The challenge of implementing evidence-based healthcare

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Abstract
Evidence-based healthcare (EBH) is widely discussed, however, it is often dismissed as simply stating the obvious. This article examines some of the basic techniques and resources available for the practice of EBH. Two examples of relevance to community practitioners are used to demonstrate this — the use of tea tree oil to treat head lice and the use of pressure bandaging for the treatment of venous leg ulcers. It is argued that EBH is not the norm in nursing practice and, indeed, its application is often far from straightforward. However, despite its limitations it is important that community practitioners and their managers ensure that patient care is based on the best available evidence as ultimately, if a practitioner, knowingly or unknowingly, is not using the available evidence he/she risks harming their patients.