Applying an EBP Model

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a blood condition that is passed down through families, causing red blood cells to become stiff and sickle-shaped. This leads to clogged blood vessels, painful episodes, organ damage, and reduced quality of life (QOL) (D’ Costa et al., 2023). A 10-year-old with pain crises should be treated throughout life and as a whole. The goal of evidence-based practice (EBP) in nursing is to improve patients’ safety and care. This takes into account evidence, practitioner, and patient values/preferences to deliver the desired outcomes. The paper discusses the Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice (JHNEBP) model to resolve problems in the SCD child’s care and enhance his pain control experience.

Description of the Diagnosis and Associated Issue

Sickle cell anemia is a long-term disease that is commonly experienced by children. Pain (pain crises) has been noted to be a common symptom of the disease in childhood, with multiple hospital visits and requiring a multidisciplinary team for their management (Jain et al., 2026). One of the problems with SCD is the time gap between the onset of the disease and symptoms and complications (pain crises). Further, issues with the coordination of services and access to health services, such as transport issues, lack of knowledge and skills among health care providers, can affect care; these issues impact complications and the quality of life.

This is where an EBP approach may help, because care may be provided in a different way than a standard care approach, and may not be based on the best available evidence. Without the availability and consistency of using evidence-based approaches, there’s a potential for a delay in timely pain and supportive care interventions. The EBP model assists health care practitioners in planning care, preventing delays in care, and improving quality and outcomes with the best and latest evidence at their fingertips (Connor, 2023). As such, it is essential to adopt an EBP model to help improve these issues and health outcomes in children with SCD.

Selection of the Evidence-Based Practice Model

The Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice (JHNEBP) model was chosen for this discussion as it is an easy way to integrate and use to support decision-making (Bissett et al., 2025). This model is made up of three parts: Practice Question (P), Evidence (E), and Translation (T). The model offers a framework for nurses to identify evidence problems, find evidence, and change practice to use evidence.

The JHNEBP model is suitable to tackle issues related to sickle cell disease as it is practice-focused. It helps nurses to develop practice questions, identify and use evidence. It also ensures better patient outcomes and has the other advantages of standardization and uniformity of nursing care (Gaber et al., 2025). The simplicity of the models enables them to be utilized in complicated problems like delays in care and treatment of children with SCD.

Description of the Evidence-Based Practice Model Steps

The first step of the JHNEBP model is the Practice Question (P), which begins with identifying a problem and formulating an evidence question. This can be done by considering Population (P), Intervention (I), Comparison (C), Outcome (O), and Time (T) factors (PICOT). Again, with regard to sickle cell disease, the practice question is to coordinate care and expedite treatment for pain in children.

Step 2 is Evidence (E); in this step, nurses apply evidence, looking for studies and evaluating the validity and applicability of the studies. The nurses conduct an exhaustive search of reliable databases (such as PubMed, CINAHL, and Google Scholar) for credible evidence in the area. Also, the nurses review the evidence for validity, reliability, and strength of the evidence used to guide our practice. The third step is Transformation (T) or translating our evidence into our practice. This is when we can provide strategies to support change (such as better health care provider communication, patient education, and eliminating these treatment barriers) (Ainslie et al 2024). These strategies are put to the test to determine how effective they are for the patient. Steps are included as they provide a strategic approach to the model and apply best practices in health care.

Application of the Evidence-Based Practice Model to the Issue

A particular issue impacted by using the JHNEBP model was the delayed treatment and lack of coordination of care in the case of childhood sickle cell disease. A PICOT question was formed during the Practice Question phase: How does improved care impact the prevention and treatment of pain crises and patient outcomes in children with sickle cell disease versus standard care? The question was used as a search tool when looking for literature.

In the Evidence phase, peer-reviewed literature from the past 5 years was identified using search engines PubMed, CINAHL, and Google Scholar. We searched for the terms “Sickle cell disease”, “children”, “childhood”, “pain crisis”, “coordination of care”, and “barriers to care”. Articles were chosen based on research findings that have outcomes in children and barriers to care over the past several years. We identified barriers to care, with few studies focused on children, and problems getting the full-text of certain studies. We were able to search a few studies.

We worked during the Translation phase on strategies to improve care, taking into account the information from studies. These involve communication with the health care team and families, support services (including transport services), and protocols for pain management (Baker et al., 2024). These strategies are aimed at reducing delays in care and enhancing care.

Analysis of Evidence

The first paper (Schlenz et al., 2025) is a qualitative paper that describes the barriers and facilitators to care in children with sickle cell disease. This study is reliable due to the backing by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which secured a guaranteed way of conducting research, and the publication in a peer-reviewed journal. It’s also relevant as it relates directly to some of the challenges experienced by children with SCD, such as the delay in care, access to care, and other care concerns. Being qualitative in nature, it’s much more insightful as to the patient and family experience and should be thought about in terms of operational challenges.

The second reading, Schieve et al. (2022), is a quantitative study exploring the effects of the implementation of recommended care measures to prevent complications for kids with SCD. The research is very good, since it has been published in a high-rated journal and is based on large data sets. It’s important because it provides us with information about the effectiveness of preventative practice. It is a quantitative (as opposed to qualitative) study and thus would be more suitable for evidence-based practice.

Our third article is about care management, and community nurses caring for someone with a chronic disease (Ge et al. 2023). It was a valid study as it was peer-reviewed and by expert authors. This applies to care management in SCD, as it discusses the importance of communication and support in caring for someone with a chronic illness. This study offers pragmatic knowledge of the effect of nursing interventions of care, compared to other resources.

Overall, although all three studies are valid, the quantitative study is more valid than the other two studies because of the large sample size and the statistical analysis of data. But the qualitative study (Schlenz et al. 2025) provides the much-needed context and insight into patients’ views and is essential for patient-centered care.

Conclusion

To conclude, sickle cell disease is challenging for pediatric health care, including issues with pain and transitions of care. The Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice model provides for increased nurse participation and engagement in the process. It has proof, questioning, and decision-making applications. This can be achieved through providing solutions to care problems and by applying the five care strategies. Therefore, EBP is crucial for optimal and patient-centered care.