NR505 Advanced Research Methods: Evidence-Based Practice
Week 1 Discussion
Evidence-based Practice and Implications for Nursing
Based upon your learning during this week's lesson, consider how research and evidence-based practice shape nursing and healthcare delivery. Respond to the following:
Why are research and evidence-based practice important for professional nursing?
How do research and evidence-based practice impact quality and safety in the healthcare delivery?
What is one example where research or evidence-based practice is improving health outcomes in your area of practice or in your organization?
If you were to conduct an evidence-based practice initiative, what practice-related issue would you address, and why?
What theoretical framework, model, or nursing theory would you use to guide the evidence-based practice initiative?
NR505 Advanced Research Methods: Evidence-Based Practice
Week 2 Discussion
Collaboration Café
Revisit the practice-related issue of interest that you identified in the week one discussion posting, and respond to the following:
Describe the practice-related issue and its impact on the nursing profession and/or healthcare delivery.
How does this issue influence healthcare safety, quality, and/or health outcomes?
What nursing intervention would you recommend to improve the issue?
As you conduct a review of literature to better understand the issue and your proposed intervention, what search terms might be most helpful?
Based upon your responses to the above, develop a PICOT statement that conveys the following elements.
P-Population and Problem - What is the nursing practice issue or problem and who does it affect?
I-Intervention - What evidence-based solution for the problem would you like to apply?
C-Comparison - what is another solution for the problem? (Note that this is typically the current practice, no intervention at all, or alternative solutions.)
O-Outcome - Very specifically, how will you know that the intervention worked? What will be the indicator of success, and how will that outcome be measured?
T-Timeframe - Target date for outcome achievement.
Use a sentence format to construct your PICOT statement. Here is an example from the educational field (remember, your PICOT will address a nursing practice issue or problem):
Do kindergarteners experiencing learning disabilities (P) who are given a stress ball to squeeze (I) compared to those who don't have a stress ball (C) experience improved academic performance in class (O) over a 6 week period (T)?
Problem - learning disabilities impacting stress and academic performance
Population - kindergartners
I - stress ball
C - no stress ball
O - improved academic performance
T – over 6 weeks
NR505 Advanced Research Methods: Evidence-Based Practice
Week 3 Discussion
Quantitative Research
Reflect upon the nursing practice issue of interest that you identified in earlier discussion assignments. In addition, consider the intervention that you proposed to improve the issue.
With both the issue and the intervention in mind, respond to the following:
What type of evidence produced through quantitative research would be helpful to better understand the selected practice issue?
How might quantitative research findings shape your efforts to improve the issue?
Describe an example (real or hypothetical) of a quantitative research design that would provide valuable evidence regarding this issue.
NR505 Advanced Research Methods: Evidence-Based Practice
Week 4 Discussion
Qualitative Research
Reflect upon the nursing practice issue of interest that you identified in earlier discussion assignments. In addition, consider the intervention that you proposed to improve the issue.
With both the issue and the proposed practice change in mind, respond to the following:
What type of evidence produced through qualitative research would be helpful to better understand the selected practice issue?
How might qualitative research findings shape your efforts to improve the issue?
Describe an example (real or hypothetical) of a qualitative research design that would provide valuable evidence regarding this issue.
NR505 Advanced Research Methods: Evidence-Based Practice
Week 5 Discussion
Data Collection
Gathering and analyzing data is a critical aspect of the research process. Consider the various methods of producing evidence and respond to the following:
What factors might influence the particular data collection method that is used within a research study?
How will those data collection methods and analysis impact the study results?
What strategies might be used for data collection in a qualitative study, and how are those strategies similar to and different from strategies used in a quantitative study?
NR505 Advanced Research Methods: Evidence-Based Practice
Week 6 Discussion
The Impact of Evidence
Reflect upon the impact of evidence-based practice on health outcomes, the nursing profession, and healthcare delivery. Identify a nurse leader to interview in order to gain first-hand insights regarding the application of evidence-based practice in a healthcare setting.
Once you have identified the nurse leader, conduct an informal interview with the leader to learn more about their experience in evidence-based practice and the impact of the EBP endeavors.
Share the insights gained from your interview, and include the following:
Describe the role of the nurse leader you interviewed.
Provide one example of a recent evidence-based practice initiative shared by the nurse leader.
What was the impact on patient-centered care and nursing practice or organizational outcomes?
What did you find most inspiring from the interview, and why?
NR505 Advanced Research Methods: Evidence-Based Practice
Week 7 Discussion
The Change Process
Think of a time in which you encountered a change in nursing practice, patient care delivery, or within a healthcare organization, and respond to the following:
What change did you encounter?
