Research and practice evidence has great potential to enhance care and outcomes for older people and to improve care and service outcomes. Research evidence has shown that the practice or processes is effective. It is the use of evidence to guide change activities that characterises implementation strategies. We should all be committed to change activities that seek to implement evidence-based approaches within aged care.
There are many different approaches to implementing changes in aged care. Many organisations are familiar with change management activities, audits and PDSA cycles. There is also a growing body of research on implementation, knowledge translation and evidence-based practice. However, implementation is complex. Change takes time and even the simplest of changes requires both thoughtful planning and genuine commitment. This is particularly true when we are seeking to change people’s behaviours, individually and collectively.
When undertaking implementation projects, it is important to understand what the problem or issue is, what evidence is available and what you want to achieve. You then need a systematic and planned approach to undertaking the work. The process below provides a generic summary of different steps involved in preparing for and implementing evidence informed change.
If you are new to implementation and change activities, there are helpful resources and projects that means you can jumpstart your activity.