Searching and Critiquing the Evidence

 

Bring to mind the various practice problems you and your colleagues have been considering in this course. What insights might the literature provide with regard to these issues? How should you evaluate the research? And, why is it important to review and critique this information?

This Discussion addresses strategies for searching the literature in order to critique existing evidence. Please note that this Discussion is related to Application Assignment #4, which is assigned this week. You are strongly encouraged to read through that assignment now.

To prepare:

• Review the Walden Library Webinars presented in the Learning Resources.
• Recall the practice problem and theoretical framework you identified for the Week 5  Discussion (See attached file). Using the Walden Library and other professional databases, conduct a search and locate four (4) appropriate primary research articles one of which is a systematic review.
• Review the articles and determine what level of evidence they represent. Using the critique strategies presented in the Learning Resources as a guide, consider how the articles you located either support or weaken the merit of your theoretical framework or the importance of your practice problem.

By Wednesday 7/05/17, post 550 words essay in APA format with 2 references from the list below, as well as the 4 references for the articles review that include the level one headings as numbered below:

post a cohesive response that addresses the following:

1)       How does the literature strengthen or weaken the merit of your selected theoretical framework and practice problem?

2)       What levels of evidence are most prevalent in these articles? (I, II, III, IV or V)

3)       Why do you think that level of evidence is most prevalent?

 

Walden Library Webinars:

 

 Conducting a Literature Search on a Clinical Research Question. Retrieved from: http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/library/webinararchives/nursing#s-lg-box-9896498

 

 Evidence-Based Health Research Retried from: http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/library/webinararchives/healthscience#s-lg-box-1523116

 

 Introduction to Health Science Research. Retrieved from:http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/library/webinararchives/healthscience#s-lg-box-9897916

 

 Medical Research: Finding Reviews. Retrieved from: http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/library/webinararchives/healthscience#s-lg-box-1525868

 

 Medical Research: Finding Studies by Type. Retrieved from: http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/library/webinararchives/healthscience#s-lg-box-1526057

 

 Medical Research: Health Policies and Legal Cases. Retrieved from: http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/library/webinararchives/healthscience#s-lg-box-1526434

 

Recommended Webinars:

 Webinars on Library Skills. Retrieved from: http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/library/webinararchives/libraryskillswebinars

 

 Evidence Based Practice for NURS 6052. Retrieved from: http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/library/webinararchives/nursing#s-lg-box-9896497

 

Required Readings

 

Gray, J.R., Grove, S.K., & Sutherland, S. (2017). Burns and Grove’s the practice of nursing research: Appraisal, synthesis, and generation of evidence (8th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Saunders Elsevier.

Chapter 3, “Introduction to Quantitative Research”

 Chapter 3 provides an overview of quantitative research, the concepts associated with this type of research, and different quantitative research designs.

 

Chapter 4, “Introduction to Qualitative Research”

 Chapter 4 describes the philosophy of qualitative research and provides examples of how it is used in nursing research. Understanding the basic principles of quantitative and qualitative research is necessary to effectively critique research literature.

 

Chapter 7, “Review of Relevant Literature”

 Chapter 7 examines the process of preparing for a literature review to support research efforts.

 

Chapter 13, “Outcomes Research”

 

Moran, K., Burson, R., & Conrad, D. (2017). The doctor of nursing practice scholarly project: A framework for success (2nd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Review Chapter 6, “Developing the Scholarly Project”

 

Armola, R., Bourgault, A., Halm, M., Board, R., Bucher, L., Harrington, L., & … Medina, J. (2009). AACN levels of evidence: What’s new? Critical Care Nurse, 29(4), 70–73. doi: 10.4037/ccn2009969

 Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

 This article provides a hierarchical evidence rating system which can be used as a guide to determine the quality and level of evidence presented in different types of research studies.

 

Elkins, M. Y. (2010). Using PICO and the brief report to answer clinical questions. Nursing, 40(4), 59–60. doi: 10.1097/01.NURSE.0000369871.07714.39

 Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

 The article explains how to use the PICO method to develop clinical questions.

 

 

Fineout-Overholt, E., Melnyk, B., Stillwell, S., & Williamson, K. (2010). Critical appraisal of the evidence: Part I an introduction to gathering, evaluating, and recording the evidence… fifth in a series. American Journal of Nursing, 110(7), 47–52. doi: 10.1097/01.NAJ.0000383935.22721.9c

 Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

 This article discusses the process of rapid critical analysis of research and literature through the categorization of studies and utilization of an evaluation table.

 

Fineout-Overholt, E., Melnyk, B., Stillwell, S., & Williamson, K. (2010). Critical appraisal of the evidence: Part III the process of synthesis: Seeing similarities and differences across the body of evidence. American Journal of Nursing, 110(11), 43–51. doi: 10.1097/01.NAJ.0000390523.99066.b5

 Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

 This article continues the discussion of critical analysis of evidence and concludes with how nurses can then make decisions based on a synthesis of the findings.

