Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) Project

Consider issues related to your nursing practice. What stands out to you about your specialty area? What questions or concerns do you think are especially in need of attention? Why? How would you most like to contribute to the knowledge base of your profession?

The EBP Project provides a significant opportunity for furthering the nursing profession. Formulating a specific, applicable question is a necessary first step for developing your project. The question defines the focus of the EBP Project and guides your selection of research methods and tools. Think about aspects of your specialty area, and begin to formulate a question that relates to your nursing practice.

The primary purpose of this Discussion is to provide a forum in which you and your colleagues can support each other in cultivating a practice-related question.

To prepare:

Develop your EBP Assignment question using the PICO (Patient group or practice setting, Issue orEBP problem, Comparison (you may not have a comparison group), Outcome) method as described in Chapter 2 of Clinical Research for the Doctor of Nursing Practice(p. 29) and other resources. Depending on your specialty area, you may modify the PICO method as necessary to be appropriate for your target population.
In some cases a PICO question may not fit the project. Here are two examples of alternative EBP questions:
In ________ (customize this with your group/population) within an urban/rural X (acute care/ambulatory care/long-term care) agency in X (northern, eastern, Midwestern) United States, how does X protocol adoption (as recommended by X national guideline -give title of specificguideline…or specific policy…or specific standard of care) impact ____________ (customize this with the outcomes you want this project to achieve) as measured 1 month post-implementation when compared to the current standard of care (list the current standard-or guideline or protocol)?
In ________ (customize this with your group/population) within an urban/rural X (acute care/ambulatory care/long-term care) agency in X (northern, eastern, Midwestern) United States, how does X education module (driven by organization need and supported by evidence) improve knowledge ____________ (customize this with the objectivesyou want the learners to achieve) as measured by a pre and post-test change in knowledge?
There may be other examples, but your projects should not be designed to generate new knowledge (research) and should not include populations that will likely need IRB approval at your site.
You do need to identify that there is a gap in practice, so do not choose a project that has already been clearly addressed in the literature (i.e., Does handwashing prevent the spread of infections?)
Finally, limit the scope of these projects, they need to be completed in one term. Read the assignment criteria carefully.
Begin to complete the “Literature Review Matrix,” reviewing at least four to six research articles relevant to your specialty area and your EBP Assignment question. Note any areas of difficulty that you encounter, as well as any strategies or insights that might be beneficial to others.
Reflect on the information presented in the McCurry, Revell, and Roy article listed in the Learning Resources.
What questions or concerns, if any, do you have about how to develop your project question and/or expand your expertise in your specialty area?
By Day 3

Post a cohesive scholarly response that addresses the following:

Share your project question, as you have developed it thus far.
Discuss salient elements that inform your project question: theory, current research, nursing practice, and specialty knowledge.
Pose any questions or concerns you may have related to developing your project question or literature review. You may also include any other issues related to expanding your expertise within your specialty area.
Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses.

Learning Resources

Required Readings

Terry, A. J. (2018). Clinical research for the doctor of nursing practice (3rd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Chapter 2, “Developing the Researchable Problem”
American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2020). DNP essentials. https://www.aacnnursing.org/DNP/DNP-Essentials

Jeffs, L., Beswick, S., Lo, J., Campbell, H., Ferris, E., & Sidani, S. (2013). Defining what evidence is, linking it to patient outcomes, and making it relevant to practice: Insight from clinical nurses. Applied Nursing Research, 26, 105-109.

McCurry, M. K., Revell, S. M. H., & Roy, C. (2009). Knowledge for the good of the individual and society: Linking philosophy, disciplinary goals, theory, and practice. Nursing Philosophy, 11(1), 42–52.

Melnyk, B.M., Fineout-Overhold, E., Stillwell, S.B., & Williamson, K.M. (2010). Evidence-based practice step-by-step: The seven steps of evidence-based practice. American Journal of Nursing, 110(1), 51-53.

Stillwell, S.B., Fineout-Overhold, E., Melnyk, B.M., & Williamson, K.M. (2010). ). Evidence-based practice step-by-step: Searching for evidence. American Journal of Nursing, 110(5), 41-47.

Tschannen, D., Aebersold, M., Kocan, M., Lundy, F., & Potempa, K. (2015). Improving patient care through student leadership in team quality improvement projects. Journal Nursing Care Quality, 30(2), 181-186.

Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. (2017) Bloom’s Taxonomy Retrieved from https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/blooms-taxonomy/

Yensen, J. (2013). PICO Search Strategies. Online Journal of Nursing Informatics, 17(3). Available at http://ojni.org/issues/?p=2860

Document: Clinical Time Log and Journal (Word document)

Document: Literature Review Matrix (Word document)