Evidence Based Practice

Nursing is probably the most holistic health-related profession. It warrants the nurse to approach one’s practice in a manner that not only focuses on the health issues of the patient but rather encompassing the whole well being of the person. Which includes the physical and physiological, mental, psychosocial, and emotional aspect of the client or service user. It is therefore necessary for the nurse to have a wide array of knowledge, skills and attitude to deal with it. In so far as knowledge and skills are concerned, the nurse can readily make use of different tools to aid his or her practice. This essay will explore the context of evidence based practice in nursing. It will be defined based on the studies of people accounted in such work and how these changes have drawn the emergence of such. This would include its importance in the nursing profession and its contribution to healthcare. Furthermore, challenges, barriers and needs of care practitioners would be identified and elaborated. Change theory will also be discussed as change in the healthcare system is considered the catalyst in the emergence of evidence based practice and it is also the reason why evidence based practice is not yet widespread because people are hesitant to adapt to changes. Changes in the health care system and the needs of client is unending and thus the need to update one’s profession is tantamount in order to provide proper and optimum care to the clients through continual training, formal education and seminars and the use of evidence based practice. The inclusion and implementation of evidence based practice into nursing has long been recognised as an important aspect of the development and emergence of updated quality healthcare. The aim of evidence based practice (EBP) being to help clinicians base their actions on the best current evidence.(Sacket, 1996). As the demand of clients for better and more individualized care continues, professionals are increasingly

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