What Actually Informs Practice: Occupational Therapists' Views of Evidence

Abstract

Introduction: This research aims to explore what New Zealand occupational therapists consider ‘evidence’ to be and how the search for evidence is accomplished in their practice. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 therapists who had shown variations in comfort levels with locating and implementing evidence. Findings: Four themes emerged from the data: (1) finding evidence to support practice: informal quick methods were favoured; (2) the nature of available evidence: evidence was considered to be of limited value in practice as the context of the research was often very different to the context of local practice; (3) the organisational influences: the culture of the work environment played a key role in the dissemination of knowledge and (4) the importance of evidence: the need to use evidence to support practice was appreciated by most therapists. In general, using reliable resources was regarded as key to evidence-based practice with availability of resources, therefore, deemed essential. Conclusion: Therapists value trustworthy research information that is pre-digested and can be readily used in practice. Where there is limited research evidence, the focus should be on the generation and dissemination of information from critical reflections on practice.