Evaluating Qualitative Evidence: Best Practice in Healthcare Research

This report critically appraises qualitative evidence as a best practice in healthcare, emphasizing its role in research, policy-making, and understanding patient preferences. The analysis highlights the importance of qualitative evidence in developing a comprehensive understanding of health issues and influencing health outcomes. The report examines how qualitative evidence syntheses are used by organizations like WHO to ensure recommendations reflect audience needs. It also acknowledges the limitations in guidance on assessing and utilizing qualitative evidence. The conclusion reinforces the significance of qualitative evidence in evidence-based practice, ensuring health practices remain current and effective, making it a vital tool for healthcare professionals and policymakers. The report references several studies to support its arguments and provides a comprehensive overview of the topic.

Running head: THE BEST PRACTICE 1
The Best Practice
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THE BEST PRACTICE 2
Out of the research and critical appraisal done, in subjective terms, one of the best
practice is qualitative evidence. Qualitative research would comprise of qualitative evidences,
inquiry qualitative methods and qualitative evidence criteria.
Qualitative evidence in evidence based practice refers to one of the scientific observation
method to aid in gathering non- numerical data. It also refers to characteristics, metaphors,
symbols, concepts and description of things. The practice focusses on answering why and how
some phenomenon may occur or are the way they are. The research history has it that most of
human elements of natural and social sciences are most often suitable in applying qualitative
evidence practice. For this reason, most of the nursing concepts are human elements and hence
making qualitative evidence based practice appropriate best practice.
One of the reasons why on subjective terms, the above-mentioned practice is regarded
best is because it has a renewed focus on health care research. According to Williamson (2009)
the focus on health care research makes it possible to use the practice to develop a complete
comprehension of the reality. In other words, it helps in influencing the outcome of certain
illnesses, sickness and other health problems. The other reason why qualitative evidence is
justifiable as being the best practice is that the practice could combine and analyze individual
qualitative studies. This is especially observable in different country settings and very complex
health systems. Hack and McClement (2016) note that through an extension of the evidence on
harms and benefits given by qualitative evidences syntheses helps in clarifying the interplay
between the context, health system and various stakeholders. Williamson (2009) also realizes that
qualitative evidence is fundamental in understanding the preferences and the values of the end
users. For example, WHO, being one of the producer of the guidelines in public health, vastly
applies qualitative evidence syntheses in ensuring that the recommendations it holds have a

THE BEST PRACTICE 3
direct reflection of its audience’s needs to help implementation of the recommended
interventions.
The justification for regarding qualitative evidence the best practice is that it goes beyond
global guidance. The evidence is most of the time invaluable for the decision makers of the local
and national origin. Egeland et al. (2019) provides an example that the policy makers will ever
require evidence on various factors that have direct and indirect effect on vaccination coverage,
retention and satisfaction of the health care providers.
Gentry, Forouhi, and Notley (2019) concludes by alluding that qualitative evidence is
essential in helping the policy makers and the managers of the programs in making informed
decision regarding how to easily adapt to the given guidelines on WHO and how to prioritize the
recommendation for the implementations. However, despite the relevance of various findings
from the qualitative evidences, there is recognizable limited guidance on how to perform an
assessment and utilize the evidence in practice and policy making.
In conclusion, qualitative evidence practice is crucial and fundamental in all areas of
evidence based practice. It is thus undoubted that it is one of the best practice that can really do
good in ensuring that health practices remain up to date.

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References
Egeland, K. M., Hauge, M. I., Ruud, T., Ogden, T., & Heiervang, K. S. (2019). Significance of
leaders for sustained use of evidence-based practices: a qualitative focus-group study
with mental health practitioners. Community mental health journal, 55(8), 1344-1353.
Gentry, S., Forouhi, N. G., & Notley, C. (2019). Are electronic cigarettes an effective aid to
smoking cessation or reduction among vulnerable groups? A systematic review of
quantitative and qualitative evidence. Nicotine and Tobacco Research, 21(5), 602-
616.
Hack, T. F., & McClement, S. E. (2016). At Diagnosis and at Death: Using Qualitative Evidence
to Inform Psychosocial Interventions in Oncology. In Handbook of Qualitative
Health Research for Evidence-Based Practice (pp. 495-506). Springer, New York,
NY.
Williamson, K. M. (2009). Evidence-based practice: Critical appraisal of qualitative
evidence. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, 15(3), 202-207.