Practising EBD

The five step approach

The Evidence-based approach is essentially a structured (stepwise) process for dealing with clinical problems. This stepwise approach encourages the use of the latest information rather that a reliance on techniques, materials and treatments learned years earlier.

There are five elements to the approach:

  1. Question – Developing a clear question based on the patients clinical problem.
  2. Find – Finding the latest evidence through efficient searching for information.
  3. Appraise – Critically appraising the evidence to assess its value.
  4. Act – Acting on the evidence you find, if appropriate and relevant to the clinical situation to provide treatment for the patients.
  5. Evaluate – Each aspect of your perfomance in this process can, and should be evaluated and this is increasingly relevant with the development of continuing professional development.