Evidence-based practice (EBP) stands for utilizing contemporary discoveries and effective novel practices in decision-making and patient care on the daily basis. Specifically, EBP concerns itself with the best and proven solutions to achieve better patient outcomes, address their unique needs, and personal preferences (Polit & Beck, 2021). It can be applied on all levels of care, ranging from state and nationwide policies and going all the way down to individual nurse-patient interactions.
When it comes to my professional practice and daily work with patients, EBP affects me in many ways. First, the majority of practices implemented in hospital care are based on evidence and research that had been performed in the past (Polit & Beck, 2021). That includes the procedures, the use of materials, drugs, and tools, as well as specific mechanisms of interaction between nurses and patients that make part of the protocol (Polit & Beck, 2021). At the same time, I am free to perform my research by producing primary or analyzing secondary data to enhance patient experience.
Finally, any EBP-based results that I might be able to discover as a result of my research can benefit not only my patients, but the greater nursing community at large. An example of such would be with kangaroo nursing, which implies skin-to-skin contact between the mother and the baby (Polit & Beck, 2021). It used to be a novel and under-researched practice back in the 1990s, but nowadays it is the standard of care in most US hospitals (Polit & Beck, 2021). The practice was discovered to have clinical benefits and no downsides, thus improving baby care (Polit & Beck, 2021). I will seek to constantly evaluate and implement EBP in my patient care practices to improve positive outcomes and advance the field of medicine.
Reference
Polit, F. D., & Beck, C. T. (2021). Essentials of nursing research (8th ed.). Williams & Wilkins.