Purpose

The purpose of this assignment is to provide students with practice in identifying, reading, and critiquing systematic research reviews related to nursing. A systematic review is defined as "A summary of evidence, typically conducted by an expert or expert panel on a particular topic, that uses a rigorous process (to minimize bias) for identifying, appraising, and synthesizing studies to answer a specific clinical question and draw conclusions about the data gathered (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2011, p. 582).

Course Outcomes

Through this assignment, the student will demonstrate the ability to(CO 3) Synthesize for dissemination the research findings from nursing and related disciplines. (POs 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11)
(CO 4) Compare and critique quantitative and qualitative designs and methodologies for research studies. (POs 4, 7, 9, 11)

REQUIREMENTS:

1. Describe the relevance of the nursing research problem addressed in a SRR to practice. (CO 3, 6)

2. Critique the levels of evidence of the studies used in the SRR, specifically the designs of the studies included. (CO 6)

3. Critique the clarity with which the studies are presented and critiqued. (CO 6)

4. Describe the overall findings of the studies, as summarized in the SRR. (CO 3, 6)

5. Critique the conclusions of the SRR, with implications for your current practice and future research. (CO 3, 6)

6. Utilize the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews to locate a true SRR for this assignment.

7. Paper length should be between 4-6 pages.