Literature search
- Levels of evidence to change practice
Performing research can be quite a struggle, especially if one is not well aware of their search parameter and the topic of interest. Thus, it takes knowledge of literature research for one to identify the best sources and retrieve the most valuable information for a study to be compelling. This essay analyses the different types of evidence in research and the evaluation of the various sources used in previous research on the role of nurses in providing quality care and safety to patients.
Types of evidence
There are several types of evidence in any research project that can be classified into either scholarly or non-scholarly sources. Some of these include Scholarly opinions, ideas and editorials, case reports, case studies, randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, systematic reviews and non-randomized studies. In this perspective, somebody can categorize these types of evidence into five different levels of study. These are level I (randomized controlled trials and experimental pieces of evidence), level II (systematic reviews of RCTs and quasi-experimental studies), and level III (qualitative and non-experimental evidence), level IV (scientific evidence and reports, nationally recognized reports and respected authorities’ opinions), and level V (expert opinions, case reports and literature reviews).
Evaluating a source’s reliability
A couple of research criteria were used during this study to determine the reliability of the sources used in the previous essay. To decide whether or not a source was reliable for the study, I considered its topic coverage, the author’s eligibility and its degree of accuracy as compared to information from other sources. To this end, the sources used were written by trustworthy authors and the information provided was supported by relevant evidence.
Challenges of performing a literature search
One of the significant challenges of performing literature search is the availability of vast information at a researcher’s fingertips. In this case, it is hard to identify the most credible source and what information can be trusted when conducting research. Thus, evaluating primary and secondary sources is a challenge for many researchers. Secondly, topic selection is a significant challenge in research, especially where the research question is open. Many researchers fail to break down the search question into simpler terms for easy access to relevant information. Finally, reliance on individual and self-reported data is another challenge in research due to a lack of standardization of data.
- Literature review
Search strategy in the EBP project
The search made use of the following online databases;
- PubMed
- National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators
- CINAHL
The terms below were used in the search;
- Role of nurses in patient safety and quality care
- Medication safety and errors
- Nurses’ awareness of medication safety and errors
- Nurses lacking knowledge of medication safety and errors
- Reducing medication errors among hospitalized adult patients
Literature appraisal
The process of literature review went very well in searching as there was massive information on the topic. For instance, PubMed and the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators were beneficial databases in retrieving information on the nursing practice and areas of improvement. Also, six of the peer-reviewed journals used in the study helped in formulating the PICO question in the EBP project. However, there were a few challenges encountered in the process. One of the challenges was the availability and accessibility of government and other institutional reports on the topic. Some of the reports and websites were password-protected, thus denying access. Nonetheless, it took approximately five hours to perform a thorough literature search and compile the paper.