Was the change planned or unplanned?
List the variables that made this change difficult.
Who were the people involved, and what were their attitudes toward the change?
What were some lessons learned during the change process?
How might you apply those lessons learned to the process of translating an evidence-based intervention into practice?
NR505 Advanced Research Methods: Evidence-Based Practice
Week 8 Discussion
Reflection on Learning and Implications for Practice
During the NR 505 course, you identified a practice issue of interest and proposed an intervention to address the problem. You also conducted a review of literature to better understand the issue and intervention.
Select one of the scholarly research articles you reviewed that was particularly informative. Expand your critique of this source by responding to the following:
Provide a brief synopsis of the study.
Identify 2 characteristics of the study that demonstrate credibility, and explain your rationale.
Explain 2 limitations of the study and include recommendations to address those limitations in a future study.
Based upon your critique, how can application of these findings be used to contribute to evidence-based practice?
What are the implications for advanced nursing practice and/or healthcare delivery?
NR505 Advanced Research Methods: Evidence-Based Practice
Week 2 Assignment
PICOT Worksheet Assignment
Purpose
Across the healthcare industry, evidence is used to shape and direct practice in order to improve health outcomes and organizational efficiency. Using a data-driven approach to practice that is grounded in findings from valid, reliable research endeavors is referred to as evidence-based practice (EBP).
While many different models for EBP exist, a core methodology is shared within each. Central to EBP models is the review of scholarly sources to appraise the quality of evidence available regarding an identified practice issue or intervention. To guide the process, the development of a PICOT statement is often the first step.
A PICOT statement includes a brief description of the problem and population impacted, intervention, comparison, outcome, and anticipated timeframe in order to better understand the issue. This step provides clarity and direction as the critique of evidence from scholarly literature is initiated.
MSN-prepared nurses are uniquely positioned with knowledge and skills to identify problems, and to plan, implement, and evaluate evidence-based interventions to improve practice-related outcomes. Toward that end, the assignments in this course are designed to cultivate skills in the development of a PICOT statement (week 2 assignment), and in the critique of evidence from scholarly literature sources (week 5 assignment). As a culminating activity that, a proposal for an evidence-based practice intervention will be developed in week 7 that builds upon the learning accomplished through the assignments in weeks 2 and 5.
The purpose of this assignment is to explore the development of a PICOT statement that can serve as a springboard for the critique of scholarly evidence surrounding the identified practice problem and intervention to improve outcomes.
Click the following link for a printable version of the instructions below: NR505 Week 2 PICOT Worksheet Assignment (Links to an external site.)
Course Outcomes
Through this assignment, the student will address the following Course Outcomes:
CO#1 Integrate evidence-based practice and research to support advancement of holistic nursing care in diverse healthcare settings. (PO 1)
CO#2 Integrate knowledge related to evidence-based practice and person-centered care to improve healthcare outcomes. (PO 2, 5)
CO#4 Develop knowledge related to research and evidence-based practice as a basis for designing and critiquing research studies. (PO 1, 2, 3, 5)
Assignment Overview
Review the elements included in a PICOT statement to guide evidence-based nursing practice.
Consider various problems that impact nursing practice, health or organizational outcomes. You are welcome to consider a specific issue that is interest to you professionally, or an issue that impacts your future MSN role.
Once you have identified one practice issue, you will complete the PICOT Worksheet by addressing the items below. Using a minimum of two scholarly nursing sources, current within five years:
Identify and describe the selected practice issue. Explain why the issue is important to the profession of nursing and its impact on health-related outcomes.
Define each element of your PICOT statement in one or two sentences, being sure to address all of the following:
P-Population and problem - What is the nursing practice concern or problem and whom does it affect?
I-Intervention - What evidence-based solution for the problem would you like to apply?
C-Comparison - What is another solution for the problem? (Note that this is typically the current practice, no intervention at all, or alternative solutions.)
O-Outcome - Very specifically, how will you know that the intervention worked? What will be the indicator of success, and how will that outcome be measured?
T-Timeframe - Target date for outcome achievement.
Construct your PICOT statement in the standard narrative format and define each letter separately.
Assignment Instructions
Abide by the Chamberlain College of Nursing Academic Integrity Policy.
Complete the Week 2 PICOT Worksheet (Links to an external site.) using complete sentences.
Include a minimum of 2 scholarly nursing sources, current within 5 years, to support your work.
Credit sources with citations and a reference list using current APA format guidelines.
