Healthcare organizations, such as American Organization for Nursing Leadership, always try to enhance their performance. For years, this aspiration was reflected in the Triple Aim, combining the population health improvement, better conditions for patients, and lower healthcare costs. Recently a fourth element of improving the experience of providing care was added, transforming the Triple Aim into Quadruple Aim. One of the techniques appropriate for achieving this goal is evidence-based practice (EBP).
Patients’ welfare may be significantly improved if the results of medical research are accurately applied to every patient. That is precisely what evidence-based practice aims at because nurses and clinicians can learn more efficiently and then, equipped with the knowledge, put new skills into practice. Evidence suggests that there exist successful programs, such as the EBP fellowship program in Southern California, which can serve as a template for other regional organizations (Kim et al., 2016). Such programs prove that EBP allows providing patients with safe and high-quality healthcare, taking into account their individual demands.
Another advantage of EBP is its ability to reduce costs. The fifth step of this strategy is evaluating the outcomes of the practice decisions or changes based on evidence (Melnyk et al., 2010). Indeed, “monitoring the effect of an EBP change on health care quality and outcomes can help clinicians spot flaws in implementation” (Melnyk et al., 2010, p. 53). It means that EBP includes careful checking of new practices, elaborating the best healthcare strategy, and eliminating unnecessary costs connected to the inefficiency of equipment or methods used.
Not only does EBP provides positive outcomes for currently treated patients, but it also contributes to improving the population’s health in perspective. The sixth step of the practice is disseminating the results (Melnyk et al., 2010). Clinicians and nurses share their findings with colleagues and other health organizations by presenting them at conferences and being reported in journals. That strengthens the connections within the medical community and helps to familiarize each other with the innovations. As a result, more and more people in the USA and around the world will have access to the most effective and carefully checked methods of healthcare.
As for the fourth element of the Quadruple Aim, EBP contributes to improving nurses’ working routines. According to Sicca et al., it is essential for the employees of medical organizations to feel joy during their work, which means all members of the workforce should have a sense of accomplishment and meaning in their contributions (2015). The EBP Nurse Scholars Course launched at the Medical University of South Carolina proved that such projects create opportunities for nurses to participate in the development of scholarly products and result in professional growth and development (Crabtree, 2016). It can be concluded that the use of EBP allows nurses and clinicians to feel the importance of their work and realize their potential.
It has been observed that evidence-based practice conforms to all elements of the Quadruple Aim. This practice implies combining the results of medical research with the individual demands of patients. Due to the use of EBP, it is possible to reduce unnecessary costs caused by the inefficiency of equipment or methods of treatment. Moreover, EBP guarantees that the treatment of patients in the future will be performed according to the best practices of healthcare. Finally, employees of medical organizations are much more satisfied with their work.
References
Crabtree, E., Brennan, E., Davis, A., & Coyle, A. (2016). Improving patient care through nursing engagement in evidence-based practice. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing, 13(2), 172–175. Web.
Kim, S. C., Stichler, J. F., Ecoff, L., Brown, C. E., Gallo, A.-M., & Davidson, J. E. (2016). Predictors of evidence-based practice implementation, job satisfaction, and group cohesion among regional fellowship program participants. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing, 13(5), 340–348. Web.
Melnyk, B. M., Fineout-Overholt, E., Stillwell, S. B., & Williamson, K. M. (2010). Evidence-based practice: Step by step: The seven steps of evidence-based practice. American Journal of Nursing, 110(1), 51–53. Web.
Sikka, R., Morath, J. M., & Leape, L. (2015). The Quadruple Aim: Care, health, cost and meaning in work. BMJ Quality & Safety, 24, 608–610. Web.