Click on the links below to learn more about Best Practice Guidelines:
What is evidence based practice?
Evidence based practice is the integration of research findings into health care practice.
The best practice guidelines have the best evidence from research, along with clinical experience, client preferences and available resources to help health care providers make decisions about the health of clients.
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What are Best Practice Guidelines?
Best Practice Guidelines are systematically developed statements, based on the best available research to assist practitioner and patient decisions about appropriate health care for specific clinical practice circumstances.
Best Practice Guidelines are user-friendly statements that bring together the best external evidence and other knowledge necessary for decision-making about a specific health problem”(Sackett et al., 1997). Best practice guidelines assist practitioners and clients’ decisions about appropriate health care (Field & Lohr, 1990).
In other words, staff implementing the guidelines will be using the most up to date research to develop and deliver educational health programs and client care. Clients, who access the service of the Thunder Bay District Health Unit, will receive the best health care based on the best evidence and will have better health outcomes and quality of life.
All best practice guidelines contain a number of recommendations or strategies that can be applies into a variety of work situations. These recommendations are grouped into 3 categories:
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Why implement best practice guidelines?
Implementing best practice guidelines ensures
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Consistency in client care and service
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Evaluation of appropriateness of current nursing practice;
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Stops interventions or programs that are ineffective on care and service or can cause harm
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Reduce the variations in care
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Create efficient methods of health practice
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Identify gaps in research
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Development of policies and educational programs;
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Promotion of a common language amongst team members
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Transfer research evidence into practice
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Reduce costs in service
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What does implementation of best practice guidelines mean for staff, clients and the community?
Staff at the Thunder Bay District Health Unit will know from the most up to date research that they are providing the best care and service to the clients of the community. Their practice will be improved and enhanced through evidence based practice. Best practice guidelines reinforce to staff the value of initiatives that they have already implemented and stimulate interest in incorporating additional approaches.
Clients will receive the best health care based on evidence and will have better health outcome resulting in a better quality of life.
The community will have increase awareness in the professional image of staff working at the Thunder Bay District Health Unit, thus increasing the Thunder Bay District Health Unit’s image.
Ultimately, the Thunder Bay District Health Unit will be meeting the public health needs of the citizens by delivering accessible programming of the highest standards in protection, prevention and health promotion.
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