Reference no: EM133899530

Question

How to respond to: Yes, I've thought about how I would respond when patients mention misinformation they found online. I recently had an experience in person, and I had to keep my mouth shut from starting an argument at a family gathering. However, rather than dismissing their concerns or arguing, I see it as an opportunity to have an evidence-based discussion, if the opposing person is willing. According to Melnyk and Fineout-Overholt (2023), evidence-based practice (EBP) includes three elements: the best current evidence, clinical expertise, and patient preferences. Recognizing their effort to learn about their health fulfills the third element-respecting patient values. If the opposing force is up to conversation and data, I would guide the conversation by inquiring how they got the information. This opens a conversation of where information came from, such as Google, systematic reviews, news, or clinical practice guidelines. As Dang et al. (2021) point out, EBP encourages clinicians to evaluate the strength and quality of evidence before applying it to care. Ensuring that the person is aware is important, and just because they read it online does not deem the information to be true as well. I also use this opportunity to show patients how.