Hewitt-Taylor (practice development, Bournemouth U.) guides readers toward evidence-based practice, exploring the concept of evidence and defining clinical guidelines and care protocols. She explains the process of developing clinical guidelines and care protocols and then using them effectively, implementing guidance, managing expertise and autonomy, working with patients' choices, dealing with finite resources and infinite demand, and handling the subtleties of power and practice. In a final chapter she analyzes the concept of "best practice" and where it can take practitioners. She provides a comprehensive bibliography. Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
The book begins by placing clinical guidelines within the context of the broader movement towards evidence based practice; it explores the concept of evidence, and defines clinical guidelines and care protocols. These are then examined in the clinical situation. The book goes on to discuss the relationship between them and the exercise of individual autonomy and expertise, and with individualised care and patient involvement and choice.
The influence of cost on decision making is reviewed, and a chapter discusses the political aspects of care guidelines and protocols. Finally the book describes the implementation of guidelines and protocols and the barriers to implementation, and makes suggestions for the future.
