NEW YORK NURSE: September 2007
Q.: Is it OK to simply adopt another organization’s clinical practice guidelines or protocols as our own?
A.: You can adopt another institution’s guidelines or protocols, but you must do your homework to assure they are scientifically sound and appropriate in your setting. A number of questions must be answered: How did the organization develop those guidelines? Did they base them on best evidence? Was the process they used systematic and rigorous? How old is the protocol? Is it the most recent available?
Guidelines are recommendations in broadly defined situations. Protocols are more detailed than guidelines and are directed toward a more specific practice situation. They, too, must meet rigorous standards.
Your institution should adopt standard criteria to appraise clinical practice guidelines and protocols. One way might be to use the AGREE instrument (Instrument for Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation, www.agreecollaboration.org). This instrument evaluates the methods used to develop the guideline, assesses the validity of the recommendations, and considers factors related to the use of the guideline in practice. (Levin, Singleton, & Jacobs, in press).
Visit the website for extensive discussion of the instrument, its development, and its use related to practice.
Levin, R.F., Singleton, J.K., & Jacobs, S.K. (in press). Developing and evaluating clinical practice guidelines: A systematic approach. In E. Capezuti, M. Mezey, T. Fulmer, & D. Zwicker, (Eds.). Evidence Based Geriatric Nursing Protocols, 3rd Edition. New York: Springer Publishing Company, Inc.
This is a sample of the questions NYSNA’s experts answer each day. The advice given is specific for the situation described and may not be applicable generally. If you have questions about your own work setting, it is recommended that you contact your NYSNA Nursing Representative or the Nursing Advocacy and Information Program, 11 Cornell Road, Latham, New York 12110-1499 or call 800-724-NYRN, ext. 282.