7 Evidence Appraisal: Nonresearch 161that comes from research guided by patients, caregivers, and the broader health-
care community. This institute is a new source of evidence to guide patients and
family preferences for EBP teams.
Patients/consumers play a key role in managing their care. As consumer-driven
healthcare has expanded, recent reports recommend specific efforts for consumer
education and improving medical literacy (Arblaster, Mackenzie, & Willis, 2015).
Nurses are increasingly cognizant of the critical role the consumer plays in the
quality and safety of healthcare. Upholding the belief that consumer preferences
and values are integral to EBP, Melnyk and Fineout-Overholt (2006) offered three
suggestions to involve patients in clinical decision-making: a) respect patient par-
ticipation in clinical decision-making, b) assess patient preferences and values dur-
ing the admission intake process, and c) provide patient education about treatment
plan options. Additionally, providing information to patients about best practice
recommendations is important because these apply to their particular clinical situ-
ation. Only an informed patient can truly participate in clinical decision-making,
ensuring the best possible outcomes of care.
Engaging consumers of healthcare in EBP goes well beyond the individual patient
encounter. Consumer organizations can play a significant role in supporting imple-
mentation and promulgation of EBP. Consumer-led activities can take the form of
facilitating research to expedite equitable adoption of new and existing best prac-
tices, promoting policies for the development and use of advocacy toolkits, and
influencing provider adoption of EBP (DelVecchio Good & Hannah, 2015). In ex-
amining the information provided by consumers, the EBP team should consider the
credibility of the individual or group. What segment and volume of the consumer
group do they represent? Do their comments and opinions provide any insight into
your EBP question?
An EBP team should consider the perspectives of children, young families, the
elderly, and aging families. They should ascertain whether suggested recommenda-
tions have been designed and developed with sensitivity and knowledge of diverse
cultural groups.