NR528 Assignment: Literature Matrix and Synthesis

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Course

NR528 Leading and Managing Evidence-based Change in Nursing

Assignment Overview

For this assignment, students will use the clinical or practice question developed in NR520 and conduct a literature search for articles that answer and/or explain the clinical or practice question.

Students will conduct a literature search in relevant databases and complete a literature matrix table.

Students will also provide a short summary synthesizing their evidence.

Assignment Instructions

  1. Review the clinical/practice question developed in NR520. You may choose to modify or refine the clinical/practice question.

  2. Conduct a literature search in databases appropriate for the identified clinical/practice question.

How to Approach This Assignment

  • Refine the PICOT question: Ensure the question is clear, focused, measurable, and feasible, and includes the population, intervention, comparison, outcome, and timeframe.
  • Conduct a structured literature search: Search databases such as CINAHL, PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Joanna Briggs Institute, and ProQuest using appropriate keywords, Boolean operators, MeSH terms, and filters. Record your search terms and selection criteria.
  • Select high-quality evidence: Prioritize systematic reviews, meta-analyses, RCTs, evidence-based guidelines, and strong quasi-experimental studies. Consider the quality and level of evidence for each source.
  • Complete the literature matrix: Summarize each study by author and year, purpose, design, sample, intervention, outcomes, findings, evidence level, strengths, and limitations.
  • Synthesize the evidence: Compare findings across studies rather than summarizing each article separately. Identify common themes, differences, evidence gaps, and whether the intervention is supported by the research.
  • Connect evidence to practice: Explain the clinical and practical significance of the findings, including whether the intervention is effective and what best-practice recommendations can be applied to the practice setting.