Nursing Journal Club
Connecting Research, Evidence-Based Practice & Education with
Daily Nursing Care
By: Trisha Ryan, RN, MSN, MHA
Acting Nurse Educator, PeriAnesthesia Nursing Services, Johns Hopkins Hospital
September, 2013
Objectives








Background Data on Nursing Journal Clubs.
Evidence Based Practice & Journal Clubs.
Research & Journal Clubs.
Journal Clubs & Magnet.
Journal Clubs influence on Nursing Education.
How to start a Journal Club.
Journal Club Criteria.
How to maintain interest & keep process
growing.
Journal Club Background Data


First Journal club – 1875 – Sir William Osler
( medical only).
Two main functions of Journal Clubs:




Keep nurses & students up to date on clinical research.
Improve clinical nurses ability to evaluate published
research critically. (Patel, & et all, 2011)
Journal Clubs play key roles in EBP, Research,
Nursing Education & Patient Care.
First nursing late 20th century.
(Pierre, 2005)
Influence of Journal Clubs on
Evidence Based Practice (EBP)




Encourages clinicians to apply their updated
data to relevant cases.
Encourages RNs to use current, up to date
knowledge to facilitate EBP practices.
Help RNs to understand & incorporate new
knowledge into daily practice.
Enhances RN appraisal skills & the learning
process.
(Patel, & et all, 2011)
Journal Clubs & Magnet Status





Magnet facilities are top 6% for nursing care.
Skills in quality care & quality improvement.
Nursing Journal Clubs: great first step in
demonstrating Magnet level status.
Improves stakeholder buy-in to improving
care.
Meets many facilities designs for strategic
goal planning regarding Magnet.
(Patel, & et all, 2011)
Journal Clubs Influences
on Nursing Research

Barriers to Nursing Research
 RNs’
inability to understand, critique,& interpret
data found in research journals
 RNs’ perceived inability to affect change
 RN leadership not supportive of nursing
research

Ways Nursing Journal Clubs can help
 Improves
RN’s ability to interpret & critique data
 Improves RN’s confidence in research role
 Encourages RN leadership to support research
efforts.
(O’Nan, 2011)
Journal Clubs & Nursing Education
Positives & Negatives
 Assists students to develop critical thinking skills while still
in a classroom setting.
 Fostered collaborative learning activities for RNs & nursing
students.
(Laaksonen, & et al, 2013)
 Pertinent topics, sufficient time, comfortable setting, &
interactive/ motivated facilitators promote learning.
 Journal clubs thought to be great “teaching & learning
methods that promote understanding, attitudes, motivation
& competencies essential for producing evidence based
care.” (Laaksonen, & et al, 2013, p 286)
 Increased dishonesty with nursing students that participated
in journal clubs (plagiarism).
(Woith, Jenkins, & Kerber, 2012)
How to start a Journal Club

Determine whether unit based or hospital based.

Work with Department Lead person to back process.

Determine locations to search for Journal Club level
articles.

Determine meeting locations.

Determine proper times & dates that RNs can attend.


Be prepared to devote time each month to the
process.
Become credentialed in applying for CEUs through
ANCC. (AJCC, 2002)
Journal Club Criteria for CEUs







Peer Reviewed article at least 7 pages = 1 hr
CEU.
Article no more than 5 years old.
Needs assessment performed relating to
topic.
CEUs File forms 1 month prior.
Pay for any ANCC CEU dues.
Must have evaluations from RNs.
Must keep attendance record 5 yrs.
How to check the validity of the
Journal or Research article






Peer Reviewed - # 1 test.
Current research (< 5 yrs old).
Demographic group.
Noted Bias’.
Missing groups.
Type of research – Quantitative/ Qualitative:
 Quantitative
– Looking for # of common factors.
 Qualitative - Looking for factors that affect
outcomes.
(AJCC, 2002)
Formulate Journal club objectives




Look at 3 major categories in the article:

Demographics, population, mix of pts or criteria.

