NURS - Resources for BSN Students

  A. There are 5 basic steps in Evidence Based Practice*

• ASK:  Information needs from practice are converted into focused, structured questions.
• ACQUIRE:  The focused questions are used as a basis for literature searching in order to identify relevant external evidence from research.
• APPRAISE:  The research evidence is critically appraised for validity.
• APPLY: The best available evidence is used alongside clinical expertise and the patient's perspective to plan care.
• ASSESS:  Performance is evaluated through a process of self reflection, audit, or peer assessment.

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B. The American Nurses Association has developed a Research Toolkit, [geared towards the practitioner, but useful for nursing students] to help you provide evidence-based care that promotes quality health outcomes for individuals, families, communities and health care systems. The Toolkit can also assist you in shaping health policy at the bedside, within an organization, and at the local, state and national level. The toolkit offers an introduction to research and evidence-based practice. It provides access to numerous resources to translate evidence into practice and to support nurse researchers. Members only can log in and have access to a research repository with reviews of research articles. This toolkit will change over time and add new resources to meet your needs. Send your ideas for additions to the toolkit to louise.kaplan@ana.org.

1. Asking the Question
2. Acquiring Information
3. Appraising the Evidence
4. Essential Nursing Resources
5. Research Glossaries
6. Critique a Research Article
7. Education about Evidence-based Practice and Research
8. Comparative Effectiveness Research/Patient Centered Outcomes Research
9. Human Subjects Protection
10. Research Funding
11. Research Organizations
12. ANA’s Research Agenda
13. National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI®)
14. International Council of Nurses (ICN) Evidence-Based Practice Resource
15. Research Repository [Members Only - Login Required]

Evidence Based Nursing Practice is:

"Nursing practice that bases clinical decisions on research, clinical expertise, patient choices, and critical evaluation of the literature." (CINAHL Headings Scope Note)

"...integrating the best available research evidence within the clinical, patient, and organizational contex to attain high-quality and cost effective care."  (Encyclopedia of Nursing Research,(2006) p.183)