RT Book, Section A1 Portney, Leslie G. A1 Watkins, Mary P. SR Print(0) ID 1138249918 T1 A Concept of Clinical Research T2 Foundations of Clinical Research: Applications to Practice, 3e YR 2017 FD 2017 PB McGraw-Hill Education PP New York, NY SN 9780803646575 LK fadavispt.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1138249918 RD 2024/10/12 AB The ultimate purpose of a profession is to develop a knowledge base that will maximize the effectiveness of practice. To that end, health professionals have recognized the necessity for documenting and testing elements of clinical practice through rigorous and objective analysis and scientific inquiry. The concept of evidence-based practice represents the fundamental principle that the provision of quality care will depend on our ability to make choices that have been confirmed by sound scientific data, and that our decisions are based on the best evidence currently available. If we look at the foundations of clinical practice, however, we are faced with the reality that often compels practitioners to make intelligent, logical, best-guess decisions when scientific evidence is either incomplete or unavailable.