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The 5 Steps of EBP
Evidence-based practice consists of five steps:
1. Ask a searchable clinical question;
2. Find the best evidence to answer the question;
3. Appraise the evidence;
4. Apply the evidence with clinical expertise, taking the patient's wants/needs into consideration;
5. Evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the process.
Use the tabs of this LibGuide to learn:
- how to ask a searchable clinical question;
- what to look for;
- where to search for the best evidence;
- how to appraise the evidence you find.
Source: Strauss, S. E. Evidence-Based Medicine: How to Practice and Teach EBM. New York: Churchill Livingstone, 2005.
EBP Resources
University of Toronto Centre for Evidence-based Medicine
The website that accompanies the evidence-based practice text by Sackett et al. (2000) entitled "Evidence-Based Medicine: How to practice and teach EBM". It contains links for a glossary of EBP terms, worksheets for critically appraising individual articles on diagnosis, therapy, prognosis, etc. among other resources, including handy online calculators for plugging in numbers to determine sensitivity, specificity, number needed to treat, odds ratios, etc.
What is EBP
Evidence-based medicine (EBM) or evidence based practice (EBP), is the judicious use of the best current evidence in making decisions about the care of the individual patient. EBP also integrates clinical expertise and takes patient desires, values, and needs into consideration.
Dr. David Sackett and his colleagues at McMasters University in Ontario, Canada, initially proposed EBM.
Sackett DL, Straus SE, Richardson WS, et. al. Evidence-Based Medicine: How to Practice and Teach EBM. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone, 2000.
EBP differs slightly from EBM, in that it is an umbrella term of sorts; it encompasses evidence-based medicine, evidence-based nursing, evidence-based physical therapy, evidence-based dentistry, etc.
Evidence-Based Practice in Physical Therapy
Articles recommended by APTA discussing Evidence-based Practice in Physical Therapy
EBP Checklist
- EBP Search Process Checklist for PTAUse this checklist to help you with your Evidence-based Practice research.
Theoretical Models
Learn about five distinct models of care.
John's Hopkins Evidence Based Practice Model
ACE Star Model of Knowledge Transformation
ARCC Model: Advancing Research and Clinical Practice Through Close Collaboration Model