Analyzing and Appraising Research Evidence for Delivery of Nursing Care

“Provide a summary of the strengths and weaknesses of 2 pieces of research and offer a critical discussion of how the findings could be applied to a clinical setting”- (2,500 words)

Introduction- 250 words approx

• Set the scene for what will be covered in your assignment and why

• Explain the main concepts of the module eg EBP, research

• This should not be a list of definitions but showing your understanding of the concepts- why are they important for nursing/healthcare

Summary of Research- 1000 words approx

• Explain the overall topic of your two studies and why this is important to nursing practice

Critically consider each piece of research in terms of its strengths and weaknesses, you may want to think about the following areas:

• The aim and approach (Qualitative/Quantitative) and whether this is appropriate for the research questions

• Study Design: Any merits/limitations

• Sampling Issues- Eg sample size/inclusion and exclusion criteria/recruitment method

• Method of data collection and analysis- how was this achieved? Was it appropriate/typical for the design of the study? What were the limitations and merits?

• Findings- What were the findings/results of the research and how do they relate to the original aim/hypothesis

• Conslusion- Come to a conclusion of the overall quality of the study based on what you discussed in the summary

You may not be able to cover all of these topics in 1,000 words, consider which ones stand out in your study and focus on providing a depth of critical analysis rather than describing each of these points.

Critical discussion-1000 words approx

Provide a critical discussion of the findings of the research you have analysed in relation to clinical practice. You may want to think of an area you have been on placement.

• Set the scene- which area of clinical practice are you discussing?

• How do the research findings relate to that setting in broad terms? (may want to link to the NMC code for example)

• Consider guidelines/policies in the clinical setting that link to the research findings and how (eg NICE guidelines)

• Are there any relevant nursing tools that could be applied (eg NEWS2, SBAR, PEPSI-COLA)- if so, what are the limitations and merits of these?

• What are the possible effects that the research findings could have on patient care?

• Are there any barriers to implementing these findings in a clinical setting, if so what are these and why are they important?

• Consider EBP in broader terms- eg, What are the barriers to EBP in nursing practice?

• Consider recommendations or implications for future nursing practice, based on the points you have discussed

This is not a comprehensive list or a suggested order, you may want to write your own subheadings to help plan your assignment and remove these at a later date.

Conclusion- 250 words approx

You should not be introducing any new references or themes within your conclusion. Think about all the points you have discussed and sum-up the main themes, consider in broad terms what you have learnt and how it relates to nursing practice.