Over the years, the knowledge and care of nurses transformed from being based on traditions to relying on research that improved the capabilities of making sound decisions. Research has identified evidence-based practice (EBP) as a critical approach to solving long-term life problems related to the delivery of healthcare (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2018). It integrates the best evidence from studies that are well-designed with the preferences of the patient, values, and the expertise of the clinician, including the internal evidence, gathered from patient data. With the EBP in place, there will be improved quality of care, patient outcomes, reduced costs, and higher satisfaction among nurses compared to what traditional approaches do (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2018). Today, many organizations in the health sector have embraced the EBP in their operations to improve the services provided. Among these organizations is the Center for Evidence and Practice Improvement (CEPI), located on its official website (www.ahrq.gov)
From this website, CEPI is described as an organization that helps through the generation of new knowledge, evidence synthesis, and science translation on what works in the delivery of healthcare and ensures there is improvement in the settings of healthcare care (Center for Evidence and Practice Improvement, 2021). The organization is associated with conducting and supporting research and synthesizing evidence on healthcare delivery and improvement to facilitate advanced decisions and communication that informs patient treatment. This organization plays a critical role in ensuring the cooperation between the patients and healthcare providers through technological information, which facilitates decision-making and ensures there is sustainability in improvements through research, project demonstration, and developing partnerships. This is made possible through the five divisions within this organization, including the U.S Preventive Services Task Force Program, Evidence-Based Practice Center Program, Division of Decision Science and Patient Engagement, Division of Digital Healthcare Research, and Division of Practice Improvement (Center for Evidence and Practice Improvement, 2021).
As evidenced in this website, EBP appears throughout the website. However, this appearance is most noticeable under the organization and contacts with specific reference to offices and centers. In this location, CEPI is described, including its division which identifies divisions being the Evidence-Based Practice Center Program. This division takes charge of facilitating the synthesis of evidence through conducting evidence reviews systematically with the help of methodologies that are robust and rigorous to ensure that the reviews are scientific rigor and unbiased (Center for Evidence and Practice Improvement, 2021). Therefore, it is all indicative that the work of this website is strongly grounded on EBP, considering that all its provisions are based on conducting research first, and synthesizing evidence before making any decisions in the healthcare context (Kim et al., 2016). If anything, this is the major focus of the organization to ensure that enough information is available for the stakeholders, including the patients and healthcare providers, so that they are able to make informed decisions that serve the common good of both, including improved healthcare.
The information on the CEPI website; website has been impactful to me, especially in influencing my perception of the healthcare organization. For a long time, I have considered what healthcare providers do on the basis of limited information, including the details provided by patients or internal systems, with disregard for information from outside (Center for Evidence and Practice Improvement, 2021). However, I realized this is not the case since the website provided more information about healthcare, standards, and measures of reasonable care. For example, the division of the Evidence-Based Practice Center Program ensures reviews are collected, synthesized, and applied to improve the care for patients.
References
Center for Evidence and Practice Improvement (CEPI) (2021). Content last reviewed January 2021. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. 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.
Melnyk, B. M., & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2018). Evidence-based practice in nursing & healthcare: A guide to best practice (4th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer.