What are the three components of EBP?

• A. Best available research; Clinical expertise; Patient values and preferences.
• B. Best available guidelines; Reimbursement policies; Patient preferences.
• C. Clinical trials; Peer review; Patient satisfaction.
• D. Research laboratories; Insurance coverage; Patient education.

Answer: (A)

Evidence-based practice blends three elements to guide care. First, use the best available research evidence—high-quality studies and systematic reviews that show what tends to work. Second, apply clinical expertise—the clinician’s own judgment, experience, and skills to interpret the evidence and adapt it to the individual person. Third, honor patient values and preferences by involving them in decisions, understanding their goals, concerns, and lifestyle. When these components come together, care is informed by solid science, tailored to the person, and aligned with what matters most to them.

Other options mix in guidelines, reimbursement policies, or satisfaction measures, which are not the three core components of EBP themselves. Guidelines are a form of evidence, and reimbursement or satisfaction are external factors or outcomes, not the foundational trio.