Is There A Difference Between Common Practice And Bes 267287
Is There A Difference Between Common Practice And Best Practicewh
What is the difference between “common practice” and “best practice”? When you first started working at your current organization, experienced colleagues may have shared information about processes and procedures, and you might have attended an orientation session. As a new employee, you likely asked questions that would help you perform your role effectively. Over time, you may have noticed aspects of these processes you wanted to examine further. This is the realm of clinical inquiry, which involves asking questions about clinical practices to improve patient care. It is essential for nurses to regularly question why practices are performed the way they are—whether due to longstanding tradition or evidence-based rationale—and to determine whether such practices are merely common or are considered best practices.
In this assignment, you will identify a clinical issue of interest, search for research supporting or challenging existing practices, and analyze the research methodologies of peer-reviewed articles related to your clinical issue. You will compare whether these practices are supported by the best available evidence or are simply common practices followed out of habit or tradition. Through this process, you will develop a deeper understanding of how evidence supports clinical decision-making and practice improvements.
Paper For Above instruction
Introduction
Understanding the distinction between common practice and best practice is fundamental in the pursuit of quality healthcare. Common practice refers to procedures and routines that have been traditionally followed within clinical settings, often based on historical precedence, peer consensus, or convenience. In contrast, best practice is defined by evidence-based research and scientific validation that demonstrate optimal outcomes when applied in clinical settings. Recognizing these differences is essential for healthcare professionals committed to providing safe, effective, and patient-centered care.
The importance of clinical inquiry in nursing cannot be overstated. Clinical inquiry involves systematically questioning and evaluating current practices to determine whether they are supported by current evidence or require change. This process encourages nurses to move away from routine or habitual practices that may be outdated or ineffective, toward adopting practices grounded in rigorous research and proven outcomes. For instance, a nurse may question the routine use of a specific wound dressing, prompting a literature review and a re-evaluation of its efficacy based on recent studies.
For this assignment, I selected a clinical issue of interest—specifically, the use of early mobility programs for critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). The goal was to explore whether early mobility improves patient outcomes and to examine the research supporting its implementation. To conduct this inquiry, I used key terms such as “early mobility,” “critically ill patients,” “ICU,” and “patient outcomes” in multiple scholarly databases. These included CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), PubMed, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library, which are reputable sources for peer-reviewed research in nursing and healthcare.
Search terms were combined using Boolean operators, such as “AND” and “OR,” to refine results. For example, “early mobility AND ICU AND patient outcomes” yielded relevant articles. The searches aimed to filter out non-peer-reviewed articles, systematic reviews, or meta-analyses, focusing instead on original research studies that used diverse methodologies to provide comprehensive insights.
Four peer-reviewed articles were selected based on relevance and methodological rigor. These articles provided a foundation to analyze and compare research methodologies, understand their strengths and limitations, and assess the applicability of the findings to clinical practice. The research varied from quantitative observational studies to experimental trials, illustrating a spectrum of approaches to investigating the impact of early mobility interventions.
Understanding the research methodologies employed in these studies allows nurses to critically appraise the evidence and determine its applicability in their practice settings. It underscores the importance of using scientifically validated practices—best practices—as opposed to simply following routines that lack empirical support. This process empowers nurses to implement evidence-based interventions, ultimately improving patient outcomes and promoting professional accountability.