List of Contributors

xiii

Foreword   Professor Carl May

xvi

Preface

xviii

About the companion website

xix

Acknowledgements

xx

The scenarios

xxi

SECTION 1

STARTING YOUR DISSERTATION JOURNEY

1

1

Starting your dissertation journey   Sheila Reading

3

What are dissertations?

3

What are the features of a degree education?

6

Features of a dissertation

8

Planning your dissertation – essential considerations

9

Completing your dissertation and gaining a good classification

11

References

12

Further reading

13

2

Introduction to writing your evidence-based practice dissertation   Alan Glasper and Colin Rees

14

Sample guidelines for students undertaking an undergraduate healthcare dissertation

14

Typical learning outcomes for an undergraduate evidence-based practice dissertation

15

The dissertation

16

Guidelines for students undertaking an undergraduate evidence-based practice dissertation

17

Typical postgraduate evidence-based practice dissertation module learning outcomes

18

Conclusion

22

3

Clinical effectiveness and evidence-based practice: background and history   Alan Glasper and Colin Rees

23

Introduction

23

Historical aspects of evidence-based practice

24

The contribution of the nursing profession to evidence-based practice

25

How is evidence sourced?

26

Conclusion

27

References

27

4

What is evidence-based practice and clinical effectiveness?   Andrée le May

29

Clinical effectiveness

29

Evidence-based practice

33

Making care more effective

34

References

38

5

The challenges of delivering practice based on best evidence (in primary, secondary and tertiary settings)   Andrée le May

40

An evidence base for practice

40

Barriers to the use of research evidence in practice

42

Encouraging the use of research evidence in practice

45

Conclusion

49

References

49

SECTION 2

SOURCING AND ACCESSING EVIDENCE FOR YOUR DISSERTATION

53

6

Sourcing the best evidence   Paul Boagy, PatMaier and Alan Glasper

55

Exploring and refining your question

55

Searching for research articles

59

Devising your search strategy

62

Accessing journal literature

65

The Cochrane Library

66

Websites and other resources

69

Support from your library service

70

RCN information literacy competencies

72

Conclusion

75

References

76

7

What is grey literature and where can it be found?   Alan Glasper and Colin Rees

77

What is ‘grey literature’?

77

Where can I find grey literature?

78

Important websites

79

What about Google scholar?

79

References

79

8

Harvard or Vancouver – getting it right all the time   Alan Glasper and Colin Rees

80

Vancouver system

81

Harvard system

82

Use of computer referencing packages

84

Conclusion

85

9

Posing an evidence-based practice question: Using the PICO and SPICE models   Alan Glasper and Colin Rees

86

What is the PICO model?

86

Examples of PICO formulated questions

88

What is the SPICE model?

90

References

92

SECTION 3

DEVELOPING YOUR HEALTHCARE/EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE DISSERTATION

93

10

Managing your time wisely   Alan Glasper and Colin Rees

95

A dissertation as a frame of mind

96

Conclusion

98

References

100

11

Developing your study skills   Alan Glasper and Colin Rees

101

Knowing yourself

103

Being organized

106

Organising things in terms of what goes where

107

Consolidating your ideas and activities by talking to others about it

107

References

107

12

Getting the most from your supervisor   Judith Lathlean

108

How to get started

108

Agreeing a working pattern

109

Anticipating and preventing problems

109

Good planning is the essence

109

Supervision at a distance

110

Additional support

111

Resources

112

SECTION 4

PREPARING TO USE RESEARCH EVIDENCE IN YOUR DISSERTATION

113

13

Understanding quantitative research   Alan Glasper and Colin Rees

115

Is it a quantitative study?

115

Why quantitative?

117

Types of quantitative studies

117

Key elements in a quantitative study

120

Strengths of quantitative studies

120

Limitations

124

Conclusion

124

References

124

14

Understanding qualitative research   Alan Glasper and Colin Rees

126

Why qualitative?

