Evidence Based Standards for Midwifery Scope of Practice

Evidence-based practice (EBP), is the application or translation of research findings into our day-to-day patient care practices and clinical decision making. It involves integrating clinical knowledge and expertise with the best evidence, while also taking into account patients’ individual needs and preferences. The best patient outcomes will be achieved if they are consistently used.

EBP is a way to abandon outdated care delivery methods and choose scientifically-validated, effective ways to meet patient needs. EBP requires healthcare professionals to be able to assess the value of research for each patient.

In midwifery, the evidence-based practice aims to ensure that women receive the care that fits their needs, facilitates sound decision-making, reduces unnecessary and ineffective interventions, provides student midwives and other health professionals with the skills and knowledge to justify their practice, and minimizes risk. The implementation of this type of theory is evident to be helpful in the services that midwives provide in the healthcare industry. This means that midwives use the best available, current, valid, and relevant evidence like research, work experience, and updated standard guidelines in the clinical decision-making practice. Evidence-based practice (EBP) is implemented when it relies on interpreting currently available findings and applying rational scientific research. The implementation of this practice is crucial to increase the best patient outcomes and it reduces patient pain, hospital stay, and ulcers due to pressure.

How to apply EBP in Midwifery Practice

It would be nearly impossible to evaluate all the evidence available on a topic. There are many EBP processes available that can be used to assist health care professionals in implementing EBP at work.

These six steps are the most common.

1. ASK a question.Are you unsure about something in your clinic? Maybe you are wondering if a different intervention would be more effective than the current one. You might ask yourself, “What works well?” and “What could be improved?” And most importantly, why? Assess the workflow and processes that are affected by the identified practice gap. PICO(T), pronounced “pee ko”, will be used. The next module will provide more information about the PICOT questions.
2. ACQUIRE current evidence.This will be done by performing a literature research. Your clinical question will guide your search.
3. APPRAISE.In other words, you should sort, read and critically evaluate peer-reviewed literature.
4. APPLY your findings to clinical decision making.Combine the evidence with clinical expertise, patient preferences, and values. Make evidence-based recommendations for daily practice.
5. Evaluate your results. Document your approach and review the data. Include any changes or revisions. Keep track of the outcome of your intervention. Summarize and evaluate the results.
6. DISSSEMINATE the information.You can share the results of your project. Sharing is a way to promote best practices and avoid duplicate work. It can also help to expand the resources available that support or derail the practice.

Participating in project-based work may teach us how to apply EBP, but integrating EBP into our daily practice can help to ensure the best patient outcomes. It requires us to be mindful of our practice and to ask the right questions.

While it is possible to apply evidence at the bedside individually, working together as a group is more likely will lead to lasting improvement.

It is crucial to implement evidence-based methods in order to improve the quality, professionalism, and cost-effectiveness of health services. There are many factors that can affect the effectiveness and implementation of evidence-based practice.

References

Dagne, A. H., Beshah, M. H., Kassa, B. G., & Dagnaw, E. H. (2021, February 12).  Implementation of evidence-based practice and associated factors among nurses and midwives working in Amhara Region Government Hospitals: A cross-sectional study – reproductive health. BioMed Central. Retrieved November 19, 2022, from https://reproductive-health-journal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12978-021-01096-w

Standards of proficiency for midwives – nursing and midwifery council. (n.d.). Retrieved November 17, 2022, from https://www.nmc.org.uk/globalassets/sitedocuments/standards/standards-of-proficiency-for-midwives.pdf

Tallie Casucci, M.-J. (G. A., Tallie Casucci and Barbara Wilson | 4 minutes, & Jared Henricksen and Deirdre Caplin | 5 minutes. (n.d.). What is evidence-based practice? What is Evidence-Based Practice? Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://accelerate.uofuhealth.utah.edu/improvement/what-is-evidence-based-practice