"The EBP process involves four steps.
- Converting clinical problems into answerable questions involves formulating either general (background) or care-specific (foreground) questions, such as the following: Background question – What is the effect of tobacco smoking on the circulatory system? Foreground question – Does clinician counseling result in a higher rate of smoking cessation among smokers in primary care practice than written materials?
- Locating best evidence with maximum efficiency involves information management skills including, especially, the use of electronic databases.
- Critically appraising evidence for its validity, importance, and usefulness involves application of specific criteria to determine the methodological rigor, significance, and generalizability of research findings.
- Integrating this appraisal with clinical expertise and patient values involves considering how research-based best evidence corresponds to clinicians' prior experiences and unique knowledge of both the patient and the situation."
