NURSING SCIENCE

Competencies:
724.8.5: Foundations of Inquiry – The graduate differentiates between quality improvement processes, evidence based practice and research.
724.8.6 Literature Review and Analysis – The graduate demonstrates knowledge of the process and outcomes of conducting a literature review.
724.8.7: Ethics and Research – The graduate demonstrates understanding of the ethics of nursing research particularly human subjects’ protections, informed consent and alignment with patient and family values and preferences.
724.8.8: Patient Outcomes – The graduate discriminates between identified standards and practices that do not provide improvements in patient outcomes utilizing relevant sources of evidence and the application of nursing theory.
724.8.9: Data Collection, Analysis, and Dissemination – The graduate describes the process of data collection, analysis and implementation of evidence that can improve clinical practice from an interprofessional perspective.

Introduction:

There are many sources of information available on the web and in journals relating to the nursing discipline. Therefore, it is of pivotal importance to understand the basic tenets of critical appraisal of research for its use in intraprofessional healthcare practices. The aim of evidence-based practice (EBP) is to employ a three-pronged approach blending the best available research evidence, patient values and preferences, and clinical expertise.

In this task, you will critique two primary research evidence sources. You will select one quantitative and one qualitative peer-reviewed journal article on a healthcare topic of interest.

Requirements:

The rubric provides detailed criteria for evaluating your submission. You are expected to use the rubric to direct the creation of your submission. Each requirement below may be evaluated by more than one rubric aspect. The rubric aspect titles may contain hyperlinks to relevant portions of the course.

Note: Research evidence must not be more than ten years old.

A. Evaluate a primary quantitative research peer-reviewed journal article (suggested length of 3–5 pages) that has healthcare implications by doing the following:
1. Identify how the researcher addresses the five following areas of the selected journal article, using the attached “Evidence Table”:
• background or introduction
• review of the literature
• discussion of methodology
• data analysis
• researcher’s conclusion
2. Critique whether the evidence presented in each section of the journal article supports the researcher’s conclusion.
3. Explain the protection of human subjects and cultural considerations of the journal article.
4. Identify strengths and limitations of the study.
5. Describe how the evidence informs nursing practice.

B. Evaluate a primary qualitative research peer-reviewed journal article (suggested length of 3–5 pages) that has healthcare implications by doing the following:
1. Identify how the researcher addresses the five following areas of the selected journal article, using the attached “Evidence Table”:
• background or introduction
• review of the literature
• discussion of methodology
• data analysis
• researcher’s conclusion
2. Critique whether the evidence presented in each section of the journal article supports the researcher’s conclusion.
3. Explain the protection of human subjects and cultural considerations of the journal article.
4. Identify strengths and limitations of the study.
5. Describe how the evidence informs nursing practice.

C. Acknowledge sources, using APA-formatted in-text citations and references, for content that is quoted, paraphrased, or summarized.