Evidence-based Practice Term Paper

Evidence-based practice, hereafter referred to as EBP, is a type of clinical approach that is based on four interrelated factors; patient experience, clinical expertise, scientific experience, and independent scientific research. The use of EBP approach ensures that services of a provider are both patient-centered and research-based. When using EBP approaches, providers are required to utilize the most recent clinical practices (Fiset, Graham & Davies, 2017). Proponents of the EBP approach argue that it has the ability of improving and standardizing the availability of healthcare across a complex healthcare system. Some of the proven benefits of EBP include improvement of nursing skills, lowered healthcare costs, and improved patient outcome.

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As a healthcare provider, I have a wide range of practices that require application of EBP approaches. These include infection control practices, use of oxygen in OCPD patients, and measurement of blood pressure by using noninvasive techniques. Healthcare providers should use evidence-based practices because it adheres to high quality standards and guarantees patient safety. For instance, evidence-based infection control policies plays a key role in preventing healthcare disasters in primary care (Fiset, Graham & Davies, 2017). In practice, infection control requires adherence to primary care cleanliness, following correct handwashing procedures, and wearing protective gears.

Although a lot of time is taken to ensure that all the processes of evidence-based practice are followed in infection control, the process is extremely beneficial. The processes used in infection control have been studied and documented for decades. The result has been an accumulation of a pool of reliable evidence that illustrates the systematic effectiveness of infection control practices. Historically, infection control practices focused on reverse covers and isolation practices. However, today’s providers use advanced surveillance programs, routine barrier practices, and prophylactic antimicrobial therapies. Some of the benefits of infection control include a reduction in healthcare costs, quality healthcare, standardization of healthcare, increased patient satisfaction, and satisfaction of the healthcare provider.

High-Quality Healthcare
Infection control minimizes the risk of primary care-acquired infections to both providers and patients. A patient’s experience of quality healthcare may be hampered of he or she acquires an infection after visiting the primary care. For providers, preventing healthcare-associated infections is a primary objective (Melnyk et al., 2017). The environment of healthcare institutions has been known to facilitate the spread of some diseases. Potential carriers may be the workers in the providers themselves, the air in the primary care, and the medical instruments used in primary care. It is therefore vital for healthcare practitioners to use evidence-based infection control practices to ensure quality healthcare. For example, the use of EBP approaches in the field of anesthesia has significantly led to the reduction of patient-reported adverse effects in the past 30 years.

Reduction in Costs
Evidence-based infection control programs have the potential of reducing costs associated with primary care for patients. In the U.S. alone, the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that more than 700,000 patients acquire infections during their visit to primary care facilities and 75,000 end up dying (Centre for Disease Control, 2017). Bloodstream infections have been identified as the most prevalent infections that occur in healthcare settings. According to the CDC, over 41,000 bloodstream infections occur annually in the U.S. It is estimated that each patient incurs between $3,700 and $3,900 to treat bloodstream infections (Centre for Disease Control, 2017). Infection control can, therefore, be used to reduce the financial burden associated with medical care and deaths.

Reduces Geographic Variation in Healthcare Delivery
Extant research also shows that evidence-based infection control practices improve healthcare through communication and standardization. Standardization removes the geographical barriers of primary care providers. In practice, providers experience challenges during implementation of guidelines because of lack of awareness (Milner & O’Connor, 2017). However, evidence-based practices are known to simplify complex practices enabling practitioners to administer proper care to patients. For instance, the use of checklists and protocols ensures that practitioners use the best type of evidence-based practice when administering care.

Increases in Healthcare Provider Satisfaction and Empowerment
Infection control programs are also positively correlated to job satisfaction and empowerment among providers. Providers make up a significant group of healthcare practitioners in the world. In particular, primary care providers play a pivotal role in the primary care sector. The use of evidence-based infection control approaches ensures that providers adhere to the best practices which ultimately improves the quality of service (Melnyk et al., 2017). For providers, infection control approaches simplify processes that are otherwise complex thereby leading to a high level of job satisfaction. Infection control programs also play an important role in preventing staff turnover since most employees benefit from an improved work process.

Other indirect benefits associated with infection control programs are financial reimbursement of third party-payers, simplification of payment procedures, and increased healthcare awareness by the general public. Collectively, these benefits are as a result of healthcare standardization which aligns the services offered by different healthcare institutions (Milner & O’Connor, 2017). Variation in healthcare processes is problematic because it increases the occurrence of medical errors which is costly to patients, insurance firms, and primary care. By aligning infection control approaches, providers follow the same procedures every day which reduces chances of errors. Overall, EBP approaches have led to an improvement in efficiency for primary care and patients. However, EBP is still at its early stages. It is therefore imperative for providers to work collaboratively in the design and implementation of EBP practices and tools.

References
Centre for Disease Control. (2017). Current HAI Progress Report | CDC. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/hai/data/portal/progress-report.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fhai%2Fsurveillance%2Fprogress-report%2Findex.html
Fiset, V., Graham, I., & Davies, B. (2017). Evidence-Based Practice in Clinical Nursing Education: A Scoping Review. Journal of Nursing Education, 56(9), 534-541. doi: 10.3928/01484834-20170817-04
Melnyk, B., Gallagher-Ford, L., Zellefrow, C., Tucker, S., Thomas, B., Sinnott, L., & Tan, A. (2017). The First U.S. Study on Providerss’ Evidence-Based Practice Competencies Indicates Major Deficits That Threaten Healthcare Quality, Safety, and Patient Outcomes. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing, 15(1), 16-25. doi: 10.1111/wvn.12269
Melnyk, B., Gallagher-Ford, L., Zellefrow, C., Tucker, S., Thomas, B., Sinnott, L., & Tan, A. (2017). The First U.S. Study on Providerss’ Evidence-Based Practice Competencies Indicates Major Deficits That Threaten Healthcare Quality, Safety, and Patient Outcomes. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing, 15(1), 16-25. doi: 10.1111/wvn.12269