Evidence based practice updates - 13 December 2012
New guidelines, research and other tools and updates on evidence based techniques and processes from across the UK. For more information about this theme see Quality and Safety e-Bulletin: evidence based practice.
Some of the resources linked to are in PDF format - see how to access PDF files.
All Wales Mental Health Promotion Network: Teenage girls dance their way to better mental health. Depression, stress, fatigue and even headaches suffered by young girls can be alleviated through regular dance, according to a study that monitored 112 Swedish girls from the ages of 13 to 19. The study is published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine [abstract only available].
Centre for Improving Research Evidence: Supporting Policy and Program Decisions: Recommendations for Conducting High Quality Systematic Evidence Reviews (PDF 823KB).
Published by the US Center for Improving Research Evidence (CIRE), this report provides recommendations for conducting systematic reviews. The authors’ recommendations are based on a simple concept: the usefulness of a review is only as good as the relevance and quality of the evidence and the approach used to synthesize it.
Healthcare Improvement Scotland: Healthcare Improvement Scotland Research Strategy 2012-2015. This research strategy presents Healthcare Improvement Scotland's role in research activity to support their organisational objectives and the three quality ambitions of the NHSScotland Healthcare Quality Strategy– the provision of care that is safe, effective and person-centred
Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR): An evaluation of web-based clinical practice guidelines for managing problems associated with cannabis use. The research undertaken in Australia involved two studies: to determine the extent to which cannabis-related CPGs disseminated online adhere to established methodological standards; to determine if treatment providers are familiar with these guidelines and to assess their perceived quality of these guidelines.
JMIR: How current are leading evidence-based medical textbooks? An analytic survey of four online textbooks. This study conducted in Canada aimed to determine the frequency with which topics in leading online evidence-based medical textbooks report treatment recommendations consistent with more recently published research evidence.
NICE: Updated 2012 guidelines manual. The manual has been updated following public consultation and replaces the 2009 version. The manual explains how NICE develops clinical guidelines and provides advice on technical aspects of guideline development.
NICE: How NICE is improving its guideline process. This article outlines some of the changes in processes in order for NICE to produce a library of almost 180 quality standards over the next five years.
NICE Clinical guidelines: Ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage (CG154). This clinical guideline offers evidence-based advice on the diagnosis and management of ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage in early pregnancy (that is, up to 13 completed weeks of pregnancy).
NICE Pathways: Ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage overview.
News: NICE recommends dedicated NHS service for women with a suspected miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy.
NICE Public health guidance: Hepatitis B and C: ways to promote and offer testing to people at increased risk of infection (PH43). The guidance is for commissioners and providers of public health services, hepatitis testing and treatment services and laboratory services for hepatitis B and C testing. It is also for local organisations providing services for children and adults at increased risk of hepatitis B and C infection, including those in the NHS, local authorities, prisons, immigration removal centres and drugs services, and for voluntary sector and community organisations working with people at increased risk.
NICE Pathways: Hepatitis B and C testing overview.
News: Greater awareness of hepatitis B and C needed.
NICE: Nominations for Evidence Resources Reference Panel at NICE. NICE is in the process of establishing an Evidence Resource Reference Panel (ERRP). They are seeking nurses, both generalists and specialists, to join the panel. The RCN has been invited to nominate between five to ten nurses to be members of the Panel. The panel will include a pool of people with clinical, public health, social care and health management expertise, from which advice and opinion can be sought in a number of ways and for a range of NHS Evidence work streams. Members will consist of people involved with health and social care services from around the UK. It is not a paid position and NICE expects typical involvement will be up to half an hour per month. Further information on the role of panel members is set out in the terms of membership link below. Those interested in this work should contact Caroline Rapu at caroline.rapu@rcn.org.uk by 24th January 2013.
NICE: NICE seeks new members for its independent advisory committees on the use of health technologies. NICE is recruiting nurses to join its four independent advisory Appraisal Committees. The Appraisal Committees consider and interpret evidence on the clinical and cost effectiveness of health technologies and formulates recommendations on their use. Members of all Committees are drawn from the NHS, healthcare professionals, patients and carers, and the academic world. Committee members are not appointed to act as representatives of a particular organisation. They will be expected to apply the experience and judgement from their individual backgrounds to the topics considered by the Committee and in doing so actively contribute to improving the quality and consistency of care provided by the NHS. They will be helping NICE make some of the most difficult decisions in public life. Completed applications should be returned by 5pm 9 January 2013.
RCN: Nursing staff required for health technologies committee.
PLOS ONE: Guidelines for Guidelines: Are They Up to the Task? A Comparative Assessment of Clinical Practice Guideline Development Handbooks. This study published in Plos One is a comparative review of 19 clinical practice guideline development handbooks. The authors distinguish 27 main guideline development tasks, assign weights to the importance of each task, and identify four guideline handbooks that provide comprehensive coverage of tasks.