Evidence-Based Practice Workbook (2^nd Ed.) Evidence-Based Medicine Series

The Evidence-based Practice Workbook is an ideal tool for use by GPs, medical specialists and other healthcare professionals to learn the concepts of evidence-based practice (EBP). Practical and interactive, this workbook provides simple methods to help health professionals find and use the best evidence to answer clinical questions, developing their skills in:

• asking clinical questions
• searching for answers
• discriminating good from poor information and research
• using the answers to make clinical decisions.

This attractive, colour workbook provides a clear explanation of EBP skills and concepts. Written by internationally respected authors, this expanded and updated edition has been developed from evidence-based practice workshops run by the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine at the University of Queensland and Oxford, and contains information and exercises to help health professionals learn how to use EBP in their clinical practice.

Note from the authors iv

Acknowledgements iv

Introduction to this workbook v

How to use this workbook vi

Part 1: Introduction to evidence-based practice 1

What is evidence-based practice? 3

Some evidence-based cases 14

Part 2: The steps in evidence-based practice 19

EBP Step 1: Formulate an answerable question 21

EBP Step 2: Track down the best evidence 39

EBP Step 3: Critically appraise the evidence 71

EBP Step 4: Apply the evidence 133

Part 3: Further critical appraisal exercises 141

Critical appraisal of studies for a prognosis question 143

Critical appraisal of studies for a diagnostic test accuracy question 161

Part 4: Reflections and further information 175

How am I doing? Diary of a reflective practitioner 177

Useful sources of evidence 182

Further reading 185

Glossary 186

Answers to quizzes and appraisals 191

Endpiece 198

Index 199

Paul Glasziou is Director of the Centre for Evidence Based Medicine University of Oxford and editor of the journal Evidence Based Medicine (BMJ Publishing Group).

Chris Del Mar is Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond University and Associate Editor of Evidence Based Medicine.

Janet Salisbury is Director of Biotext and responsible for the book’s high quality design.