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- QUESTION
This week, you explore the Walden Library and consider the differences between peer-reviewed research evidence and non-peer reviewed evidence. In addition, you continue your examination of effective scholarly writing as you analyze writing in terms of its purpose, audience, bias, and quality of evidence.
Looking Ahead: In Week 5 you will develop a Professional Development Plan in which you consider your professional goals. You are advised to look ahead and begin working on that Assignment during this week.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Evaluate research databases in the Walden Library
Analyze a peer-reviewed article in terms of its purpose, audience, presence of bias, and quality of evidence
Photo Credit: WALTER ZERLA/Cultura/Getty Images
Learning Resources
Required Readings
Academic Integrity
Please review the Academic Integrity area located on the Course Information page, particularly the SafeAssign Student Tutorial.
Cornell University Library. (2010). Distinguishing scholarly journals from other periodicals. Retrieved from http://guides.library.cornell.edu/scholarlyjournals
This online article from the Cornell University Library distinguishes scholarly journals from other periodic literature and provides the general criteria that define an academic journal.
Eaton, S. E. (2010). Reading strategies: Differences between summarizing and synthesizing. Retrieved from http://drsaraheaton.wordpress.com/2010/09/29/reading-strategies-differneces-between-summarizing-and-synthesizing/
The author proposes that critical reading must include using critical thinking to create "new" information and insights from this information.
Walden University. (2012g). Walden University: Scholarly writing. Retrieved from http://writingcenter.waldenu.edu/312.htm
Another excellent resource provided by the Walden Writing Center, this website defines scholarly writing and explains the characteristics of scholarly writing.
Walden University. (2012h). Walden University webinar archives. Retrieved from http://writingcenter.waldenu.edu/26.htm
Review the following archived webinar:
Writing at the Graduate Level
The Writing Center archives its webinars so you can review them at a time that is convenient for you. This Webinar was created to help you improve your writing skills as a graduate student and to assist you in developing your scholarly voice.
Walden University Library Links and Resources
The Walden Library webinars provide relevant information on accessing and evaluating scholarly sources. The information on retrieving evidence-based practice sources is especially pertinent to MSN students.
Introduction to the Walden University Library
Searching and Retrieving Materials in the Research Databases
Identifying and Evaluating Online Resources
The Walden Library and Your Total Information Network
Document: Introduction to Scholarly Writing: Finding a Scholarly Voice (PDF)
What does it mean to write with a scholarly voice? This document reinforces the information presented in the media program and provides information about how to find your scholarly voice.
Document: Introduction to Scholarly Writing: Purpose, Audience, and Evidence (PDF)
Purpose, audience, and evidence are three important topics a scholar-practitioner needs to keep in mind when writing. This document will help to reinforce the information presented in the video program and enrich your understanding of scholarly writing.
Document: Introduction to Scholarly Writing: Tips for Success (PDF)
This document, which accompanies the media program of the same title, provides resources for improving your scholarly writing and critical-thinking skills.
Document: Stages in Critical Reading of Research Articles (Word document)
This chart describes the purpose of, and questions for, six stages of critically reading research articles. Focus on the many activities and questions that make up the critical reading process. Begin to consider the journal articles and books you read in terms of these criteria.
Document: APA Basics Checklist: Citations, Reference List, and Style (PDF)
Required Media
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012c). Introduction to scholarly writing: Purpose, audience, and evidence. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 4 minutes.
Learning to be a scholarly writer will enhance your writing skills and increase your ability to succeed as an online learner as well as in your professional life. This media program will introduce you to the key concepts of scholarly writing.
Accessible player
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012d). Introduction to scholarly writing: Tips for success. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 3 minutes.
This media program presents tips for becoming a scholarly writer, including how to identify fears related to scholarly writing and connect with resources to improve writing skills.
Accessible player
Document: Course Media Credits (PDF)
Discussion: Using the Walden Library
Where can you find evidence to inform your thoughts and scholarly writing? Throughout your degree program, you will use the research literature to explore ideas, guide your thinking, and gain new insights. As you search the research literature, it is important to use resources that are peer-reviewed and from scholarly journals. You may already have some favorite online resources and databases that you use or have found useful in the past. For this Discussion, you explore databases available through the Walden Library.
To prepare:
Review the information presented in the Learning Resources for using the Walden Library, searching the databases, and evaluating online resources.
Begin searching for a peer-reviewed article that pertains to your practice area and is of particular interest to you.
Identify the database that you used to search for a peer-reviewed article in your area of practice and interest.
Reflect on your experience with searching the database. Did you note any difficulties when searching for an article? What steps/strategies did you find helpful for locating a peer-reviewed article? Would this database be useful to your colleagues? Would you recommend this database?
Once you have select your peer-reviewed article, evaluate its strengths and weaknesses in terms of scholarly writing, bias, opinion, quality of evidence, and appropriateness to its target audience.
