Evidence-based practice: making it happen in your clinical setting.

The Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing column “From Research to Clinical Practice” will be undergoing some changes. Beginning with the next issue, the column will shift from a review of research with patient-care applications to a focus on evidence-based practice (EBP). Rising costs of health care and limited healthcare resources have created a demand for costeffective, beneficial patient care. As a result, a paradigm shift from practice decisions based on intuition and tradition to EBP has occurred in an effort to ensure economical, high-quality health care. EBP is the process of basing clinical decisions on research findings and the best available evidence. Oncology nurses must have an understanding of evidence-based practice and be able to develop and use patient guidelines and treatments based on valid and relevant information. This issue’s column presents an introduction to EBP and discusses the process, controversial issues, and implications for nursing.