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Implementing evidence-based practice in home care.
1Harris School of Nursing, Texas Christian university, Fort Worth, 76129, UA. L.Benefield@TCU.edu
Home Healthcare Nurse
|December 11, 2003
Summary
Home care agencies need evidence-based practice to improve quality. This article presents a quality improvement model to guide system change and recommends tailored steps for agencies based on their readiness stage for implementing best practices.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Quality Improvement
- Home Care Services
- Evidence-Based Practice Implementation
Background:
- Increasing focus on quality initiatives within home care agencies.
- Necessity for integrating evidence-based practice (EBP) into routine operations.
- Agencies face challenges in adopting and sustaining best practices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review a quality improvement model for system change in home care.
- To guide the implementation of best evidence into practice.
- To identify stages of agency preparedness for EBP integration.
Main Methods:
- Review of a quality improvement model.
- Categorization of home care agencies into three stages of preparedness.
- Development of stage-specific recommendations for EBP implementation.
Main Results:
- A model for quality improvement and system change is presented.
- Home care agencies typically exist within three distinct stages of readiness.
- Tailored strategies are proposed for each stage to facilitate EBP adoption.
Conclusions:
- Successful implementation of best practices requires a structured approach.
- Understanding agency preparedness is crucial for effective quality improvement.
- Specific, actionable steps can help home care agencies advance their EBP integration.