Determining Credibility of Evidence in healthcare

Determining Credibility of Evidence in healthcare
Evidence-based practice (EBP) has over the years developed into an essential component of nursing practice, and more so for the baccalaureate nurses. Utilization of EBP in solving clinical problems is among the core competencies that that nurses now have to demonstrate before successfully completing their training (Hande et al., 2017). This allows them to provide the best quality of nursing care available. In this assignment, a description of how management of fluid retention could benefit from an evidence-based approach is given; as well as an explanation of the criteria that should be considered when determining credibility of research material such as journals and websites. An analysis of the credibility and relevance of evidence and resources within the context of fluid retention is also provided; after which we conclude with an explanation of the importance of incorporating credible evidence into an EBP model used to address fluid retention.

Evidence-based Approach in Fluid Retention

Evidence-based practice involves integration of study findings from recent, high-quality research with clinical practice with the aim of ensuring patients receive nursing care that is optimal. As such, it is imperative that not only baccalaureate nurses but also all other nurses in the clinical areas, finesse their skills in research and locating credible databases (Scala et al., 2016). Fluid retention, otherwise known as edema, is the term given to the condition whereby there is an excessive build-up of fluids in a particular part of the body, for example the lower limbs. It is usually an indicator of a defective circulatory system. Edema often results from intake of some medication, nutritional deficiencies, pregnancy or could simply be due to an underlying disease, such as congestive heart as is often the case, liver cirrhosis or kidney disease (Mottelson et al., 2020). It is for this reason that management of fluid retention needs to be approached with utmost diligence. Being an often recurring condition, nursing management of edema could benefit from an evidence-based approach, in order to ensure that patients are properly diagnosed. A misdiagnosis could be quite fatal considering that an underlying condition may go unnoticed, or medication prescribed that potentiates effects of edema.

Criteria to Determine Credibility of Sources

In the implementation of an evidence-based approach, nurses have to ensure they are well-versed with a proven criterion to determine the credibility of resources. In determining the credibility of evidence and resources, the TAARP criterion is recommend. TAARP represents timeliness, authority, audience, relevance and perspective (BYU, 2021). Evidence used in EBP has to contain the most recent information and preferably not older than 5 years, hence timeliness. Journals have to be peer-reviewed, and the authors have to cite their credentials to prove they have authority to write one a particular subject. The authors also need to ask themselves who the article should be addressed to, in order to communicate to the appropriate audience. Nurses should also ask themselves whether a source support of their ideas, and whether the research questions have been answered, to verify relevance. Lastly, everyone has some bias in them. It would therefore be prudent to pick a source that helps in understanding the other side of the argument as well (BYU, 2021).

Analyzing the Credibility and Relevance of Resources

As nurses, it is important that we understand specific evidence sources from where we can gather credible and relevant healthcare-related information. Not every website or journal article with information on nursing and healthcare will be credible and relevant to be used in nursing. The current recommendations are that university government and organizational websites, libraries, hospital policy manuals and a number of credible databases should be used for such purposes (Scala et al., 2016). Some relevant and credible databases, as well as websites that nurses can use include: The PubMed website by the US National Library of Medicine, MEDLINE database, The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) database by EBSCO publishing, the Cochrane Library of systematic reviews, the World Health Organization website, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), among many others. From the above resources, one would be able to retrieve sufficient credible and relevant information that pertains to edema and its management.

Importance of Incorporating Credible Evidence

In recent years, patients have become more knowledgeable on their rights, consequently leading to the transformation of healthcare services from volume-based to value-based. Evidence-based practice has in that period evolved to become the core of health care provision, offering a combination of the best available research with clinician experience and patient preference (Spruce, 2015). The best available research, which happens to be key in implementing EBP, can only be acquired from credible and relevant resources. Therefore, in ensuring that patients suffering from edema get the best possible care, it is imperative that credible evidence is sourced in order to provide care that is evidence-based. Credible evidence not only gives us the chance to implement EBP, but also ensures that care provided is of the best quality, thus being beneficial to the patient.

Conclusion

Evidence-based practice is at the heart of current transformations in healthcare. As nurses, we have to ensure that the skills of locating and determining the credibility of sources becomes common practice if we are to practice care that is evidence-based. Key to this is ensuring we sharpen our skills of locating and determining the credibility of sources.

References

Brigham Young University (2021). Step-by-Step Guide & Research Rescue: Evaluating Credibility. Retrieved from https://guides.lib.byu.edu/evaluating-credibility

Hande, K., Williams, C. T., Robbins, H. M., Kennedy, B. B. & Christenbery, T. (2017). Leveling Evidence-based Practice Across the Nursing Curriculum. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners; 1(13): e17 – e22

Mottelson, M. N., Lundsgaard, C. C., & Møller, S. (2020). Mechanisms in fluid retention–towards a mutual concept. Clinical physiology and functional imaging, 40(2), 67-75. https://doi.org/10.1111/cpf.12615

Scala, E., Price, C., & Day, J. (2016). An Integrative Review of Engaging Clinical Nurses in Nursing Research. Journal of Nursing Scholarship. Retrieved from https://www.doi:10.1111/jnu.12223

Spruce, L. (2015). Back to Basics: Implementing Evidence-Based Practice. AORN Journal. Retrieved from https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aorn.2014.08.009

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