Evidence Based Nursing

Intro to EBN

EBN TOOLS

EBN in Practice

EBN Resources
*Books
*Websites
*Articles

Front Page

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EBN IN PRACTICE

Step 4 - APPLY:

This is the step where you integrate the evidence with your clinical expertise and the unique needs and values of your patient/situation.

From the literature search, you've found that the articles you've read do not state specific guidelines or staff ratio suggestions, but do discuss that cuts in RNs have lead to decreases in patient outcomes.  Initially, you considered cutting some of your RN staff because of cost purposes.  After assessing your current situation, you remember that your most recent personnel cuts have been to the RN staff.  After considering the literature and your current situation, you believe that any further RN cuts may provide too much of a risk to quality of care and not enough of a benefit to the budget.  You decide on having cutbacks in the number of UAPs and to reorganize the staff in order to have a more effective combination of RNs to UAPs. 

Step 5 - ASSESS:

After applying what you've learned from the literature to your situation, you will need to evaluate outcomes in shorter-term and longer-term intervals.  In assessing the situation, you regard feedback from all staff and from patients.  You notice changes and statistics of patient care and outcomes, as mentioned in the articles.  You personally will need to decide after what period of positive or negative feedback you decide to consider the changes a success or choose alternative plans. 

You should not only assess the outcomes in your situation, but also the effectiveness and efficiency of the evidence based process and consider avenues for improvement.