Online Access to Knowledge Services: East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust Knowledge and Library Services: Finding Evidence

Evidence Literature Searching Service

East and North Hertfordshire Knowledge and Library Service provides free evidence searches to help staff make evidence-based decisions in their work.

We use KnowledgeShare for processing all evidence search requests. Please submit your search request by logging at: https://www.knowledgeshare.nhs.uk/ using your Open Athens username and password. Then click on 'Evidence' then 'Request an evidence search' to log your search request. Once your request is received, it will be assigned to one of our librarians, who may contact you if they need further clarification to inform their search strategy. We recommend two weeks for searches to be completed. However, if it is an urgent search for example, relating to patient care, we can deliver the results sooner

Students - We do not offer literature searches for students as evidence searching is a skill to be learned as part of your studies, and any search strategy submitted as part of assignments must be your own work. If you need help with training, please email the library librarylister.enh-tr@nhs.net to book on a 1:1 or a group training session.

Critical Appraisal

"Critical Appraisal - what it is and why it is important.

Not all research is of sufficient quality to inform clinical decision making. Therefore, you need to critically appraise evidence before using it to inform your clinical decision making. The three major aspects of evidence that you need to critically appraise are:

Validity - can you trust it?
Impact - are the results clinically important?
Applicability - can you apply it to your patient?"

This information is provided under 'Creative Commons Licence" courtesy ofTurner, M. (2014). "Evidence-Based Practice in Health.” Retrieved from University of Canberra website: https://canberra.libguides.com/evidence (To see the full tutorial visit the Canberra link).

The tutorials below can be found on the Cochrane Common Mental Disorders YouTube channel

Click on the links below for the remaining videos in this series.

Critical Appraisal 2 - Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis

Critical Appraisal 3 - Randomised Controlled Trials

Critical Appraisal 4 - Cohort Studies

Critical Appraisal 5 - Case Control Studies

Critical Appraisal 6 - Cross Sectional Studies

Critical Appraisal 7 - Diagnostic Studies

Critical Thinking Video - best viewed in full screen

Finding and Evaluating the Evidence

What is Evidence-Based Practice?

The classic definition of Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) is from Dr David Sackett.

"EBP is “the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of the individual patient. It means integrating individual clinical expertise with the best available external clinical evidence from systematic research".

EBP has developed over time to now integrate the best research evidence, clinical expertise, the patient's individual values and circumstances, and the characteristics of the practice in which the health professional works.

Why is Evidence-Based Practice Important?

EBP is important because it aims to provide the most effective care that is available, with the aim of improving patient outcomes. Patients expect to receive the most effective care based on the best available evidence.

EBP promotes an attitude of inquiry in health professionals and starts us thinking about: Why am I doing this in this way? Is there evidence that can guide me to do this in a more effective way? As health professionals, part of providing a professional service is ensuring that our practice is informed by the best available evidence. EBP also plays a role in ensuring that finite health resources are used wisely and that relevant evidence is considered when decisions are made about funding health services.

Five Steps of Evidence Based Practice

This information is provided under 'Creative Commons Licence" courtesy of - Turner, M. (2014). "Evidence-Based Practice in Health.” Retrieved from University of Canberra website: https://canberra.libguides.com/evidence (To see the full tutorial visit the Canberra link).