Running Head: REVIEW OF REFERENCES: EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE PROJECT
Review of References: Evidence-based Practice Project
Patricia Moon
Ferris State University
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REVIEW OF REFERENCES: EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE PROJECT
Abstract
This paper reviews the references used in a prior paper written by the same author.
Definitions of terms are given for scholarly and credible sources, qualitative and
quantitative studies, peer review, and refereed journal. A total of five references are
examined using matching criteria. The criterion is as follows: credibility of source,
assessment of the author(s) and investigator(s), and the potential significance to the
nursing profession. A reflection on the references is given that examines the
appropriateness of these resources for the original paper. This reflection considers
relevance to practice decisions and the value of the quality of these sources.
Consideration is made regarding the significance of using both credible sources and
research performed by nurses as the basis for evidence-based practice for the nursing
profession.
Keywords: credible, qualitative, quantitative, peer review, evidence-based,
nursing.
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REVIEW OF REFERENCES: EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE PROJECT
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Review of References: Evidence-based Practice Paper
The purpose of this paper is to re-evaluate the references used in my Evidence-based
Practice Project paper during NURS 324. Re-evaluating these references provides an opportunity
to review the research article selection process. It also affords a chance to analyze the pertinence
of these document choices to the project that I proposed. Reflection on prior choices using
critical thinking and newly gained understanding of the research process can shed new light on
the significance of credible research sources and increase awareness of the impact of the use of
nursing research to improve evidence-based practice in the nursing profession.
Review
A total of four articles will be reviewed using three concepts. First, the credibility of the
source is examined. A scholarly or credible source is one that is “reliable, accurate and
trustworthy” (Weida & Stolly, 2013). Therefore, credible sources are written by authors
“respected in their fields of study” (Weida & Stolly, 2013). Peer review means that a document
has been reviewed by “professional colleagues who are content or methodological experts”
(Nieswiadomy, 2011). This helps ensure that the information provided is valid. In a refereed
journal, the editors of the journal chose experts to evaluate manuscripts (Nieswiadomy, 2011).
Conversely, in a nonrefereed journal, consultants or members of the editorial staff review the
manuscripts (Nieswiadomy, 2011). For scientific publishing, peer review is viewed as the
highest standard (Nieswiadomy, 2011). Secondly, the type of study is examined. The two basic
types of studies are quantitative and qualitative. Nieswiadomy, (2011), states that research that is
quantitative is “based on the concepts of manipulation and control of phenomena and the
verification of results, using empirical data gained through the senses”. Qualitative, on the other
hand, concentrates on “gaining insight and understanding about an individual’s perceptions of
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events” (Nieswiadomy, 2011). Qualitative research uses objective data, often has large sample
sizes, and gives results in the form of numbers or statistics (Nieswidomy, 2011). Qualitative
research uses subjective data, usually contains small sample sizes, and provides results as
narrative data (Nieswiadomy, 2011). Thirdly, the conclusions of the research articles are
reviewed related to their provision of knowledge that is distinct to nursing.
Article 1
The authors of this article, E.P. Horn, B. Bein, R. Bohm, M. Steinfath, N. Sahili, and J.
Hocker are anesthesiologists. Their article, “The Effect of Short Time Periods of Peri-operative
Warming in the Prevention of Peri-operative Hypothermia”, is peer-reviewed. It was published
in 2012 in Anaesthesia, which is the journal for the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britian.
This source is credible, but it is not a nursing journal. The authors did their own study with a
total of 200 randomly chosen patients. None of the researchers were nurses. However, three of
the references used in the article were from nursing sources. In addition, the study acknowledged
three registered nurses for assisting in the study. While not distinct to the nursing profession, this
article is significant to nurses because perioperative warming includes interventions performed
by nurses in both the preoperative and postoperative setting. The anesthesia provider, who may
be an anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist, would be responsible for intraoperative warming, it is
the preoperative nurse who would initiate the process in the outpatient setting and continuing the
process in the post anesthesia care unit. Horn, et al, (2012), acknowledges a multidisciplinary
approach to perioperative warming that includes surgeons, anesthesiologists, and nurses. Since
this information did not come from nurses, it would be borrowed knowledge if it were to be used
as a basis for nursing research.
