Reference no: EM132322960

Assignment - Evidence-Based Practice Problem

During the course of the semester, each student will be working towards the preparation of three assignments related to effectively serving a client population of interest by: 1) locating and critiquing the best available evidence for practice; 2) identifying appropriate assessment tools and interventions; and 3) evaluating the effectiveness of interventions designed to meet the needs of adults with regard to their mental health and wellness.

Evidence-based Practice (EBP) is defined as a process for making practice decisions in which practitioners integrate the best available research evidence with their practice expertise and with client attributes, values, preferences, and circumstances. As such, Assignment 1 represents the first step of this process.

Students are expected to formulate a health or mental health evidence-based practice question that is of interest to them and directly impacts an adult or aging population. During the course of the semester, students will be expected to locate and appraise credible evidence (existing data), theory and research on this topic. The question should be about a problem that can be challenged, examined and analyzed to provide useful information for social work practice. In selecting a meaningful practice question, students should take on the role of a practitioner and consider their knowledge of the local service context, agency capacity (if applicable), and available resources, as well as experience with the communities and populations served.

In this assignment you are asked to prepare a brief, one-page written document that includes the following:

1. Evidence-Based Practice Question [One sentence that demonstrates a well thought-out question]

There are many ways in which to develop an appropriate practice question. To assist you in developing your question, you might take into consideration two potential areas of focus to formulate your question:

1) A question can be one that focuses on factors that best predict desirable or undesirable outcomes.

Example: If you are a caseworker and want to increase the odds of medication adherence among the elderly so as to decrease overdose incidents or hospitalization your question might be: "What factors best distinguish between successful and unsuccessful medication adherence among elderly patients living alone?"

2) A question can focus on what you can learn about clients, service delivery and targets of intervention.

Example: If you are working in a homeless shelter and notice that clients with mental health problems do not use services at the same rate as those without mental health conditions, your question could be "What is the perceived quality of the practitioner-client relationship like for clients with mental health conditions?" Or if there is a specific new intervention model being implemented and you want to discover unanticipated challenges, your question could be "What is the adoption and implementation process like for X intervention program for homeless individuals with mental health conditions?" For more on defining the question see M. Webber, Page 29.

2. Setting and Population of Interest [not to exceed one paragraph]

Briefly describe the population being addressed. This can be a group of individuals with a particular condition or healthcare problem. The population may also include individuals with similar demographic characteristics. Also, it may be a much wider aspect of healthcare delivery and services. Please make sure you describe the setting and/or location of the target population.

Examples:

Adult Clients with hypertension: a group of individuals with a particular condition.

Children under age of 10: a population with similar demographic characteristics

Primary health care for the elderly - an aspect of healthcare delivery.

3. Rationale/Significance of Problem [one paragraph]

What is the significance and/or rationale for the intended outcome of the question? Students should provide a compelling argument for the importance of the practice based problem being proposed and the needs based on current practice. Make sure to utilize any available resources from online reports, peer reviewed journals, and existing records that you may have available, citing them as indicated.