Importance of Evidence-Based Practice in Health and Social Care

Running head: SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY WORK
SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY WORK
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY WORK1
LO1:
1. Explain why evidence-based practice is important in Health and Social Care.
Evidence-based practice (EBP) is an interdisciplinary approach that enables doctors,
medical practitioners, and several other healthcare professionals make informed clinical
decisions, which would help provide the best possible patient outcome (R. Stevens 2013).
The practice started with evidence-based medicines and later spread to different practical-
based fields like psychology, nursing, education and more. Evidence-based practice enables
the healthcare providers to easily analyse a situation and know what measures to undertake in
such cases. Thus, EBP can heed to the professional development of the healthcare providers
(Ann Lavin, Harper and Barr 2019). One of the key advantages of this practice is that it
enables wise usage of health resources and funds. EBP has largely contributed in research
based on healthcare, nursing practices, and in the advancement in the field of medicine and
medical practices. The practice has successfully improved patient outcomes and has enabled
healthcare professionals provide effective and quality interventions, with chances of less or
no mistakes
2. Describe the purpose and the process of conducting EBPR in health and Social
care
Evidence-based practice is used to ensure that the clinical practice is based on appropriate
evidence, to help ensure the improvement in the patient’s well-being. Health and Social care
require effective clinical recommendations and consultation services, which are needed to be
accurate and backed with proper evidence. Hence, the main purpose of this type of practice is
to eliminate the chances of errors in treatment of patients and instead enable quality
treatment. The process of this practice includes identification and thorough understanding of
the medical issue, which can then enable the healthcare providers and nurses, implement their

SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY WORK2
knowledge to provide effective treatment to their patients (Ahrq.gov 2013). The process also
includes consultation sessions between the medical practitioners and patients about the
disease, the outcome of the treatment process, medications prescribed, the reason behind the
occurrence of the disease and how to prevent them further.
3. Explain which skills and qualities do you need to conduct a literature review.
A literature review can be defined as discussion of scientific articles related to a certain
issue or topic. The review consists of the reason behind the choice of topic, brief explanation
of the topic and a review or understanding of the different chosen articles on the topic
(Ramdhani, Ali Ramdhani and Syakur Amin 2014).
The following are some key skills which are required to draft or conduct a literature review:
 In-depth knowledge of the chosen topic or issue.
 Understanding the purpose and importance of the literature review.
 Ability to compare and analyse the different approaches regarding the issue chosen.
 Understanding the explanations of the different research papers thoroughly.
 Being aware of the different methodologies or approaches used in the researchers
conducted.
 Being able to clearly outline the different steps followed.
 Identifying the research gap.

SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY WORK3
4. Analyse your own skills and qualities do you need to conduct a literature review
Skills a researcher must attain in order to successfully conduct a literature review:
 The researcher should develop a thorough understanding of the issue or the topic.
 The researcher should be able to identify the articles which are to be discussed in a
literature review in order to help identify and understand the research gap.
 He or she should be able to analyse the chosen articles and write their understanding
of the topic based on it.
 One would also require the awareness of the different methodologies that can be
employed for the chosen research topic.
Thus, in order to write a literature review, one must be able to be selective in choosing the
issue as well as the relating articles for review. They should be able to conduct a research and
literature review based on the basic moral and ethical codes of research (Mulic and Masic
2014).