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Article 2
This article, entitled “The Impact of Perioperative Warming in an Outpatient Anesthetic
Surgery Setting”, was authored by F. Lista, C. Doherty, R. Backstein, and J. Ahmad who are
plastic surgery physicians. It was published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal which is a credible
source. It is not a nursing journal. Rather, this is the journal of the American Society of Aesthetic
Plastic Surgery. This study was performed by Frank Lista, the senior author who is a plastic
surgeon in private practice in Canada (Lista et.al, 2012). There is no reference of nursing
participation in this study and of the over forty references listed, none are nursing journals. It is a
retrospective study of 108 surgical patients who received some sort of prewarming prior to
surgery. Their results were compared to a historical control group of 106 patients who had
surgery prior to the implementation of prewarming techniques (Lista et al, 2012). The
conclusion of the study does not provide knowledge that is distinctive to nursing. However, the
information provided would be valuable related to nursing safety concerns for patients who may
be experiencing unplanned hypothermia post-operatively. Using this as a basis for changes in
evidence-based nursing practice would be using borrowed knowledge from the medical
profession as the information provided is from a physician’s viewpoint and research activity.
Article 3
The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) professional journal is the
credible source for the article “Reducing the Risk of Unplanned Perioperative Hypothermia”.
Certified Nurse of the Operating Room (CNOR) is a certification given to registered nurses who
have completed an extensive course of perioperative nursing skills and knowledge. The three
authors of this article, S. Lynch, J. Dixon, and D. Leary, are all CNOR certified registered
nurses. They carried out a quality improvement project to assess perioperative warming of
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patients at Riddle Memorial Hospital in Media, Pennsylvania by performing three random
control trials on a total of 84 patients using three different forms of perioperative warming. This
study did not use any information from non-nursing sources; therefore it was not borrowed
knowledge. The conclusion provides knowledge that is significant to nursing as it provided
evidence that can be used for nursing interventions for the best patient outcomes. It also
encouraged education and collaboration with surgeons and other staff to share this knowledge to
promote the practice of perioperative warming.
Article 4
This article, “Patient Safety Chiller: Unplanned Perioperative Hypothermia” was
obtained from a credible source, the AORN Journal, which is a nursing journal for perioperative
nurses. The author, D. Wagner, is a registered nurse with a PhD who is also CNOR certified. She
is an assistant professor of nursing. This article is not a study. It is a review of the safety
implications of unplanned perioperative hypothermia. The author examines the recommendations
from several professional organizations and institutional guidelines, such as the Joint
Commission’s Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP) as it applies to perioperative thermal
management. The conclusion provides perioperative nurses with information about the risks of
hypothermia. It is significant to nursing in statements that relate to nursing interventions to
facilitate patient education, encourage interdisciplinary cooperation, and advocate for patient
safety in the provision of warming techniques. It also encourages nurses to be leaders of the
surgical team when it comes to advocating for perioperative warming of surgical patients.
Article 5
While it is not a research study itself, this article is a compilation of knowledge that is
used to define recommended practices for perioperative nurses. The author, the Association of
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periOperative Nurses (AORN), is a credible source of information. “Recommended Practices for
the Prevention of Unplanned Perioperative Hypothermia” is one of the AORN compilations of
policies and procedures that represent the association’s position on recommended practices for
nurses who are engaged in the perioperative setting. The material in this article is based on
randomized clinical trials, case control studies, scientific knowledge from pharmacology,
journals of anesthesiology, and sources of borrowed knowledge from science. The article
provides evidence-based nursing practice guidelines and interventions that are significant and
distinct to the nursing profession.
