Traditional nursing practices—think bed rest, sponge baths and hospital corners—often were developed by trial and error and passed on through generations of nurses in religious and military service.
Today, modern healthcare requires nurses to collaborate with interdisciplinary treatment teams to deliver scientific or evidence-based practices to their patients. They ask a multitude of questions and take into account a whole host of factors, including their patient’s age, medical history and cultural background, before determining the best course of action.
“Historically, translating best evidence into clinical practice was challenging for most nurses,” said College of Nursing Dean Rosemary Smith. “However, today’s technology provides the latest information at their fingertips.”
In the latest issue of the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh’s CONtact magazine available online today, three UWO College of Nursing alumni are profiled as top leaders of evidence-based practice (EBP).
“We chose to feature the professional work of alumni who are living examples of the vision and values of the college,” Smith said.
The current issue of CONtact also features the college’s progress and accomplishments as well as updates from the undergraduate and graduate programs.