Evidence-Based Nursing Practice Evidence-Based Nursing

Evidence-Based Nursing Practice

Evidence-based nursing focuses on the premise of basing nursing practice upon concrete findings during research. This is seen to best benefit both patients and the nursing profession, which gains the reputation of being of practical help in providing care to patients. The article "Putting Evidence Into Practice: Evidence-Based Interventions for Fatigue During and Following Cancer and its Treatment" by Sandra A Mitchell et al. (2006), follows the Grove Model format in its structure and findings.

The Practice Problem is for example presented at the beginning of the article: the manifestation of fatigue after treatment has been given for cancer. The problem was defined and researched in terms of the latest literature available in order to investigate the best practices in terms of cancer-related fatigue. This yielded the guideline that exercise was the most widely and significantly supported method of conserving and regaining energy during and after treatment for cancer. The quality of this guideline was determined by comparison with other suggestions, most of which were connected only with expert opinion rather than a body of research evidence.

In terms of authors, published reports relating to the fatigue problem were reviewed. The problem is established as significant from the beginning of the article; fatigue is an unpleasant side-effect of cancer and its treatment, and adversely affects the normal functioning of a person. The strength of the research evidence relies on the fact that a significant body of research is available to suggest that exercise is an excellent way to ward of fatigue in cancer patients.

It does not appear that specific links are formed with national standards; however, the article notes that exercise empirically appears to have the most benefits and the fewest costs when treating cancer patients for fatigue. Although exercise was studied together with other alternative therapies such as yoga and expressive writing, conclusive evidence regarding the combinations of these was not available as a result of small sample sizes. However, based on the theoretical investigation, the patient, provider, and healthcare agency can work together toe ensure the vitality of all cancer patients. During the monitoring phase, it was found that the fatigue levels of cancer patients after treatment were significantly improved. The article suggests that therapies other than exercise, as well as alternative exercise therapies can benefit from further research and refinement. Reaching the stage of Evidence-based practice in the Grove model will therefore be a process of increasingly refined and focused research.

The Virginia Henderson theory of nursing focuses upon the patient and working together with him or her in order to achieve optimal health, or at least to die peacefully. The article is informed by this theory, as it focuses upon helping the patient accomplish a goal, rather than simply providing medications towards the goal.

In providing an exercise regime, the patient is empowered to control his or her energy levels by means of a personal and individual choice. As such, nursing is to help the patient to achieve 14 functions effectively. Ms. Henderson believed that this lay at the basis of good nursing care. These functions include basic actions such as eating, drinking and breathing. In terms of the fatigue exercise, the idea to is help patients feel normal within themselves again. This could be said to lie within the "move" category. By obtaining more energy, patients are able to better participate in life and society in an autonomous and fulfilling way (Nursing Theory Page, 2003).