The history of nursing in itself goes back several years, while the history of professional nursing dates back to the 19 th century. During these years, the professional has garnered an exponentially large volume of data and knowledge about how best to cater to patients. In the 19 th century, Florence Nightingale spearheaded the process of training nurses and making nursing more professional. Although proper training exponentially improved the profession, experts kept on seeking for ways of creating better patient outcomes. Among the modern methods of improving patient outcomes in modern nursing is the concept of evidence-based practice EBP (Grove & Gray, 2018). EBP is a decision-making concept that combines the best and most recent research-based evidence, patient preferences, and clinician expertise. Advanced practice nurses have high-level academic training and certification to carry out clinical procedures, hence their unique role in the progression of evidence-based practice.
Scientific Paradigms of Nursing Science
Empiricism, interpretive, and critical social theory are the three main paradigms of nursing science.
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Empiricism holds that knowledge is based on experience, making it subject to change, expansion, adjustment, or falsification. The process of empiricism involves experimentation and validation through measurement (Grove & Gray, 2018).
Empiricism is the main foundation for nursing research, and the data it avails for EBP. Research processes also contribute to the ruling out of wrong processes and the development of better ones.
The interpretive paradigm encompasses seeking to understand issues through human subjective experiences. The instruments of this approach include participation and observation (Grove & Gray, 2018).
The critical social theory paradigm in nursing holds that since nursing is a social science, it cannot be purely objective as it should also engender values.
Nursing Theory and Research
Nursing theory and research are the two main components of the gradual but definitive betterment of the profession.
Nursing theory is a set of research-based general propositions or explanations about phenomena related to practice. A variety of theories exists relating to different aspects of nursing and stemming from different philosophies and approaches.
Over the years, several renowned nurse theorists have come up with a collection of theories that have been useful in steering and bettering nursing practice (Boswell & Cannon, 2018).
Nursing research is the primary source of evidence for EBP. It involves the scientific testing of ideas and concepts relating to the practice of nursing.
Since the days of Florence Nightingale, evidence for nursing has been piling. Nursing research enables practitioners, academicians, and other experts to gradually expand and improve this evidence by establishing phenomenon and adjusting, confirming, or disproving available evidence (Boswell & Cannon, 2018).
The Combination of theory and research provides a foundation for nurses to combines with other components such as patient preferences and clinical expertise when making decisions relating to practice (Boswell & Cannon, 2018).
Evidence-based practice in nursing combines the three main components of scientific research relating to practice, clinical expertise by nursing officers, and patient-based experiences.
Scientific research continually tests and proves of disproves phenomena relating to nursing practice and patient care (Grove & Gray, 2018). Patient care is too essential for the taking of chances, hence the need for research that tests processes before implementation.
Advanced practice nurses typically have an advanced academic qualification and experience, which provides them with the clinical expertise necessary for making practice-related decisions.
Clinical expertise is among the ways that modern nursing differs from the traditional forms of nursing practice (Grove & Gray, 2018).
Patient-based experiences mainly relate to issues such as patient satisfaction and patient autonomy (Boswell & Cannon, 2018).
Patients vary exponentially from one another, and APNs should be able to advise patients to make the right choices, yet respect those choices when patients make then, even when the nurse does not agree.
Conclusion
Advanced practice nurses are the tip of the spear in evidence-based practice. The concept of EBP developed among physicians who are trained and licensed to undertake clinical procedures. Advancements in modern nursing have enabled APNs to attain an advanced level of training and certification, which enables the propagation of EBP.
References
Boswell, C., & Cannon, S. (2018). Introduction to nursing research . Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Grove, S. K., & Gray, J. R. (2018). Understanding nursing research E-Book: Building an Evidence-Based Practice . Saunders.
