Biography:
Abstract:
The Institute of Medicine called for the use of evidenced-based practice approaches to care in 2001 in response to a national initiative to provide a higher standard of healthcare. In 1999 it was estimated that up to 268 people a day in the United States died as a result of medical errors, there was a call to action. The use of scientific knowledge to guide all healthcare practices became the new standard and expectation both by the experts and soon thereafter by the recipients of care. Bringing evidenced-based practice to bedside implementation did not arrive with its own blueprint and the nursing profession has struggled for several years on how to successfully integrate these processes into useable form. Transitioning deeply rooted practices to the newer approaches requires the leader to participate in the journey, shoulder to shoulder, point of care work, demonstrating the possibility and spreading the good news. Healthcare workers are facing many challenges in their daily quest to deliver good care in today’s dynamic healthcare environment, if we are to expect them to conform to new practices we are going to have to pave the way and lay the foundation piece by piece. A description on a successful bedside report implementation project on a level 111 NICU brings forth success and failures and missteps that became a huge learning curve and emblazoned a passion to continue in this effort. A notable missing component that resulted in the profession being underserved in this area was the identification of individuals with the skills, knowledge, and passion for the work. How is this work going to be completed? There is a recent increase in Doctor of Nursing Programs to facilitate the education on evidenced-based practice implementation. That’s a start. Bringing evidence-based practice to fruition at the bedside requires time, talent, and team effort. The work is possible, plausible and paramount for optimal healthcare delivery in the 21st Century.