Post a brief summary of your peer-reviewed article, the database you located your article in, your database searching experience, key words utilized in the search, and analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the article.
Support your Discussion assignment with specific resources used in its preparation using APA formatting. You are asked to provide a reference for all resources, including those in the Learning Resources for this course.
Yverline Pierre-Louis: 00:36
COLLAPSE
Using the Walden Library
Where can you find evidence to inform your thoughts and scholarly writing? Throughout your degree program, you will use the research literature to explore ideas, guide your thinking, and gain new insights. As you search the research literature, it is important to use resources that are peer-reviewed and from scholarly journals. You may already have some favorite online resources and databases that you use or have found useful in the past. For this Discussion and this week’s Assignment, you explore databases available through the Walden Library.
Note: Review the Assignment and complete the relevant items in the To prepare section prior to engaging in the Discussion.
To prepare:
Review the information presented in the Learning Resources for using the Walden Library, searching the databases, and evaluating online resources.
Begin searching for a peer-reviewed article that pertains to your practice area and is of particular interest to you.
Identify the database that you used to search for a peer-reviewed article in your area of practice and interest.
Reflect on your experience with searching the database. Did you note any difficulties when searching for an article? What steps/strategies did you find helpful for locating a peer-reviewed article? Would this database be useful to your colleagues? Would you recommend this database?
Once you have select your peer-reviewed article, evaluate its strengths and weaknesses in terms of scholarly writing, bias, opinion, quality of evidence, and appropriateness to its target audience.
By Day 3
Post a brief summary of your peer-reviewed article, the database you located your article in, your database searching experience, key words utilized in the search, and analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the article.
Support your Discussion assignment with specific resources used in its preparation using APA formatting. You are asked to provide a reference for all resources, including those in the Learning Resources for this course.
| Subject | Nursing | Pages | 5 | Style | APA |
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Answer
Reaction Paper: Nurse Leading and Advocating for Change of Practice
My area of priority is nursing role in evaluation and leading research on costs, access and costs associated with a range of primary care delivery models. Nurses are considered as leaders who can lead the creation of innovative health care delivery solutions. Besides, nurses can also develop innovative ways that can improve the ability of healthcare organizations to attract and retain well-trained and well-prepared nurses in different settings (Institute of Medicine, 2011). Advocacy for policy change or practice change to improve access, safety, and quality of care should be informed by the latest and best available evidence (Curtis et al., 2017). There is a disconnect between actual practice and best practice, which leads to an existing research-practice gap (Leach & Tucker, 2018). Nurses have a research role to aid in development of effective strategies for filling this evidence-practice gap. Evidence and knowledge derived from evidence-based scholarly sources should drive clinical decisions, practice, and change to improve the approach in which nurses and other healthcare providers deliver care.
Research outcomes can influence staffing policies, organizational culture and staffing conditions which can help improve the ability of a healthcare organization to attract and retain staff. Effective attraction and improved retention of healthcare staff helps organizations to save on costs associated with efforts and actions with the aim of attracting, recruiting, and re-training new staff due to high staff turnover issues. Employee turnover is a key performance and metric indicator for evaluating the operational and fiscal effectiveness of any healthcare facility (Kurnat-Thoma et al., 2017). Attraction and retention of well-educated and experienced healthcare professions is associated with a decreased risk of experiencing adverse events (Dubois et al., 2013). In other words, research findings may guide organizations on implementing recommendations necessary to reduce the level of nurse turn-over, which can hence translate into lowering of operational costs and improved access to care due to maintenance of good nurse-patient ratios.
References
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Curtis, K., Fry, M., Shaban, R.Z., & Considine, J. (2017). Translating research findings to clinical practice. J Clin Nurs., 26(5-6), 862-872. DOI: 10.1111/jocn.13586. Dubois, C-A., D`amour, D., Tchouaket, E., Clarke, S., Rivard, M., & Blais, R. (2013). Associations of patient safety outcomes with models of nursing care organization at unit level in hospitals. International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 25(2), 110-117. https://doi.org/10.1093/intqhc/mzt019 Institute of Medicine. (2011). The future of nursing: Leading change, advancing health. 500 Fifth Street, N.W., Lockbox 285, Washington, DC 20055: National Academies Press. Kurnat-Thoma, E., Ganger, M., Peterson, K., & Channell, L. (2017). Reducing annual hospital and registered nurse staff turnover-A 10-element onboarding program intervention. SAGE Open Nursing, 3. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F2377960817697712 Leach, M.J., & Tucker, B. (2018). Current understanding of the research-practice gap in nursing: A mixed-methods study. Collegian: The Australian Journal of Nursing Practice, Scholarship & Research, 25(2), 171-179. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colegn.2017.04.008.
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