To be able to correctly deduce what constitutes EBP, one must first answer the basic question; what is EBP? EBP is an abbreviation for evidence based practice which in nursing theories refers to the ways of determining a patient’s nature of care by using previous clinical researches and data. Evidences for EBP are well found by asking the patient questions, using previous and latest scientific research, using past nursing experience and by following expert opinions. Evidences for EBP may also be found in autobiographical stories, philosophies of nursing, standards of practice in nursing and work of art.
By nurses using scientific approaches, they can improve the standard of patient care and also introduce new procedures and techniques in the nursing work. Using one of the patterns of knowing for theory driven practice, write a case scenario from your experience that demonstrates theory driven practice. See Table 26-1, p. 313 of philosophical and Theoretical perspectives for advanced nursing practice for guidance. Personal nursing theory stipulates that the nurse should center their inquiries on the patient, listen carefully to the patient, think and reflect so as to provide the patient with the optimum care possible.
Mr. Peter is 60 years old and lives with his wife in the country side. He looks after his animals; cows and sheep. He solely tends to them by providing for pasture and water. Peter was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes 5 years ago which means he must inject himself with insulin every day to keep his blood sugar stable. However, he finds himself forgetting his meds due to overindulgence in his work.
He comes to hospital by his own therefore it’s difficult to find a relative or friend who can remind him to use his meds though I had been in contact with the wife who also happens to suffer from arthritis and does not follow her husband to the fields when he is tending his animals, so she cannot remind him to use the meds. The next issue is that he gets easily confused with drugs and severally used the wrong drugs. He also seems not so much interested in many interventions from his kids who live in separate towns and insists they go about their life since he can take care of himself. He wants me to change his meds so that they are not periodic.
By using patterns of knowing, persona nursing theory, I listened carefully to the patient, thought of his scenario and reflected don the past research and expert opinions and since it was not possible to change the meds or have a person to remind him when to use the drugs I suggested that he should time his medication hours so that the alarm reminds him every time he forgets. I also let him accept the fact that he always needs help as long as he is in his diabetic condition.
I also suggest that he keeps close contact with his wife and constant communication with his children so that they can always remind him the importance of routinely taking his medications.
Scientific evidence shows that people with this type of diabetes must rely on injected insulin to sustain their blood sugars at optimal levels. Thus Peter had to use insulin as it’s a sure way to sustain his blood sugar optimum.
