title: Evaluating and applying clinical practice guidelines.
abstract: Clinical practice guidelines (CPG) hold great potential for providing a summary of large volumes of clinical evidence and a related set of practical recommendations. Nurse practitioners should become aware of the range of available CPGs and methods by which they can be evaluated for use. Appropriate evaluation of CPGs should include their overall reliability and validity, as well as their applicability in specific situations. This article provides an overview of an appropriate evaluation method and serves as an introduction to future columns presenting individual CPGs.
authors.affiliation: University Health Care System, Augusta, Georgia, USA. mgoolsby@uh.org
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Goolsby
mesh_terms: D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D009722:Nurse Practitioners; D009731:Nursing Audit; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011361:Professional Competence