What is Evidence-Based Practice?
Evidence-based practice incorporates scientific evidence, client perspectives, and clinical expertise. Image from asha.org
- AANA: Evidence-Based PracticeThe AANA's standards include detailed descriptions of the five-step process of evidence-based practice:
1) Ask a clinical question
2) Obtain the best research literature
3) Critically appraise the evidence
4) Integrate the evidence with clinical expertise and patient preferences
5) Evaluate the outcomes of the decision - Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (CEBM)Oxford University's Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (CEBM) develops, teaches, promotes and disseminates better evidence for health care.
Book: Dang, D., Dearholt, S., Bissett, K., Ascenzi, J., & Whalen, M. (2021). Johns Hopkins evidence-based practice for nurses and healthcare professionals: Model and Guidelines (Fourth). Sigma Theta Tau International.
Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing and Healthcare by Call Number: Twin Cities Books 610.73 M49Publication Date: 2010-06-02
Protocols and Standards for Systematic Reviews
Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions
The Cochrane Handbook details how Cochrane reviews are conducted. This includes definitions for various risks of bias and standards for conducting meta-analyses.
PRISMA
Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRIMSA) focuses on the reporting of systematic reviews but also includes protocol information.
Identifying Systematic Reviews
- Systematic Reviews (Library Tutorial)Learn how to identify systematic reviews, and distinguish them from other research designs and reviews.
Levels of Evidence
The highest-quality clinical practice guidelines are based on the strongest evidence, meta-analyses and systematic reviews. Pyramid of evidence image from Baystate Health Libraries, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine: Levels of Evidence
Chart adapted from Grove, S. K., Burns, N., Gray, J. (2013). The practice of nursing research: Appraisal, synthesis, and generation of evidence. Elsevier/Saunders.
|
Level 1 (Highest Quality) |
Systematic review of experimental studies (well-designed randomized control trials) and meta-analyses |
|
Level 2 |
Meta-analysis of experimental (RCT) and quasi-experimental studies |
|
Level 3 |
Integrative reviews of experimental (RCT) and quasi-experimental |
|
Level 4 |
Single experimental study (RCT) |
|
Level 5 |
Single quasi-experimental study |
|
Level 6 |
Meta-analysis of correlational studies |
|
Level 7 |
Integrative reviews of correlational and descriptive studies |
|
Level 8 |
Mixed methods systematic review of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods studies |
|
Level 9 |
Meta-synthesis of qualitative research |
|
Level 10 |
Single correlational study |
|
Level 11 |
Single qualitative or descriptive study |
|
Level 12 |
Opinions of respected authorities based upon clinical evidence, reports of expert committees |
Finding Systematic Reviews
- Cochrane Library This link opens in a new windowThe Cochrane Library is a collection of databases that contain different types of high-quality, independent evidence to inform healthcare decision-making. It includes the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Cochrane Clinical Answers, and other evidence-based resources. Here, you'll find systematic reviews and protocols, plus links to randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials.
- MEDLINE (PubMed) This link opens in a new windowMEDLINE is the National Library of Medicine's free, online journal citation database. It includes abstracts/citations from more than 5,200 scholarly journals covering the fields of medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine, the health care system, and the pre-clinical sciences. PubMed encompasses everything from MEDLINE, plus eBooks and other science citations. Tip: To find the full text of an article in PubMed/MEDLINE, select the article title in the search results. On the next page, select one of the full text buttons on the top right. If there's no link, you can still request the article through interlibrary loan.