Research and EBP

Number: A Minimum of 2 to Peer Posts, at least one on a different day than the main post Length: A minimum of 150 words per post, not including references Citations: At least one high-level scholarly reference in APA per post from within the last 5 years Peer Post: Research is a scientific practice whose purpose is to produce and collect evidence. It generates new knowledge and validates existing knowledge as well. Research is about investigation, exploration, and discovery. It is through research that we formulate the best evidence to care for our patients, for example. This nursing practice that we follow based on this evidence discovered by the research process is what we call evidence-based practice. Research guides our practice and makes it truly evidence-based. Practice that is evidence-based stems from and follows the current research and findings from that research. This practice that we employ is born from a wide variety of research studies. Without research, evidence-based practice could not exist  (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2019). Unlike research, evidence-based practice is not about developing new knowledge or validating existing knowledge. It is about interpreting the evidence and relating it to clinical decision-making. The purpose of EBP is to use the best evidence available to make decisions in regard to patient care. Evidence-based practice goes beyond research use and includes clinical expertise as well as patient preferences and values (Connor, 2019). Fortunately, healthcare has evolved to the point that we are aware of the value of practice that is evidence-based and that we see the worth of following what the research shows us as a profession.   An evidence-based intervention is one that is based on the most recent and superior internal and external evidence (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2019). The way one could identify that a research project involves evidence-based interventions versus the creating of knowledge in such a project is to evaluate if there is any existing evidence showing such studied interventions are effective. According to the University of Missouri, they suggest one examines scholarly publications or research studies for interventions that have one or more experimental studies reporting some level of effectiveness (University of Missouri, 2011). Evidence-based interventions (EBI) are “validated for a specific purpose with a specific population.  As such, EBIs are only useful for a range of problems and as such, must be paired up with the right situation. If you match an EBI with a problem is it not designed to address, there is no reason to think that it will work. A hammer is an effective tool, but not with a screw” (University of Missouri, 2011).   Reference Connor, B. (2019, October 31). Differentiating research, evidence-based practice, and quality improvement. American Nurse. https://www.myamericannurse.com/differentiating-research-evidence-based-practice-and-quality-improvement/. Melnyk, B. M., & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2019). Evidence-based practice in nursing & healthcare: a guide to best practice. Wolters Kluwer. University of Missouri. (2011). Evidence Based Intervention Network. Evidence Based Intervention Network RSS. .