Evidence Based Maternity Care in India: the Role of Nurses

Several methods have been used for improving the quality of maternity and newborn care. Almost all of these methods have their origin in evidence-based practice to apply the best evidence in clinical care. Evidence- based practice is simply the integration of the best available research-based evidence, clinical expertise, and patient needs, values and preferences to develop a system of quality care. Quality improvements thus require professional consensus about implementation of research-based clinical evidence, and attention to patient needs, values and preferences. Although evidence-based practice has been recognized as necessary for quality care in developed countries, it has often been conceptualized in terms of research-based clinical evidence and less attention has been paid to patient needs and preferences. Patient satisfaction has indeed been recognised as an important outcome measure for the quality of health care. Furthermore identifying patient needs and requirements has been judged essential for both measuring and improving quality of care.