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NUS: Resources for Nursing Research

Resources, research strategies, and APA information for Nursing programs at DCCC.

What is Evidence-Based Practice?

"Evidence-based practice in nursing involves providing holistic, quality care based on the most up-to-date research and knowledge rather than traditional methods, advice from colleagues, or personal beliefs" (ANA)

There are several steps to Evidence-Based Practice (EBP):  The first three directly involve conducting research.

  • Step One: Ask clinical questions.  
  • Step Two: Search for the best evidence
  • Step Three: Evaluate the evidence 

For more information, see: Evidence-Based Practice: Step by Step: The Seven Steps of Evidence-Based Practice

 

Find Evidence

To find evidence-based nursing research articles, you will want to use Library Services' nursing and medical databases.  These databases are located in the list of Nursing & Allied Health databases under the A-Z database list.  

Recommended Databases:

START:  Search first in the CINAHL database.  You can limit your search to last 5 years, evidence-based articles, and other criteria.  Also, try using the CINAHL Subject Headings to search by your term and subheadings.

 

 

Evaluate Evidence

You'll want to evaluate what you find.  Here are some questions to consider:

  • Was the research conducted in the last 5 years?
  • Who conducted the research?
  • How was the research conducted (see below)?

Hierarchy of Evidence Pyramid by Bradley A. Long is licensed CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0

 

More Info

  • Melnyk, B.M., E. Fineout-Overholt, S.B. Stillwell, K.M. Williamson (2010, January). Evidence-based practice: Step by step: The seven steps of evidence-based practice. American Journal of Nursing, 110(1), 51-53. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NAJ.0000366056.06605.d2 

 

  • Melnyk, B. M., & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2023). Evidence-based practice in nursing & healthcare: A guide to best practice (Fifth ed.). Wolters Kluwer. https://go.exlibris.link/Qd9z5QsJ

 

PICOT

PICOT is an acronym to remember the essential parts of a research question.

  • Population
  • Intervention
  • Comparison
  • Outcome
  • Time

Peer Reviewed Articles