Patient care can be directly affected by reporting bias in several ways:
- Clinical Decision-Making: Nurses and other healthcare providers rely on published research to make informed clinical decisions. If the data is biased, it can lead to inappropriate treatment choices. - Patient Education: Nurses often educate patients based on existing research. Biased information can lead to misinforming patients about their condition and treatment options. - Policy Development: Healthcare policies and protocols are frequently based on research findings. Reporting bias can lead to suboptimal policies that do not adequately address patient needs.