 

 Nursing Library and Information Resources Cushing/Whitney Medical Library (n.d.). Levels of evidence pyramid. Retrieved from http://guides.library.yale.edu/ld.php?content_id=11940516

 This article discusses the use of systematic reviews in evidence-based practice and provides sources for locating this type of research article.

 

Duke University Medical Center Library. (2009). Evidence-based clinical practice resources: Hierarchy of evidence-based medicine (EBM) resources. Retrieved from http://guides.mclibrary.duke.edu/content.php?pid=274373&sid=2289252

 Duke University provides this visual representation of levels of evidence.

 

University of Illinois at Chicago. (n.d.) Evidence-based practice in the health sciences: Levels of evidence. Retrieved from http://ebp.lib.uic.edu/nursing/node/12

 This web-based tutorial provides an overview of evidence-based practice and includes a section on developing practice questions for evidence-based projects.

 

 Evidence-Based Nursing. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://ebn.bmj.com/

 This website surveys a wide range of international clinical journals and includes only those research articles that demonstrate high quality and validity.

 

Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library (n.d.). Finding evidence in PubMed. Retrieved from http://library.medicine.yale.edu/tutorials/577

 

 The Joanna Briggs Institute (n.d.). Retrieved from http://joannabriggs.org/

This international organization was created by the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Adelaide in South Australia and provides members with access to systematic reviews and other research efforts.

 

 

Optional Resources

 

Boss, C., & Wurmser, T. A. (2009). Searching for evidence: Mission-critical tips. Nursing Management, 40(9), 12. doi: 10.1097/01.NUMA.0000360766.29235.8e

 Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

 

Coughlan, M., Cronin, P., & Ryan, F. (2007). Step-by-step guide to critiquing research: Part 1: Quantitative research. British Journal of Nursing (BJN), 16(11), 658–663.

 Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

 This article provides strategies for critiquing quantitative research and includes definitions of frequently used research terms.

 

Cronin, P., Ryan, F., & Coughlan, M. (2008). Undertaking a literature review: A step-by-step approach. British Journal of Nursing (BJN), 17(1), 38–43.

 Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

 This article details an approach for nurses to use when analyzing research, synthesizing data, and writing and reporting research findings.

Dale, J. C. (2005). Critiquing research for use in practice. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 19(3), 183–186. doi:10.1016/j.pedhc.2005.02.004

 Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

 

 Engle, M., Blumethal, A., & Cosgrave, T. (2010). How to prepare an annotated bibliography. Cornell University Library Olin & Uris Libraries: Ask a Librarian. Retrieved from http://olinuris.library.cornell.edu/ref/research/skill28.htm

 

 

Evans, D. (2003). Hierarchy of evidence: A framework for ranking evidence evaluating healthcare interventions. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 12(1), 77–84. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2702.2003.00662.x

 Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

 

 

Hanson, D., Hoss, B. L., & Wsorick, B. (2008). Evaluating the evidence: Guidelines. AORN Journal, 88(2), 188–196.

 Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

 

Holopainen, A., Hakulinen-Viitanen, T., & Tossavainen, K. (2008). Systematic review – A method for nursing research. Nurse Researcher, 16(1), 72–83.

 Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

 

Kleinpell, R. M., Gawlinski, A., & Burns, S. M. (2006). Searching and critiquing literature essential for acute care NPs. Nurse Practioner, 31(8), 12–13.

 Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

 

Parahoo, K., McCaughan, E., Noyes, J., & McDonough, S. (2010). The effectiveness of psychosocial interventions for men with prostate cancer: A systematic review. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (6). doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD008529

 Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

This systematic review provides results of psychosocial theories utilized in assisting men with prostate cancer.

 

 

Sherrod, R. A., Ford, C., & Oliver, J. (2010). Using data from the Internet to teach ethical principles for critiquing research studies. Nurse Educator, 35(1), 17–1 9. doi: 10.1097/NNE.0b013e3181c41f8d

 Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

 

 

Tatano-Beck, C. (2009). Critiquing qualitative research. AORN Journal, 90(4), 543. doi: 10.1016/j.aorn.2008.12.023

 Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

 

 

Traynor, M. (2009). Humanism and its critiques in nursing research literature. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 65(7), 1560–1567.

 Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

 

 

 Consortium Library University of Alaska Anchorage (2011). Nursing research guide. Retrieved from http://libguides.consortiumlibrary.org/content.php?pid=44173&sid=330967

 

 The Writing Center (2007). Literature reviews. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved from http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/literature-reviews/

 

 The University of Wisconsin-Madison Writing Center. (2009). Writer’s handbook: Common writing assignments: Review of literature. Retrieved from http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/ReviewofLiterature.html