Steps 4 & 5: Apply and Assess
The fourth and fifth steps in the EBP process are Apply and Assess.
Apply is a crucial step as this is where you apply or integrate the evidence in relation to your patient or practice issue.
Always keep in mind the main tenets of EBP:
- Best available research evidence
- Patient values
- Your clinical expertise
- Your specific practice context
Assess (or Audit) involves reflecting on steps 1-4 and evaluating your performance.
Self-evaluation can take many forms, but some questions you might like to reflect on include:
- Am I asking a focused clinical question?
- Am I using the best available evidence (or the highest level of evidence)?
- Have I performed my searches effectively in databases?
- How appropriate are the studies to my patient or specific context?
- Evaluate your performance of EBPThe University of Canberra provides a list of self-evaluation questions that you can use to reflect on your performance.
Additional resources
Evidence-Based Practice Across the Health ProfessionsRefer to chapter 16 - Implementing evidence: Closing research-practice gaps & chapter 17 - Embedding evidence-based practice into routine clinical care.
A Beginner's Guide to Evidence-Based Practice in Health and Social CareRefer to chapter 7 - How to implement evidence-based practice.
How to Read a Paper: The Basics of Evidence-Based Medicine and HealthcareRefer to chapter 16 - Applying evidence with patients.
