Practice-based Research in (allied) healthcare

1 Research competence for a professional context

Best available evidence

Context

EBP (Shared decision making)

Healthcare professional’s knowledge and experience

Patient’s value(s) and preferences

The three elements of evidence-based practice (EBP)

Figure 1.2

Using the principles of EBP means using the best available evidence to base the decisions on that you make in your professional conduct with (individual) clients. Equally as important are the manner in which this is integrated with your own clinical expertise as a care professional and the personal wishes of the patient or other stakeholders. Together, these elements determine the decisions that are made regarding the nature of the care, taking into account the specific context (see Figure 1.2). The five steps of evidence-based practice The EBP methodology consists of the (systematic) application of five steps. 1 translating a (clinical) problem into an answerable question (ask); 2 efficiently searching for the best evidence (acquire); 3 evaluating the relevance, quality and applicability of the evidence you found (appraise); 4 applying the result in practice (shared decision-making based on the three elements from Figure 1.2) (apply); 5 regularly monitoring and analysing the process and the results (assess). These steps are taken one after the other over and over again, which is why they are often depicted in a circle shape (see Figure 1.3). When you utilise EBP, you are constantly reflecting on the choices you make and the actions you take, which results in lifelong learning. By sharing this process with colleagues, you not only contribute to keeping your own knowledge and skills up-to-date, but also help improve your professional practice.

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