Assessing the effects

The final step in evidence-based practice (EBP) is evaluation, both self-evaluation, and the evaluation of change in relation to new forms of treatment or care. Self-evaluation entails asking yourself how you are doing at managing the steps of EBP and whether any change that has been initiated has resulted in improved clinical practice.

Evaluation of change, whether to the way care is provided, or to a form of treatment, requires more formal methods of monitoring and evaluation.

Self-Evaluation in terms of EBP

Reflecting on the effectiveness of your EBP process is a very important part of evaluating success as a whole. It is important to keep records of clinical questions, search results, and critical appraisal of evidence in order to be able to justify clinical decisions in practice and share findings with colleagues. Keeping a diary is a useful way to keep track of information needs and findings, where records can be kept on both questions and answers.

Over time you should become more proficient in finding and appraising useful evidence from a wide variety of sources that is relevant to your practice. Your searches should compare positively with those of librarians and colleagues who are proficient in acquiring and appraising evidence.

Further support with searching for appropriate evidence can be found on the CIAP site in Knowledge Centre or by visiting your local health library. Assistance with appraisal can be gained from sharing the experience with others. Regular journal clubs for example, where appraisal is practised, are very helpful, and can also contribute to continuing professional development requirements - more detail on sharing your experience with others is covered at the end of this section.