Research Use and Evidence-Based Practice Among Swedish Medical Social Workers: A Qualitative Study

Camilla Udo,Marcus Jensfelt,Henrietta Forsman,Maria Flink

doi:10.1007/s10615-018-0653-x

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore medical social workers’ perceptions of evidencebased practice (EBP), including factors relevant for the successful implementation of evidence into medical social work practice. Eight focus group interviews were conducted that included 27 medical social workers. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis, which resulted in two categories: “knowledge in practice” and “challenges in relation to the implementation of EBP” and four subcategories: “practice based on research evidence or experience”, “obtaining new evidence of practice”, “research and the social work context”, and “barriers and facilitating factors”. Participants tended to perceive EBP as theoretical and positivistic while perceiving their own knowledge as eclectic and experience-based. Although they perceived the relevance of research findings to their clinical practice, they expressed a need for support to translate research into policy and practice. They also reported that studies about their specific work were scarce. The medical social workers’ suggestion for the facilitation of knowledge exchange needs further investigation.

Highlights

With the intention to do more good than harm, it is important to rely on medical practice that is rooted in evidencebased guidelines so that patients are given the exact care they need
Applying evidence-based practice (EBP) to everyday work is perceived by many as a paradigm shift compared to work that is based on previous knowledge and clinical expertise
Key persons at each hospital received an e-mail, oral information, or both about the study along with a request to disseminate a call for participants among medical social workers with at least a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree who had demonstrated experience working with counseling patients suffering from chronic conditions

Summary

Introduction

With the intention to do more good than harm, it is important to rely on medical practice that is rooted in evidencebased guidelines so that patients are given the exact care they need. From a patient safety perspective, the social worker needs to apply evidence-based practice (EBP). One of the most cited conceptualizations of EBP in social work (Satterfield et al 2009) is the three circle model: (1) the patient’s state and circumstances, (2) the research evidence and the patient’s preferences and (3) actions integrated with the professional’s clinical expertise (Sacket et al 1996; Haynes et al 2002). Applying EBP to everyday work is perceived by many as a paradigm shift compared to work that is based on previous knowledge and clinical expertise. It is important to consider the medical social workers’ perspective of EBP, including their views of the factors that hinder or facilitate EBP. Models and frameworks have been used to illustrate central factors involved in the use of best available knowledge in practice. The PARIHS (Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services) framework (Rycroft-Malone 2004), the iPARIHS framework (Harvey and Kitson 2015), has been widely used to guide intervention strategies and illustrate

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Discussion

Conclusion