Treatment or action specifics.

Strength of research – look for possible bias.
Formulate key items for each category to focus on.
Formulate questions relating to points that get
staff looking for material within the article.
Formulate two ways to look at each category
(ask what if and what if not?).
Formulate Journal club questions






Review article for thought provoking
questions.
“Relate to practice” questions – Who has had
this experience?
Ask for group experiences with issues.
Look for specific topic questions.
Objective covering questions.
Open ended questions to spark
discussion.
How to Market the Journal Club
to the Organization

Gather & include key stakeholders:
RN staff
 Directors & Assistant Directors
 Nursing Coordinators
 Nurse Managers




Create communication network.
Send out article & club questions at least one
week in advance.
Provide copies the day to stakeholder units.
Journal Club Meeting
Environment

Comfortable circle style.

All participants in seated positions.

Facilitator acts as a guide, not a lecturer.

Quiet, away from distraction.

Not on unit, away from patient care if
possible.
Article Scenario

Read provided article.

Be ready to talk about following questions.
1.
What barriers are there to implementing EBP?
2.
What are some ways to overcome these barriers?
3.
What types of experiences have you had with EBP
projects?
4.
What benefits have been associated with journal
clubs?
5.
What are the steps to starting a journal club?
(Lippincott’s Evidence Based Practice Network, 2013)
Evaluation

Always need to evaluate the quality of the process.

Should include questions on:(via Likert scale)


•
Environment suitability.
•
Instructor preparedness.
•
Appropriateness of material .
•
Interest of topic.
•
Suggestions for improvement or future topics.
Should be obtained before giving out certificates.
Should be reviewed & feedback reported per ANCC
CEU requirements to improve future meetings.
Keeping Journal Club growing




Keep material relevant to stakeholders.
Keep material up-to-date with unit issues.
Keep creative in ways of presenting material
(insert brief puzzles, games or quizzes to
change things up).
Explore multi user online systems or webcasts
to increase long distance audiences.
(Billingsley, Rice, Bennett, & Thibeau, 2013)
Questions
References
American Journal of Critical Care Journal Club.
(2002). What is a journal club? From the AJCC
website located at
http://ajcc.aacnjournals.org/site/misc/journalclubw
ebpage.pdf
Billingsley, L., Rice, K., Bennett, M., Thibeau, S., (
2013). Using a Multiuser Virtual Environment to
Facilitate Nursing Journal Clubs. From Clinical
Nurse Specialists, V 27, I 3 (pp 146 -154)
Laaksonen, & et al. ( 2013). Journal club as a method
for nurses and nursing students’ collaborative
learning: A descriptive study. From Health Science
Journal, V 7, I 3 (pp 285 – 292)
References Cont
Lippincott’s Evidence-Based Practice Network (2013).
Evidence-Based Practice Network. From Lippincott’s
Nursing Center. Com located at
http://www.nursingcenter.com/evidencebasedpracticenetw
ork/EBP-Blog-Landingpage/ShowMeTheEvidence/November-2012/Using-ajournal-club-to-increase-EBP-knowledge-and
O’Nan, C. L. ( 2011). The effect of a journal club on perceived
barriers to the utilization of nursing research in a practice
setting. From Journal of Nursing in Staff Development, V27,
N 4 (PP 160- 164)
Patel, & et al. ( 2011). Evidence-based practice and a nursing
journal club; An equation for positive patient outcomes and
nursing empowerment. From Journal for Staff
Development, V 27, N 5 (pp 227 – 230)
References Continued
Pierre, J. S. (2005) Changing nursing practice through a
nursing journal club. From The Journal of Med-Surg
Nursing, V 14, N6 (PP 390 – 392)
Woith, W. M., Jenkins, S. H., Kerber, C. H. ( 2012). The
impact of a journal club intervention on student
perceptions and behaviours regarding academic
dishonesty. From Journal of Nursing Education and
Practice, V3, N3 (pp 27 – 34)