Use correct spelling, word usage, grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure, congruent with graduate-level writing.
No direct quotes may be used in this assignment.
NR505 Advanced Research Methods: Evidence-Based Practice
Week 5 Assignment
Research Summary Assignment
Purpose:
Earlier in the course, you identified a problem that influences nursing practice. The impact of the selected issue was explored, and an evidence-based intervention was proposed through the development of a PICOT statement.
In this assignment, literature will be reviewed to enhance understanding of the specific practice issue and to identify evidence from scholarly literature to support the intervention in order to achieve the outcome stated in the PICOT statement.
Click the following link for a printable version of the instructions below: NR505 Week 5 Research Summary Assignment (Links to an external site.)
Course Outcome:
Through this assignment, the student will address the following Course Outcomes:
CO #1. Integrate evidence-based practice and research to support advancement of holistic nursing care in diverse healthcare settings. (PO # 1)
CO #2. Integrate knowledge related to evidence-based practice and person-centered care to improve healthcare outcomes. (PO #2, 5)
CO #4. Develop knowledge related to research and evidence-based practice as a basis for designing and critiquing research studies. (PO 1, 2, 3, 5)
CO #5. Analyze research findings and evidence-based practice to advance holistic nursing care initiatives that promote positive healthcare outcomes. (PO 1, 2, 5)
Assignment Overview
Identify and review a minimum of 5 original nursing research articles that relate to the practice issue and proposed intervention described within the PICOT statement. Sources should come from peer-reviewed journals and be current within 5 years. NOTE: literature reviews, chart reviews, and annotated bibliographies may not be used as they are not original research.
Assignment Instructions
Abide by the Chamberlain College of Nursing Academic Integrity Policy.
Review a minimum of 5 original nursing research studies.
Sources should be from peer-reviewed, scholarly journals.
Sources should be current within 5 years.
Complete the Week 5 Research Summary Table (Links to an external site.) using the template provided.
Use correct spelling, word usage, grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure congruent with graduate-level writing.
NR505 Advanced Research Methods: Evidence-Based Practice
Week 7 Assignment
Evidence-Based Practice Project Proposal Outline
Purpose
Earlier in the course, an issue was identified that influences practice. The impact of the issue was explored, and an evidence-based intervention was proposed via development of a PICOT statement. Scholarly literature was reviewed to identify evidence in support of the intervention in order to achieve the outcome described in the PICOT statement.
The purpose of this assignment is to draw upon previous learning in the course to create a proposal for an evidence-based practice intervention. The outline will include the following elements: overview and significance of the practice issue, PICOT statement, description of proposed intervention and expected outcome, synthesis of evidence from scholarly literature to support the proposed intervention, and stakeholder implications.
Click the following link to download and view a student exemplar example: NR505 Week 7 Assignment: Evidence-based Practice Project Proposal Student Exemplar (Links to an external site.).
Click the following link for a printable version of the instructions: NR505 Week 7 Evidence-Based Practice Project Proposal Assignment (Links to an external site.)
Course Outcomes
Through this assignment, the student will address the following Course Outcomes:
CO #1. Integrate evidence-based practice and research to support advancement of holistic nursing care in diverse healthcare settings. (PO # 1)
CO #2. Integrate knowledge related to evidence-based practice and person-centered care to improve healthcare outcomes. (PO #2, 5)
CO #4. Develop knowledge related to research and evidence-based practice as a basis for designing and critiquing research studies. (PO 1, 2, 3, 5)
CO #5. Analyze research findings and evidence-based practice to advance holistic nursing care initiatives that promote positive healthcare outcomes. (PO 1, 2, 5)
Assignment Overview
In this assignment, you will draw upon previous assignments in the NR 505 course to create the outline of a proposal for evidence-based practice change (using the template provided). Within the outline, you will address the following:
Overview and significance of the practice issue
PICOT statement
Proposed evidence-based intervention and expected outcome
Synthesis of evidence from the literature to support the proposed intervention
Stakeholder Implications
Assignment Instructions
Abide by the Chamberlain College of Nursing Academic Integrity Policy.
Complete the Week 7 Evidence-based Practice Change Proposal Outline (Links to an external site.) template using complete sentences.
Include a minimum of 5 original nursing research studies to support your work.
Sources should be from peer-reviewed, scholarly journals.
Sources should be current within 5 years.
Credit sources with citations and a reference list using current APA format guidelines.
Use correct grammar, sentence structure, spelling, word usage, and punctuation congruent with scholarly writing.
No direct quotes may be used in this assignment.
