A Review of Evidence-Based Practice in the Audiological Field

Abstract

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is defined as an approach in which current, best research evidence is integrated with clinical expertise and client’s preferences or values into the process of making clinical decisions. It has been widely applied in various fields such as medicine, nursing, social welfare, counseling, and education. The purpose of this paper is to improve the awareness and to recognize the possibility for clinical application of EBP in the audiological field in Korea. Therefore, this paper deals with reviews of the EBP definition, 5 steps of the process (defining a clinical question, searching for evidence to address the question, evaluating the available evidence, relating the evidence to the client, and evaluating the outcomes of the EBP process), and the limitation and activation plans for EBP. Conclusively, it requires ongoing education and discussion that can lead to the change in the perception of the audiologists to successfully apply EBP in the field of audiology