Evidence Based Practice

Cover image
Title page
Table of Contents
Copyright
Dedication
Foreword
Authors
Contributors
Reviewers
Preface
Acknowledgments
List of Illustrations
List of Tables
1. Introduction to evidence-based practice
What is evidence-based practice?
Why is evidence-based practice important?
Scope of evidence-based health care
Common criticisms of evidence-based practice
The process of evidence-based practice
How this book is structured
References
2. Information needs, asking questions, and some basics of research studies
Clinical information needs
Dealing effectively with information needs
Different ways of obtaining information: Push or pull? Just-in-case or just-in-time?
How to convert your information needs into an answerable clinical question
Now that the question has been formulated, what types of information should be looked for?
What are the different study types?
Hierarchies of evidence for each question type
Internal validity: What are bias and confounding?
Statistical significance, clinical significance and power
References
3. Finding the evidence
The basics of searching
Basics of searching: An example
How to navigate evidence-based information services
Search examples
Acknowledgments
References
4. Evidence about effects of interventions
Study designs that can be used for answering questions about the effects of interventions
How to structure a question about the effect of an intervention
How to find evidence to answer questions about the effects of an intervention
Is this evidence likely to be biased?
Completeness of reporting of randomised controlled trials
Understanding results
How can we use this evidence to inform practice?
References
5. Questions about the effects of interventions
References
6. Evidence about diagnosis
Study designs that can be used for answering questions about diagnostic test accuracy
How to structure a diagnostic test accuracy question
Is this evidence likely to be biased?
What are the results?
Other types of test studies
Diagnostic clinical prediction rules
References
7. Questions about diagnosis
Reference
8. Evidence about prognosis
How to structure a prognostic question
Is this evidence likely to be biased?
What are the results?
How can we use this evidence to inform practice?
Acknowledgments
References
9. Questions about prognosis
References
10. Understanding evidence from qualitative research
Qualitative research: The value of different philosophical perspectives and methodologies in researching people’s experiences and behaviours
Qualitative methodologies used in health research
Considerations when undertaking qualitative research
Using qualitative evidence: A stepwise approach
References
11. Understanding evidence from qualitative research
References
12. Appraising and interpreting systematic reviews
What are systematic reviews?
Advantages of systematic reviews
Systematic reviews for different types of clinical questions
Locating systematic reviews
How are systematic reviews conducted?
Quantitative systematic reviews
Critical appraisal of quantitative systematic reviews
Critical appraisal of systematic reviews—a worked example
Qualitative evidence syntheses
Assessing the quality of qualitative evidence syntheses
The importance of complete reporting in systematic reviews
Acknowledgment
References
13. Clinical practice guidelines
What are clinical guidelines?
Why use guidelines?
How guidelines fit with other evidence-based practice products
Where and how to find guidelines
How are guidelines developed?
Can I trust the recommendations in a clinical guideline?
Considerations for using a guideline in practice
Do clinical guidelines change practice and improve care?
Acknowledgments
References
14. Shared decision making
Patient-centred care
Shared decision making
Decision support tools
Communicating numerical information to patients
General principles regarding communication format
References
15. Clinical reasoning and evidence-based practice
The evidence-based practice movement’s concept of evidence
Evidence of what?
Integrating information and knowledge: The forgotten art?
Approaches to clinical reasoning
How do I make my practice evidence-based?
References
16. Implementing evidence and closing research–practice gaps
Implementation terminology
Using theory, theoretical frameworks and models to inform the process of implementation
The process of implementation in detail
Acknowledgments
References
17. Embedding evidence-based practice into routine clinical care
Why is a systems approach important?
Why should organisations want to promote evidence-based practice?
Culture and characteristics of organisations that integrate evidence-based practice
Conclusion
References
Index