Reflection
As a whole, these articles provide a wide range of information about the topic of
my evidence-based practice project. The use of both credible sources and nursing research is
important in the development of evidence-based nursing practice. Lack of credible sources
greatly diminishes the value of the knowledge obtained while the provision of nursing research
can help increase the implications of the results to the nursing practice.
The material presented by each of the authors is from current data that is based upon
research or current scientific knowledge. Each article was peer-reviewed and from a credible
source of physician or nursing journal. Each author demonstrated interest in providing high
quality care to obtain the best outcomes for patients. The authors are qualified to deal with the
topic. The physicians involved are anesthesia providers and the nursing authors are registered
nurses with additional credentials of CNOR. All five articles used were concerned with outcomes
research relevant to the topic of my project. Outcomes research is significant to the nursing
practice since its focus is on measurable results of interventions with certain groups of patients
(Nieswiadomy, 2012), in this case, the perioperative patient population.
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These are valid sources for guiding practice decisions in regards to the data being
provided. The two articles authored by physicians, however, make little or no connection to the
nursing profession. Only one of them referred to nursing at all, as an acknowledgement of the
participation of three nurses in conducting the study. Nursing implications must be inferred from
clinical knowledge of the role of nurses in the perioperative areas. The three articles written by
nurses and published in the perioperative nurses journal, provide additional insight into the role
of nurses for utilizing the research for nursing interventions, providing patient education, and
establishing clinical protocols that will ensure best patient outcomes.
Research utilization is an important component of the research process. The first goal of
nursing research is to promote evidence-based nursing practice (Nieswiadomy,2012). Nursing
research also provides credibility and accountability for nursing practice (Nieswiadomy, 2012).
Another important reason to use nursing research is related to the economic value of nursing,
patients’ increased consumer consciousness, and the need to be mindful of health care costs
(Nieswiadomy, 2012). Nursing research can provide insight into all of these factors and delivers
study results that affect clinical nursing practice (Nieswiadomy, 2012). The process of nursing
research utilization helps nurses justify the care they provide (Nieswiadomy, 2012). Nursing
research results can be published in nursing journals, presented at nurse association gatherings,
and promoted through informative sessions such as poster sessions (Nieswiadomy, 2012). This
makes it easier for nurses to obtain new knowledge in a format that applies to their clinical
practice. Increased use of nursing research can help diminish the barriers of nursing research
utilization. Expanded coverage of nursing research in nursing journals using language that is
easily understood by practicing nurses can help raise awareness of current research being
performed by nurses (Nieswiadomy, 2012). Consideration of nursing research in one’s practice
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and subsequent discussions with nursing colleagues can help promote positive attitudes towards
nursing research.
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References
Association of peri-Operative Registered Nurses (AORN). (2007). Recommended practices for
the prevention of unplanned perioperative hypothermia. AORN Journal 85 (5), 972-988
doi.org.libcat.ferris.edu/10.1016/j.aorn.2007.04.015
Horn, E., Bein, B., Bohm, R., Steinfath, M., Sahili, N., Hocker J., (2012). The effect of short
time periods of pre-operative warming in the prevention of peri-operative hypothermia.
Anaesthesia, 67,612- 617. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2044.2012.07073.x
Lista, F., Doherty, C., Backstein, R., Ahmad, J. (2012). The impact of perioperative warming in
an outpatient aesthetic surgery setting. Aesthetic Surgery Journal 32 (5) 613-620. doi:
10.1177/1090820X12449342
Lynch, S., Dixon, J., Leary, D. (2010). Reducing the risk of unplanned perioperative
hypothermia. AORN Journal 92 (5) 553-562. doi: 10.1016/j.aorn.2010.06.015
Nieswiadomy, R. M. (2012). Foundations of nursing research (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River,
NJ: Pearson.
Wagner, V.D., (2010). Patient safety chiller: Unplanned perioperative hypothermia. AORN
Journal:Patient Safety First 92 (5), pp.567-571. doi: 10.1016/j.aorn.2010.07.013
Weida, S., Stolly, K. (2013, March 11). Using research and evidence. Retrieved from:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/588/02/