Evidence-Informed Nursing Practice Preparation Notes

Developing Evidence-Informed Practice in Nursing

Importance of Evidence-Informed Practice (EIP)

  • Historical Context: The journey from evidence to practice has often been lengthy; for example:

    • 1617: John Woodall suggested citrus for scurvy prevention.
    • 1747: James Lind conducted a randomized controlled trial (RCT) showing citrus's efficacy in treating scurvy.
    • 1795: British navy adopted citrus, marking a 48-year delay from evidence to action.

  • Current Knowledge Gap: There is an estimated 17-year gap between evidence generation and its implementation in practice.

Core Components of EIP

  • Components of Evidence-Informed Practice:
    • Clinical experience
    • Patient perspectives and values
    • Best available scientific evidence
    • Available resources
    • Local issues and context

Barriers to Implementing EIP

  • Challenges:
    • Communication difficulties.
    • Difficulty in finding applicable studies.
    • Poorly designed studies that lack practical implications.
    • Financial and time constraints.
    • Knowledge deficits among clinicians.
    • Insufficient time to engage with and apply research findings.