Describe two different definitions of evidence-based practice.

Two forms of evidence-based practice have become prominent. The first form, the process model, is consistent with the medical definition of evidence-based practice and focuses on the practices of the individual practitioner. Specifically, the individual practitioner learns how to formulate a question about his or her work with a client that is answerable with data (Rubin, 2007). Based on that question, the social worker gains access to appropriate empirical literature through online journals and studies. The social worker does not need to review all the relevant literature from all of the available studies but may seek secondary reviews and meta-analyses of an intervention that summarize the state of knowledge about that intervention. Another version of evidence-based practice refers to training in evidence-based practice approaches. In this approach, the emphasis is on identifying models of practice that have demonstrated efficacy for particular problems and populations, learning about them, and learning how to implement them.