Why don’t we do evidenced-based nursing?
The failure to do evidence-based nursing is due to the work environments at the hospitals. Despite nurses being the primary care givers, in most cases they do not have the authority to change the care procedures for the patients. The other reason is due to work overload in which the nurses lack time to implement new ideas. For example, Majid et al. (2011) cited that in most cases nurses may be willing to adopt EBP but there is no time to research understand and interpret the findings.
Should physicians be involved in this initiative in an ICU?
In order to ensure a patient centered care, it is advisable to use interdisciplinary approach, hence the physicians should be involved in the ICU initiative. The involvement of the physician will reduce some barriers nurses faced in evidence-based nursing. For example, working with physician as a team will allow nurses the nurses to change the care procedure where necessary with the approval of the physician.
One nurse said, “I don’t want to do research. I became a nurse to practice nursing.” How should the nurse manager reply to this statement?
Evidence based practice does not imply that nurses abandon the principles and knowledge obtained during training. It is about integration of clinical expertise, research evidence, and the patient’s values. Besides, health care provision is a dynamic field that keeps on changing; therefore, it is important for all health professionals to provide care based on current evidence.
How might the ICU unit design an initiative to focus on interprofessional EBP?
The interprofessional EBP should be based on an inclusive approach where all concerned professionals are included in the care process. An information technology system should be used in the ICU unit so that members can monitor the care process and update wherever new changes are made. This will ensure a coordinated care process and avoid failures that result due to miscommunication between health professionals.
What professions other than nurses and physicians should be involved in this initiative on an ICU?
The other professionals should include dieticians, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, and social workers.
References
Majid, S., Foo, S., Luyt, B., Zhang, X., Theng, Y. L., Chang, Y. K., & Mokhtar, I. A. (2011). Adopting evidence-based practice in clinical decision making: nurses’ perceptions, knowledge, and barriers (EC). Journal of the Medical Library Association, 99(3), 229-230.