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Evidence based practice: Steps 4 & 5. APPLY AND ASSESS

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?

Additional resources