Title : When evidence or experience isn’t there: the importance of the client in ‘evidence-based practice’
Abstract:
Within medicine and allied health degrees and practice, there is a strong emphasise and expectation for undertaking evidence-based practice. This approach to practice suggests healthcare practice should be based on an integration of research evidence, clinical experience, and client values. However, this poses a range of challenges. For example, new practitioners often have little to no clinical experience to draw upon, apart from what they may gain from work-integrated learning. What then arises is a common reliance and education focus on use of research evidence to guide client care. However, research evidence is not always available, be it related to the condition(s) the client has or specific rehabilitation guidance around their personal circumstances and side-effects. This can present challenges for both students and practitioners, particularly in relation to working with clients where neither research evidence or clinical experience may exist around their health situation and needs. As such, there a growing need and recognition of the importance of the third aspect of evidence-based practice: client values. This has significant implications for everything from the education and training of future practitioners to the delivery of healthcare services. Drawing on personal case studies, research projects, and current practice approaches, resulting from years of experience as an accredited exercise physiologist and university academic with a focus on work-integrated learning, this presentation will present ‘on the ground’ learnings on client-centred care. Healthcare practitioners will be challenged to examine their own practices, identify opportunities to consider all aspects of evidence-based practice, and gain simple tools and approaches to ensure the client is at the centre of care and practice.
