Objective Based on the acquirable and optimized evidences at present, to explore the challenge and countermeasures for the development of nursing discipline in China, and to provide suggestions for promoting the construction of nursing discipline, platform, and talent team. Methods The study materials were searched in the following electronic databases including PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science, CNKI, VIP and CBM, as well as in the official websites of World Health Organization (WHO), International Council of Nurses (ICN), World Bank, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Ministry of Education (MOE) of China, and the domestic universities, colleges or technical secondary schools. Then the statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 13.0 and Microsoft Excel software. Results a) By 2012, there were 855 nursing schools, 38 212 nursing undergraduates enrolled in universities, and 130 837 nursing students enrolled in junior colleges and senior vocational schools; b) The doctor-to-nurse ratio was 1 to 0.9 in 2010. The actual demand for doctors was 2.6 million, and there were still lack of 346 000 nurses; c) The age of nurses younger than 35 years old accounted for 50%. Those with primary professional title accounted for 64% to 69%, while less than 2.5% with advanced professional title; d) The training cost for a doctor and nurse/midwife in China only accounted for 2/5 of that in India and 1/5 to 1/4 in the sub-Sahara Africa; and e) To date, only 30.1% of disaster nursing studies in China provided research data, 30.6% were clinical experience and 38.3% were review. Conclusion Education and health systems need to be extensively reformed. It is necessary to train nursing students with core competencies using transformative learning. It is necessary to update textbooks and teaching methods, and funding should be appropriately increased. Nursing should cooperate with other disciplines, and apply evidence-based nursing methods to improve the quality of healthcare services and patient satisfaction.
With vigorous development of the Evidence-Based Practice (EBP), systematic review as a reliable basis for decision making is becoming more and more important, especially in emergent and significant situation under the influence of various interferences. But there are many misunderstandings and fallacies in systematic review beyond medical field, which block the spread and application of systematic review in health system decisions. This paper takes the evidences of health intervention practice as examples, explores the functions of systematic review in health system decisions, tries to clarify these misunderstandings and fallacies, and so as to promote the development of systematic review.
Objective To study and analyze both merits and demerits of 4 famous foreign evidence-based medicine databases, so as to provide references for the development of Chinese evidence-based medicine databases. Methods By means of document analysis and web search, the databases including UpToDate, MD Consult, Clinical Evidence and DynaMed were comprehensively analyzed from the following aspects: management ideas, editing process, personalized services and so on. Results a) Time of foundation: UpToDate founded in 1992 is the earliest-established evidence-based medicine database; b) Management ideas: All 4 databases aim to integrate all the high quality evidences about some clinical topics and help doctors to make the most reasonable decisions at present; c) Editing process: The inclusive criteria of Clinical Evidence is more strict than other databases, for the evidence needs to go through 18 steps before it is included; and d) Update rate: DynaMed updates every day as the fastest than other databases. Conclusion A mature evidence-based medicine database needs a powerful methodology team, b financial support and a large number of literature services. Besides learning good foreign experiences, it is also very important to assemble a methodology team, and particularly to integrate domestic characteristics for the establishment of domestic evidence-based medicine database.
General practice is a new discipline, and it is in common with evidence-based medicine for the features of “patient-centered” and “evidence-based”. Evidence-based medicine has spread in all fields of clinical practice, and it has been applied to different extents in many medical health and medical education fields including general practice. This paper aims to discuss and analyze the significance, modes and attentions of evidence-based general practice, so as to provide further references for promoting the practice of evidence-based general practice in China.
Objective To investigate the effects of evidence-based medicine (EBM) course on clinical medical students and to propose teaching advice. Methods Using a predesigned questionnaire, we conducted an investigation on the literature retrieval, knowledge of EBM terms, and subject attitude of clinical 5-year and 7-year medical students before and after EBM course, and then an interview was performed to collect the opinions of the students. Data was statistically analyzed. Results After the course, average reading time and frequency of literature retrieval increased significantly compared to the situation before EBM course (Plt;0.05). Knowledge levels of main EBM terms related to practice increased significantly (Plt;0.05). 5-year medical students’ ability of literature appraisal also increased (Plt;0.05). In this interview, these students suggested that course time of literature retrieval and screening should increase and medical statistics should be reviewed. Conclusion Through the study of EBM course, both knowledge and attitude of students changed a lot, and combining case teaching with EBM course has a better teaching effect. Learning the concepts and techniques of EBM for clinical medical students can help them apply medical research evidence correctly in clinical practice, and train their self-learning ability.
