1. Introduction. 2.1. This report discusses the significance of using evidence based nursing for the treatment and management of long term conditions. It focuses on how evidence based practice influences the patient care and includes personal reflection of caring for a person with a long term condition with experience of using evidence based care.
2. What is evidence based nursing? 3.2. Evidence based nursing practice indicates making decisions about a patient’s care on the basis of current best available evidence (Beyea & Slattery, 2006). It enables health care professionals of all varieties to provide the best quality of care to the patient based on up to date research and knowledge. There are a range of different resources including clinical guidelines, local and national policies, reports, current and past research and personal reflections (Dale, 2005). These sources of evidence can inform the health practitioner of good nursing practice which can then allow them to deliver excellent nursing care with an evaluative and qualitative approach (Thompson et al, 2004). Good quality information in a suitable format supported by guidance from a health professional has also been shown to increase people’s levels of confidence in the decision making process (Embrey & Fox 2010). Getting up-to-date, accurate and unbiased information can help everyone make informed decisions and communicate effectively with care professionals.
3. What is a Long Term Condition? 4.3. Long term conditions are those which current medical interventions can only control not cure (Furze et al, 2008). The Department of Health (2010) estimates there are around 15 million people in England with at least one long term condition. These
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