AAD Reflective Essay

The topic of probiotic effectiveness on AAD has been recognized as need to be researched. Recent studies have concluded that probiotics can have significant relative risk reductions of 44-47% for AAD (Ouwehand et al., 2013). AAD justified as a selected topic as the rise in antibiotic use is causing a rise in AAD and its adverse effects (Pattini et al., 2013). The topic of probiotic use with antibiotic administration is a daily discussion at interdisciplinary team meetings. My co-workers have observed the positive effects of probiotics in their clinical practice and are supportive of the implementation, as evidenced by conversation in the workplace. The team for implementation would be comprised of nursing staff, providers, pharmacy,

It is important to have all stakeholders involved (Doody & Doody, 2011). I chose this topic to research, as over the past ten years in particular, the team has observed the effectiveness of probiotics on AAD in the field, and it is a frequently discussed topic in the workplace. Step three of evidence retrieval has already been completed through

Grading the evidence, step four, has also been completed with the critiquing of the four RCT’s and one systematic review/meta-analysis study. Further research would need to be done prior to implementation, in regard to which probiotic dose to use, and only one dose would be utilized. Step five of the IOWA model is to develop evidence-based practice standards based on the results of the study. The entire team would be included in this process. The purpose of the project would be to evaluate the effectiveness of using a probiotic to decrease symptoms and incidence of AAD. The project outline should be submitted to the IRB to ensure it is not considered research, and if it is, approval will need to be obtained. Step six of implementing the probiotic use with antibiotics would need to be done in a manner that the team provides clear guidelines and communication to direct care providers during the implementation process. This would be done with an in-service to staff prior to implementation, with an opportunity for questions and clarification. Communication through E-mail, and poster board display at work would reinforce the process and research findings that justify