The recent COVID-19 pandemic showed that medicine without nurses is impractical. Nurses face the need to make decisions affecting people’s health daily.
They see 18 to 20 patients per day — putting that in perspective, they make more than 15 life-affecting decisions daily. This is a large undertaking for one person, knowing human error is ever constant.
So, when evidence-based problem solving was introduced to the nursing profession, it was immediately adopted.
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What Is Evidence-Based Problem Solving?
Evidence-based problem solving is known as evidence-based practice (EBP). EBP is a system of practice in which a medical professional conducts treatment based on the results of proper research, clinical proficiency and patient values.
Research must be proven, and nurses studying it must do so with their clinical experience and then tailor the results to fit the patient’s preference. This is a complete understanding of EBP.
How Does Nursing Benefit From Evidence-Based Problem Solving?
Time Saving
Nurses are some of the busiest workers on the planet. They have little or no time to rest, even missing breaks on packed days.
However, evidence-based practice has brought proven research that reduces or even cuts out specific everyday processes that do not benefit the patient’s health. Now, nurses have more time for self-care, family and career advancement.
Birth Of A Question Asking Culture
EBP creates a new breed of nurses who ask questions and conduct research to get accurate answers. It becomes a culture of inquiring that dramatically elevates the nursing profession regarding caregiving and the efficiency of management resolutions.
With EBP, nurses are not just placeholders helping. They are contributors who care so much that they seek knowledge on how to do more.
A More Confident Nursing Profession
The fact that nurses are no longer placeholders but decision makers is a confidence booster. Evidence-based problem solving means nurses are studying, although they are not doctors. It inspires confidence knowing that nurses are doing more research for their patients.
Also, from a similar perspective, nurses become more confident in delivering quality service. This reduces trial runs and, ultimately, errors that result from self-doubt.
A Leadership Mindset
From days of yore, nurses were trained to follow. No one was expecting contributions of medical knowledge from them. But since the 1800s EBP has evolved, giving nurses a platform to contribute medical insight.
EBP ignites a need to learn, and nurses are really learning with programs such as UIndy online MSN programs. Even while working, nurses pursue a master’s degree to meet their needs. This is one of the essential gifts of EBP to the nursing profession.
A New Breed Of Indispensable Nurse
As long as there are humans, nurses will always be relevant. EBP empowers nurses to remain current and increases their relevancy.
Because of every patient’s health challenges, nurses are researching available related materials and keeping updated about what is new and discarded.
They are saving their wealth of experience and understanding their patients. Nurses are making themselves not just relevant but indispensable to the medical systems.
