The Importance Of Theory, Research Findings And Practice Paper
The Importance of Theory
The new emphasis on evidence-based practice should be appreciated as part of a broader effort to enhance healthcare’s quality and cost-effectiveness. Consequently, the theory has increasingly played an important role in evidence-based practice (EBP)The Importance Of Theory, Research Findings And Practice Paper. In the grand scheme of EBP, empirical evidence alone is not enough to facilitate direct practice. Recourse to predictive and explanatory theories is important to the development of an effective healthcare evidence-based practice.
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The focus of discourse about evidence-based practice has been majorly on the presumptive measurement of effectiveness. Thus, according to Horntvedt et al. (2018), the role of theory in effective evidence-based practice has received little attention in this debate. It is also worth noting that even the guidelines for conducting effective systematic reviews tend to sidestep theory.
However, the collection and use of empirical evidence about the effectiveness of various healthcare interventions is of limited importance to practitioners unless they are compared to general principles of practice, which might promote wider application (Skaggs et al. 2018)The Importance Of Theory, Research Findings And Practice Paper. Without reference to the theoretical principles of practice, the healthcare fraternity risks being submerged in post-modern empirical evidence, which cannot give an adequate guide to practice on its own.
Against this backdrop, Duncombe (2018) expressed his skepticism towards the value of theory in EBP and the “theory gap” by pointing out that it is mainly caused by positivism and natural sciences. On the same note, Horntvedt et al. (2018) and Skaggs et al. (2018) concur that there is a need for a broader conceptualization of theory based on the recognition that knowledge is contextual rather than invariable and determinate. The Importance Of Theory, Research Findings And Practice Paper
Therefore, the purpose of theory in EBP is not to offer universal predictions or explanations but rather to enhance the understanding of complex situations. To use EBP, practitioners must be aware of specific factors in their environment that could be drawn from their own experiences as practitioners.
Research
Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most prevalent nosocomial infections and the major cause of readmission among surgical patients. Numerous SSIs arise during the post-discharge period and are not recognized sufficiently by patients. Gunter et al. (2018) developed a mobile health protocol for remote wound monitoring using smartphone technology. The goal of their study was to find out how well the intervention worked for both care providers and patients. The Importance Of Theory, Research Findings And Practice Paper
Gunter et al. (2018) recruited impatient vascular surgery patients during their stay at the hospital. The patients were trained on mobile use and how to use mobile health applications to transmit digital images of their surgical wounds. They were also trained on how to participate in a quick survey about their recovery. Upon hospital discharge, each participant was required to fill out the application daily for two weeks. Care providers who were part of the inpatient team reviewed the submissions daily and contacted the patients concerning their submissions. The Importance Of Theory, Research Findings And Practice Paper
The results indicated a 90.2% overall submission rate, with 91.9% of the submissions reviewed daily for the two weeks. There were 7 wound complications reported, with provider and participant satisfaction rates being universally high.
Among the 7 patients diagnosed with surgical site infection, 6 of them had their wounds successfully managed as outpatients with the aid of the mobile health protocol. Four patients were brought back to the clinic and were treated early enough before their regularly scheduled follow-up. While two of the patients were readmitted, their readmission was not related to the SSI—returning based on traumatic wound dehiscence. The results generally indicated that patients and their families willing to use mobile health programs for remote monitoring of their postoperative wound recovery could complete treatment and recover with a high level of satisfaction.
Practice
The findings by Gunter et al. (2018) are highly relevant and applicable to local postoperative wound care. As sophisticated surgical treatment becomes more regionalized, patients are frequently required to travel large distances to see their surgeon when they are already inadequately equipped to self-diagnose postoperative issues, potentially resulting in additional care delays. For example, at least half of the study participants in the study by Gunter et al. (2018) traveled at least 50 miles to receive care, posing a significant impediment to seeking care outside of planned appointments The Importance Of Theory, Research Findings And Practice Paper.
Due to the fragility of the post-discharge period, patients living far from hospitals must travel for care. To reduce hospital readmissions, numerous telemedicine procedures have been created to enhance outpatient care following hospital discharge. These protocols take advantage of the recent growth in technology, which allows for care to be delivered from afar, which was not possible before.
Gunter et al. (2018) demonstrated that their mobile health protocol was feasible in providing continual monitoring of postoperative surgical wound recovery among vascular surgery patients. The study has equally shown that the mobile health protocol could help a population of high-risk patients, some of whom are older patients and who are novice smartphone users. They can easily complete the protocol with high satisfaction and fidelity.
Research evidence has therefore established the effectiveness of mobile protocols as a communication channel that helps manage postoperative surgical wounds, resulting in quality care and patient satisfaction. In the spirit of evidence-based practice, practitioners can rely on this communication channel to enhance patient outcomes The Importance Of Theory, Research Findings And Practice Paper.
References
Duncombe, D.C., 2018. A multi‐institutional study of the perceived barriers and facilitators to
implementing evidence‐based practice. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 27(5-6), pp.1216-1226. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.14168
Horntvedt, M.E.T., Nordsteien, A., Fermann, T. and Severinsson, E., 2018. Strategies for
teaching evidence-based practice in nursing education: a thematic literature review. BMC Medical Education, 18(1), pp.1-11. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12909-018-1278-z
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Gunter, R.L., Fernandes-Taylor, S., Rahman, S., Awoyinka, L., Bennett, K.M., Weber, S.M.,
Greenberg, C.C. and Kent, K.C., 2018. Feasibility of an image-based mobile health protocol for postoperative wound monitoring. Journal of the American College of Surgeons, 226(3), pp.277-286. doi:10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2017.12.013.
Skaggs, M.K.D., Daniels, J.F., Hodge, A.J. and DeCamp, V.L., 2018. Using the evidence-based
practice service nursing bundle to increase patient satisfaction. Journal of Emergency Nursing, 44(1), pp.37-45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jen.2017.10.011 The Importance Of Theory, Research Findings And Practice Paper
