A hierarchy (e.g., RCTs, cohort studies, case-control studies, case series, expert opinion) used to gauge evidence quality.

Tomlin Model

The evidence pyramid model used in OT; emphasizes multiple equally valued evidence types rather than a single highest level.

Rigor

Adherence to accepted rules, procedures, and methodical design in research.

Skeptical

A stance where assertions are open to doubt and empirically tested through observation and experience.

Logical

Reasoning that links knowledge to explanations, using deductive or inductive approaches.

Communal

Public scrutiny and peer review of the research process and findings.

Ethical approval in research

Review process to ensure risks are warranted, informed consent is obtained, and subjects are protected from harm.

Reviewing the literature

Systematically searching, obtaining, analyzing literature to identify what is known, gaps, and how knowledge is generated; includes dissemination of findings.

Dissemination of findings

Sharing results through scientific presentations, posters, articles, and consumer-friendly formats.

Evidence Synthesis

Methods like systematic reviews and Critically-Appraised Topics that combine findings from multiple studies.

Background considerations in research

Practical factors such as rigor, logistics, and available resources that influence study design.

Clinical relevance vs statistical significance

Evaluating whether findings matter in real clinical settings and client contexts, not just whether they are statistically significant.

Engaged scholarship

Approach that emphasizes questions and methods addressing practical needs, not just method-driven research.

Barriers to implementing AAT (Animal-Assisted Therapy)

Challenges include People, Policy, Procedures, and Technology; require planning and policy to implement AAT.

Inquiry as a Candle in the Dark

Carl Sagan’s metaphor about balancing skepticism with inquiry to avoid clinging to unproven beliefs while pursuing truth.