ONS PEP^® – Putting Evidence Into Practice

PUTTING EVIDENCE INTO PRACTICE Improving oncology patient outcomes.

Overview

The purpose of the ONS Putting Evidence Into Practice (PEP^®) Project is to improve oncology nursing-sensitive patient outcomes through resources which provide evidence-based interventions. Integrating the most current evidence into practice is a priority for high-quality and cost-effective nursing care.  

ONS advanced practice nurses, staff nurses and nurse scientists developed the ONS PEP Resources through the review, critique, and synthesis of the scientific literature on interventions for specific oncology patient outcomes.  The resources provide recommendations for practice and include cards, definitions, evidence tables, and references.

Implementation

ONS PEP Resources are designed to provide evidence-based interventions for patient care and teaching.  Interventions can be incorporated into telephone triage, policies and procedures, quality/performance improvement activities, and standards of care and order sets.  Information from the resources can be integrated into orientation, educational programs, and nursing grand rounds.  Exploring the evidence supporting the ONS PEP Resources is an ideal activity for journal clubs.

ONS PEP Cards Recommendations for practice are categorized by color.  Interventions in the green indicate there is strong evidence to support consideration of using the interventions in practice.  Those in the yellow indicate there is insufficient evidence regarding the effectiveness of the interventions.  Lastly, interventions in the red indicate the interventions are either ineffective or may cause harm.

Tips for Using the ONS PEP Cards

• Review the ONS PEP Cards and consider their applicability to your own practice.
• Do a thorough patient assessment of the relevant clinical problem(s).  Examples of measurement tools are provided by the evidence-based measurement summaries available here.
• Identify interventions with the highest level of evidence and integrate them into the plan of care.  Consider the patient’s preferences, lifestyle, and the cost and availability of the interventions.
• Evaluate and document the patient’s response to the interventions.  If indicated, consider implementing other interventions supported by a high level of evidence
• Educate patients that their care is based on the best available evidence.

ONS Chapter Champions

This program provides in-depth information about the ONS PEP Resources to nursing leaders across the country through a hands-on workshop designed to prepare them to disseminate the ONS PEP information to other oncology nurses.  The workshop includes didactic discussions, internet-based exploration of the ONS PEP Resources, case study discussions, and the PEPardy™ game.  The nursing leaders are supplied with a toolkit to provide “PEP Up Your Practice” training programs to their ONS Chapters and nurses in their institutions and communities.  For more information, contact the ONS Education Team at education@ons.org.

ONS PEP Publications

Link the links below to view articles published in the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing describing the ONS PEP Resources:

Nursing-Sensitive Patient Outcomes: The Development of the Putting Evidence Into Practice^® Resources for Nursing Practice
Putting Evidence Into Practice^®: Evidence-Based Interventions for Fatigue During and Following Cancer and Its Treatment
Putting Evidence Into Practice^®: Evidence-Based Interventions to Prevent, Manage, and Treat Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting
Putting Evidence Into Practice^®: Prevention of Infection
Putting Evidence Into Practice^®: Evidence-Based Interventions for Sleep-Wake Disturbances
Putting Evidence Into Practice^®: Evidence-Based Interventions for the Prevention and Management of Constipation in Patients With Cancer
Putting Evidence Into Practice^®: Interventions for Depression
Putting Evidence Into Practice^®: Evidence-Based Interventions for Cancer-Related Dyspnea
Putting Evidence Into Practice^®: Evidence-Based Interventions for the Management of Oral Mucositis
Putting Evidence Into Practice^®: Evidence-Based Interventions for Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy