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DPT 5514: Professional Topics Fall 2025: About Evidence-Based Practice

Library Course Guide with resources and materials curated for DPT 5514

Definition of Evidence-Based Practice

Evidence-Based Practice 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.”

Sackett DL, Rosenberg WM, Gray JA, Haynes RB, Richardson WS. Evidence based medicine: what it is and what it isn’t. BMJ : British Medical Journal. 1996;312(7023):71-72.

Hierarchy of Evidence

See the source image

Source: Sackett DL, Straus SE, Richardson WS, et al. Evidence-based medicine: how to practice and teach EBM.

EBP Process

The EBP process has 5 steps, as discussed in Albarqouni et al. (source below)

  1. Ask - Develop a relevant, answerable clinical question
  2. Acquire - Plan, search & find the best available evidence
  3. Appraise - Critically appraise articles for validity & applicability
  4. Apply - Integrate the evidence into practice
  5. Assess - Evaluate your clinical decision

Evidence-Based Practice consists of 5 procedural steps: asking the right question, acquiring data, appraising validity and applicability, applying a solution and assessing your clinical decision.

 

Source: Albarqouni L, Hoffmann T, Straus S, et al. Core Competencies in Evidence-Based Practice for Health Professionals: Consensus Statement Based on a Systematic Review and Delphi Survey. JAMA Netw Open. Published online June 22, 20181(2):e180281. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.0281

Evidence-Based Practice Tutorial from Duke Health

UIW Books on Evidence-Based Practice

Staff LADR