127

Types of qualitative studies

128

Key elements in a qualitative study

129

Strengths of qualitative studies

131

Limitations

132

Conclusion

132

References

133

SECTION 5

CRITICALLY APPRAISING EVIDENCE

135

15

Selecting and using appraisal tools: How to interrogate research papers   Alan Glasper and Colin Rees

137

Introduction

137

What is critical appraisal? What are critical appraisal tools?

Why is critical appraisal of published research important?

What does critical appraisal mean to nurses and other healthcare professionals?

138

What is the best critical appraisal tool to use?

139

Commencing your critique

140

Is an individual paper worth adding to the short list? Preparing your initial long short list

140

Commencing your initial read and review of an empirical journal paper

141

Points to consider about the paper(s) before using any critiquing tool

143

Applying a critiquing framework tool of your choice to your selected papers

145

Critiquing models

147

Conclusion

156

References

157

16

Critically reviewing qualitative papers using a CASP critiquing tool   Di Carpenter

158

Screening questions

159

The CASP qualitative questions

160

Data analysis

163

Research findings

163

The value of the research

164

Reflection

164

References

165

17

Critically reviewing quantitative papers using a CASP critiquing tool   Steve George

166

Question 1

‘Did the study ask a clearly-focused question?’

167

Question 2

‘Was this a randomised controlled trial (RCT) and was it appropriately so?’

168

Question 3

‘Were participants appropriately allocated to intervention and control groups?’

171

Question 4

“Were participants, staff and study personnel ‘blind’ to participants study group?’

171

Question 5

‘Were all of the participants who entered the trial accounted for at its conclusion?’

173

Question 6

‘Were the participants in all groups followed up and data collected in the same way?’

173

Question 7

‘Did the study have enough participants to minimise the play of chance?’

174

Question 8

‘How are the results presented and what is the main result?’

174

Question 9

‘How precise are these results?’

176

Question 10

‘Were all important outcomes considered so the results can be applied?’

176

18

Critically reviewing a journal paper using the Parahoo model   Kader Parahoo and Irene Heuter

177

Introduction

177

Framework for appraisal

178

Conclusion

186

References

186

19

Critically reviewing a journal paper using the Rees model   Alan Glasper and Colin Rees

187

Conclusion

192

References

193

SECTION 6

HOW EVIDENCE-BASED HEALTHCARE IS IMPLEMENTED IN PRACTICE

195

20

Using evidence in practice   Tracey Harding, Lisa Harding and Alan Glasper

197

Introduction

197

Applying research findings to practice: using and applying evidence in practice

198

Potential barriers to the implementation of change

205

Change management strategies

209

Review and evaluation of effectiveness of change

212

Leadership of change

214

Using Government policy guidance to help implement evidence-based practice

216

Can high impact nursing actions result in enhanced patient care?

219

Conclusion

223

References

223

Section 7

Taking your dissertation further: disseminating evidence, knowledge transfer; writing as a professional skill

227

21

Publishing your dissertation: In a journal or at a conference   John Fowler and Colin Rees

229

Your dissertation is complete: what next?

229

Motivation

230

Conference abstract and presentation

231

Writing a paper for publication

235

What will you do with your dissertation?

241

22

Reflecting on your dissertation journey   Wendy Wigley

242

Reflection

242

Frameworks for reflection

244

Some final points on reflection

248

References

249

23

Building the architecture of your dissertation

250

Alan Glasper and Colin Rees

Writing your evidence-based practice thesis

250

References

255

24

Glossary of common research and statistical terms   Colin Rees and Peter Nicholls

256

SECTION 8

BONUS CHAPTERS (WEBSITE ONLY) WWW.WLLEY.COM/GO/GLASPER/NURSINGDISSERTATION

273

25

Developing a public health evidence-based practice dissertation   Palo Almond

26

Using historical literature   Di Carpenter

27

Managing a learning difference   Michelle Cowen

28

Interpreting statistics   Peter Nicholls

29

Research governance in practice   Vikki Yule and Martina Prude

30

Developing mechanisms to change clinical practice in the light of evidence: A case study   Valerie Wilson

31

Clinical standards, audit and inspection   Alan Glasper and Colin Rees

Index

275