[Variations in clinical practice. Current status and challenges for nursing]

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Nursing Science
• Clinical Practice Research

Context:

• Clinical practice exhibits significant variability across all process stages.
• This variability impacts healthcare quality and research integration.
• Variations are observable at both population and individual levels.

Purpose:

• To provide an overview of key concepts in clinical practice variation studies.
• To examine the status of nursing in relation to practice variations.
• To highlight the need for research on nursing practice variability.

Summary:

• Practice variations arise from factors like provider uncertainty and incomplete evidence.
• The uncertainty hypothesis is a primary cited cause for these variations.
• Interventions should target unwarranted variations, with institutional-level development.

Impact:

• Most existing studies on practice variation focus on physicians, with less attention to nursing.
• Despite presumed existence, the extent of nursing practice variability is often unknown.
• Standardization efforts like guidelines and pathways exist, but variability persists.