Objective To analyze the methodological quality of clinical practice guideline mentioned “evidence-based” in China. Methods We selected clinical guidelines developed based on evidence issued by the Chinese Medical Association in 2010-2012, and meanwhile, we conducted additional search for guidelines on clinical major diseases. Then, we selected literature according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria and evaluated the included guidelines according to 8 items relevant to methodological rigor which were selected from the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE II). If the guidelines comply with the item, we recorded 1 point, otherwise 0 point. Results a) Among twenty-two included guidelines, 13 were originated and 9 were updated once every 3 to 5 years. b) Diseases covered stroke, diabetes, chronic hepatitis B, hypertension, pediatric nutrition, etc. c) The number of guideline references were 10 to 218, of which, nine guidelines cited 24 Cochrane systematic reviews (CDSRs), accounted for 2.62% (24/916). Among them, the acute ischemic stroke guideline cited the most (7 CDSRs). d) The number of experts involved in guidelines development was 2 to 95 and guidelines pages were 4 to 150. e) The guidelines’ quality generally scored 4 to 7, most of which described the process of guidelines development. The grades of recommendation were consistent with the levels of evidence. But most of the included guidelines did not clearly described literature research methods, peer reviewer, and update procedures. Conclusion There is a growing trend that clinical guidelines are developed based on evidence in China. However, the quality of reporting and the methodological rigor of guidelines need further improvement. The citation rates of Cochrane systematic reviews in these guidelines were relatively low. We suggest that guideline recommendations should be consistent with the levels of evidence and adapt to local conditions, and relevant support policies for guideline implementation in practice. In future, attention should be paid to the aspects of guideline development methods, reporting standard, guideline accessibility, and standard training for relevant personnel.
Objective To explore the effects of evidence-based medicine (EBM) course on improvement of information consciousness and information morality for medical students.Methods A total of 288 medical undergraduates and postgraduates, who took EBM as an elective course in Sichuan University, were surveyed with ‘information consciousness and information morality questionnaire’ before and after that course. Results After the EBM course, the number of students surfing the Internet increased by 5%, of which postgraduates increased by 24% with significant differences (Plt;0.05), while their purpose for specialized knowledge increased by 7%; the number of students making plans in advance increased by 7%, and the number of students learning intellectual property and copyright law increased by 7%; the number of postgraduates knowing how to cite articles increased by 12% with significant differences (Plt;0.05); and the number of students not knowing how to get legitimate information decreased by 12% with significant differences (Plt;0.05). Conclusion Evidence-based medicine course is positive for the information consciousness and information morality of medical students.
Objective To introduce the evidence-based evaluation on off-label uses at home and abroad, so as to investigate a systematic method of evidence-based evaluation on off-label uses. Methods In combination with the domestic and international research literature, a systematic method of evidence-based evaluation on off-label uses was discussed from the following three aspects: sources of evidence, levels of evidence, and recommendation strength. Results Sources of evidence included Clinical Pharmacology, DRUGDEX? System, NCCN Drugs amp; Biologics Compendium and handsearched literature. Levels of evidence and recommendation strength could refer to the 2009 grade system of Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, and the strength of recommendations and scientific support of DRUGDEX? System. Conclusion A systematic method of evidence-based evaluation on off-label uses is initially established.
With clinical medicine science transforming from traditional medicine to evidence-based medicine, how to practice evidence-based medicine has become a new challenge to clinical doctors. Therapy studies play an important part in clinical studies and how to practice evidence-based medicine in the therapy of diseases is an important question that doctors are concerned. This paper will introduce as on how to practice evidence-based medicine in the therapy of diseases.
Evidence-based medicine is the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients. The practice of evidence-based medicine means to integrate individual clinical expertise with the best available external clinical evidence from systematic research. So evidence and its quality is the key issue of evidence-based medicine. The purpose of this article is to introduce to the healthcare professionals the sources of evidence and how to search for evidence for them.