Sales Training Feb 2014 - Nursing

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CHAPTER 5 Theory, Research, and Evidence-Based Practice

T A B L E • 5-5 PARTS OF A RESEARCH JOURNAL ARTICLE Sections (in usual order) Description

Abstract

The abstract is at the beginning of the article. It summarizes the entire article and usually provides the purpose of the study, a description of the subjects, data collection and data analysis, and a summary of important findings. The literature review discusses relevant studies that have been conducted in the area of this study. A statement of the specific goals or purpose of the study often follows the review. The methods section provides in detail how the study was conducted, including who and how many subjects, what research design was used, what data were collected and how, and types of analysis done. There should be enough information so that the study could be replicated (repeated).

Introduction • Review of the literature • Statement of the purpose

Method • Subjects • Design • Data collection • Data analysis

Results

The results (findings) are often presented both in words and in charts, tables, or graphs. It is important to understand what the results were and if they are meaningful.

Discussion (Conclusions)

The discussion section reports what the results mean in regard to the purpose of the study and the literature review. It may also include suggestions for further research and application to nursing education or practice, as appropriate. The references are at the end of the article and include a list of articles and books used by the researcher.

References

Therefore, the use of EBP mandates the analysis and systematic review of research findings. The first step for you as a student is to be able to read and understand a research article. To help you, the typical format of a research journal article with a description of each part is outlined in Table 5-5. Steps in Implementing EBP To practice EBP, nurses carry out the following 5 steps (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2005). Step 1: Ask a question about a clinical area of interest or an intervention . There are several different methods that can be used to ask clinical questions. The most common method is the PICO format (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2002), described in Table 5-6. See the accompanying display,

evidence that the services and interventions being funded or reimbursed are effective in securing valued goals. Until the mid 1990s, many large hospitals had research uti- lization departments directed by doctorally prepared nurse scientists. These departments conducted research within the hospital to answer clinical practice questions, and used the research findings to dictate practice changes. Today, few hos- pitals use findings from their own research to direct clinical nursing practice. As a result of recent advances in informa- tion technology, findings from published literature can be found, analyzed, and applied to answer clinically relevant questions. Key databases and search engines may be easily accessed on most work computer stations as well as home computer systems. Many research articles in journals and guidelines developed by expert panels can be downloaded to paper copies, read, evaluated, and shared with colleagues.

T A B L E • 5-6 ASKING CLINICAL QUESTIONS IN PICO FORMAT

Components

Considerations Need for explicit description; may include setting, limiting to subgroups (such as by age).

P Patient, population, or problem of interest

The more defined, the more focused search of the literature will be; may include exposure, treatment, patient perception, diagnostic test, or predicting factor.

I Intervention of interest

Usually the comparison is to another treatment or the usual standard of care.

C Comparison of interest

Specifically identifying the outcome to enable a literature search to find evidence that examined the same outcome, perhaps in different ways.

O Outcome of interest