What are some of the advantages for using a research-based approach to problem resolution in your organization or practice? One of the greatest advantages for using a research based approach in Hospice and Palliative Care is marketing the service. So often, the subject of end-of-life care is tabu. Health care professionals and lay persons who do not have an active working knowledge of this type of care seem to think that accepting Hospice Care is “throwing in the towel”. Pilot and Beck (2012) state that research utilization is due to studies which have been applied to clinical practice and then incorporating the results of those studies into everyday practice. Some of the advantages of utilizing those studies include the ability to make more informed clinical decisions and enriches educational and practice. Research based approaches are vital to problem resolution. As I stated earlier, one of the greatest problems facing Hospice and Palliative Care providers is a failure by other practitioners to identify and offer timely referrals. Nursing care is dependent on research based evidence to provide safe and effective care. Policies of health care agencies should be written based on evidence based and proven methods. Again, in the Hospice arena, nurses should be able to trust the EBP studies and research and have faith that they will be able to effectively communicate the rationale behind interventions they are performing. I have seen that this is particularly important with the use of opiate medication therapies. Patients and families are reassured if nurses can reassure them of facts and myths regarding addiction and use of the medications.

References Polit, D.F. & Beck, C.T., (2012). Nursing research: Generating and assessing evidence for nursing practice. (9th ed). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams &