Principles of Research and Evidence-Based Practice Discussion Paper

Principles of Research and Evidence-Based Practice Discussion Paper

Principles of Research and Evidence-Based Practice Discussion Paper

Principles of Research and Evidence-Based Practice
Evidence-based practice and research in nursing are two closely connected concepts, and they are both applied and key to improved patient outcomes. Consistent and high-quality research leads to the development of various evidence-based practice guidelines, which are then applied by advanced practice nurses to positively impact or influence patient care outcomes (Melnyk& Fineout-Overholt, 2022). The implication is that an advanced practice nurse should have adequate knowledge regarding evidence-based practice and research and how both can be used towards improving patient care outcomes as appropriate. It is worth noting that there are various principles that should also be followed for effective use and adequate implementation.
Some of the principles include; the recognition that scientific evidence alone is not sufficient to guide decision-making, and within the present evidence, there are hierarchies of evidence too. Therefore, before going on to make important decisions regarding patient care, the practitioner with evidence-based practice knowledge should first explore the available evidence before using personal judgment alone to make important decisions. The implication is that the quality of clinical decisions has a higher chance of improving when the best available evidence or trustworthy evidence is used (Melnyk& Fineout-Overholt, 2022). In addition, multiple sources should be checked to find out what is already known regarding the issue. As part of the principles, there are four different sources that can be considered. They include scientific literature, organizational data, figures and facts, data from stakeholders, and the professional judgment and experience of practitioners.

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As earlier indicated, research supports evidence-based practice. Therefore, it is also important to explore various principles of research. One of the principles is that a researcher should start the research process by reflecting on an issue that they are familiar with or an issue that is impacting their organization at a particular time. This approach allows the researcher to come up with valid objectives which can then successfully be investigated. The other principle is that the whole research process should be organized in a systematic manner following a scientific method which is usually divided into six distinct phases (Grove & Gray, 2018). The phases include; the definition of purpose, formulating research questions or constructing a hypothesis, testing the hypothesis and data collection, analysis of data, and making conclusions. The final phase entails dissemination of the results or communicating the results to relevant individuals, organizations, or authorities.
It is important to note that as part of the principles in nursing research, the research needs to conduct research following the basic ethical principles of justice, non-maleficence, beneficence, and autonomy. All these principles should be upheld throughout the research process to ensure that whatever processes, strategies, or procedures used are not harmful to the research subjects. No potential participants should be blocked from participating in the research unjustly (Grove& Gray, 2018). The research should also focus on improving patient outcomes among the participating individuals. In addition, the privacy and confidentiality of all the participants should be upheld all the time.
All the discussed principles of research and evidence-based practice should effectively be implemented by advanced practice nurses. One of the strategies to be followed is adhering to the established organization guidelines. In most cases, every organization has its guidelines regarding research and evidence-based practice. Therefore, these principles are best used or implemented by following the organization’s guidelines (Melnyk& Fineout-Overholt, 2022). Advanced practice nurses can also seek the help of more senior nurses in the organization so that they can effectively implement the EBP and research principles. The other strategy is undergoing appropriate training to enhance the chances of following the principles.

References
Grove, S. K., & Gray, J. R. (2018). Understanding nursing research e-book: Building an evidence-based practice. Elsevier health sciences.
Melnyk, B. M., & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2022). Evidence-based practice in nursing & healthcare: A guide to best practice. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

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Discuss the principles of research and evidence-based practice and how to effectively implement them for advanced practice nurses.

Submission Instructions:

Your initial post should be at least 500 words, formatted and cited in current APA style with support from at least 2 academic sources.