Evidence-based Practice: A Critical Appraisal

Few concepts can have achieved the status of unchallengeable common-sense in such a short space of time, and across such a broad range of professional activity, as evidence-based practice.

Evidence-Based Practice: A Critical Appraisal stands back from the flurry of excitement and activity that has accompanied the development of evidence-based practice. This is the first text to provide a critical appraisal of the strengths and weaknesses of evidence-based practice, weighing the arguments of both advocates and opponents of the approach. It is also the first text to examine the concept of evidence-based practice as a cross-disciplinary phenomenon, looking at how and why evidence-based practice has spread beyond acute medicine and considers the relevance of the approach for other disciplines. This book also contains an introduction to the basic concepts and terminology of evidence-based practice for those who are less familiar with the approach.

Key features:
Critically appraises the strengths and limitations of evidence-based practice
Covers evidence-based practice in primary care, mental health, public health, nursing, social work and probation, education and human resource management.
Considers what evidence-based practice is and why it has developed
Includes a team of internationally renowned contributors, including John Muir- Gray and Martyn Hammersley

The book is essential reading for a wide range of health care students, practitioners and managers. It is of direct relevance to professionals working in areas where evidence-based practice is emerging strongly such as social work/probation and education. The book will also be of interest to students ofsocial policy.

Evidence-based practice is an idea whose time has come. Few concepts can have achieved the status of unchallengeable common sense in such a short space of time, and across such a broad range of professional activity. As yet there have been few opportunities to take stock and reflect on the evidence for evidence-based practice, or the implications of its adoption. How effective or feasible is it in medicine? Is it really different? What are the consequences of not basing practice on research? Can evidence-based practice be used in non-clinical settings, where practitioners must deal with the complexity of multi-problem individuals, families and organizations? This text introduces the key concept of Evidence-Based Practice and accounts for its emergence and rapid expansion within and beyond medicine. It then goes on to describe how evidence-based practice is being translated in key areas (medicine, nursing, mental health education and social welfare) while critically appraising the strengths and weaknesses of evidence-based practice as it applies in a range of fields of professional practice.