



How to Navigate
BROWSE
FIND



MENU
Move forward or backward between articles by clicking the arrows.
Click or tap to bring up the Table of Contents.
READ



SHARE

Share articles by clicking on one of the social media icons in the upper right corner of the page.
Use your mouse wheel, keyboard arrow keys, or scroll bar to move up and down in an article.
Visit Nurse.com
Advertise with Nurse.com
Contact Nurse.com
© 2021 Nurse.com from Relias. All rights reserved.

By Alexander Salinas
Student blogger
There was a time when milking chest tubes and bathing children in alcohol were standard practices. Although at the time the nursing interventions may have seemed rational, evidence-based practice has proven otherwise.
One of the key points we learn in nursing school is to be a generation that provides high-quality care that is supported by evidence.
Here are some tips on how you can gain more knowledge about EBP and use it during your clinicals:
Be clear on what it entails
Consideration of individual needs, preferences and resources must also be included in the process. EBP replaces policies and procedures based on other sources of evidence such as tradition or authority. It takes into account three things nursing students should consider at all times: best practice evidence, patient preferences and clinical expertise.
Understand how evidence-based practices have changed nursing care
The
BRAT (Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast)
diet is no longer a nutritional recommendation for gastrointestinal upset since these food lack nutrients that are needed. It is now recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics to restore the child to a well-balanced diet as soon as possible.Nurse-driven protocols now guide nursing practice regarding the best time for removing urinary catheters to prevent
urinary tract infections
.Aspirin was previously used to control fever in the pediatric population but it is no longer a standard practice because it increases the risk of
Reye’s syndrome
.ICU ABCDEF Bundle
is a combination of multiple evidence-based interventions that can collectively reduce delirium, improve pain management, and reduce long-term consequences for patients in the ICU. (A: Awakening trials for ventilated patients; B: Spontaneous breathing trials; C: Coordinated effort between the RN and respiratory therapist to perform the spontaneous breathing trial when the patient is awakened by reducing or stopping the patient's sedation; D: A standardized delirium assessment program, including treatment and prevention options; E: Early mobilization and ambulation of critical care patients.)Turning patients every two hours is no longer a standard of care. The timing for
turning patients
should be dependent upon their condition and their risk for skin breakdown, for example, one patient may need to be turned every 15 minutes and another patient may need to be turned every hour.“One of the key points we learn in nursing school is to be a generation that provides high-quality care that is supported by evidence.”
— Alexander Salinas
Appreciate how EBP is important to student nurses
Learn how to search for evidence-based practices
Connect with others to discuss your practice
As a student, you can suggest implementing evidence-based practices as a standard of practice. Embrace its positivity knowing it will help the care of your patients. You can print out evidence-based practices for your unit and perhaps leave it at the nurses’ desk or in the break room. Start a journal club or join one and come together with nurses who are willing to bring change to the units where you work.
Evidence-based practice change starts with you as a student. Be the change agent, and never be afraid to advocate for the care of your patients.
•
Stay on top of the latest nursing trends
Read More

EDITOR'S NOTE:
Alexander Salinas is a senior nursing student at the University at Buffalo. He is the Multicultural Nursing Association president, and is a research assistant for a study on chronic pain and opioid use and a study on obesity prevention.