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Tamara Jones Dee Olsen
FACULTY 7 NEW COACH
Assessment 1 Instructions: Locating Credible Databases and
Research
Create a 2-4 page resource that will describe databases that are relevant to EBP around a diagnosis you
chose and could be used to help a new hire nurse better engage in EBP.
Introduction
Evidence-based practice (EBP) integrates the best evidence available to guide optimal nursing care, with a
goal to enhance safety and quality. EBP is crucial to nursing practice because it incorporates the best
evidence from current literature, along with the expertise of the practicing nurse. The concern for quality
care that flows from EBP generates a desired outcome. Without these factors, a nurse cannot be an
effective leader. It is important to lead not only from this position but from knowledge and expertise. To
gain the knowledge, you require a good understanding of how to search for scholarly resources, as well as
identify which databases and websites are credible for the purposes of implementing evidence-based
changes in practice.
Your Online e-Portfolio
Creating an ePortfolio is not required in the BSN program, but you may find it helpful to create one to
attach to your professional resume while job hunting. Online ePortfolios serve two key purposes: 1) to
support learning and reflection, and 2) to be used as a showcase tool. Your learning journey can be
documented, and ePortfolios contribute to lifelong learning and growth through reflection and sharing.
Online ePortfolios can also be shared with employers and peers to present artifacts that demonstrate your
accomplishments at Capella.
Professional Context
As a baccalaureate-prepared nurse, you will be responsible for providing patient-centered, competent care
based on current evidence-based best practices. You will be required to do research, analysis, and
dissemination of best evidence to stay abreast of these best practices. Understanding where to go to find
credible sources and locate evidence, as well as which search terms to use, is the foundation of
incorporation of best practices.
, Scenario
You are supervising three nurses working on the medical-surgical floor of a local teaching hospital. This
hospital is nationally recognized as a leader in education and has a computer lab with an online library
where staff has access to medical research databases (that is, CINAHL, PubMed, Medline, and Cochrane
library) and online sources of all hospital policies, procedures, and guidelines, and computers at nurse
workstations that also have access to these resources. (For this scenario, use the Capella University Library
to simulate the hospital's online library.) You have given the nurses their patient assignments and you have
all participated in shift report. A new nurse who just completed orientation and training a week ago
approaches you and tells you that one of the assigned patients has a diagnosis he or she is very unfamiliar
with. Knowing that patient-centered care based on best practices is imperative to positive patient
outcomes, you want to assist this nurse to find research that can be utilized to provide the best care for this
patient. Describe how you would communicate with this nurse to encourage him or her to research the
diagnosis. Assume you will assist in the quest to locate evidence, then describe where you would go within
the facility and what resources you would look for. These resources may include websites, journals, facility
policies or guidelines, or any other sources of online information.
You may choose the diagnosis for the patient in this scenario or health care issue/diagnosis of your choice.
Or you may choose something you would find interesting to research or that applies to a clinical
problem/diagnosis you would be interested in addressing. Create a list of at least five sources that could be
used to find evidence, with the best source listed first, and explain why the sources you chose are best to
find evidence for the diagnosis you chose and the clinical scenario. You are only evaluating the sources of
evidence (database, website, policy database or website, journal article, et cetera). You are not actually
completing a search and selecting evidence. Consider the following examples: a nursing journal in CINAHL
may not be the best source of evidence for information on how to administer medications through a central-
venous catheter, whereas a hospital policy database found on a website may not be the best source of
information on caring for a patient with a rare chromosomal abnormality.
Preparation
To help ensure you are prepared to complete this assessment, review the following resources related to the
Capella library. These resources will provide you an overview of the types of tools, resources, and guides
available in the library. This may be useful in forming a better understanding of the library to apply to the
hypothetical situation laid out in the scenario of this assessment.
BSN Program Library Research Guide.
Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing & Health Sciences.
Databases A-Z: Nursing & Health Sciences.
Get Critical Search Skills.
Remember, it is also appropriate to look toward databases and resources outside of the Capella library, such
as organizational policies, professional organizations, and government health care resources.
You are encouraged to complete the Evaluating the Credibility of Evidence activity. This activity offers an
Tamara Jones Dee Olsen
FACULTY 7 NEW COACH
Assessment 1 Instructions: Locating Credible Databases and
Research
Create a 2-4 page resource that will describe databases that are relevant to EBP around a diagnosis you
chose and could be used to help a new hire nurse better engage in EBP.
Introduction
Evidence-based practice (EBP) integrates the best evidence available to guide optimal nursing care, with a
goal to enhance safety and quality. EBP is crucial to nursing practice because it incorporates the best
evidence from current literature, along with the expertise of the practicing nurse. The concern for quality
care that flows from EBP generates a desired outcome. Without these factors, a nurse cannot be an
effective leader. It is important to lead not only from this position but from knowledge and expertise. To
gain the knowledge, you require a good understanding of how to search for scholarly resources, as well as
identify which databases and websites are credible for the purposes of implementing evidence-based
changes in practice.
Your Online e-Portfolio
Creating an ePortfolio is not required in the BSN program, but you may find it helpful to create one to
attach to your professional resume while job hunting. Online ePortfolios serve two key purposes: 1) to
support learning and reflection, and 2) to be used as a showcase tool. Your learning journey can be
documented, and ePortfolios contribute to lifelong learning and growth through reflection and sharing.
Online ePortfolios can also be shared with employers and peers to present artifacts that demonstrate your
accomplishments at Capella.
Professional Context
As a baccalaureate-prepared nurse, you will be responsible for providing patient-centered, competent care
based on current evidence-based best practices. You will be required to do research, analysis, and
dissemination of best evidence to stay abreast of these best practices. Understanding where to go to find
credible sources and locate evidence, as well as which search terms to use, is the foundation of
incorporation of best practices.
, Scenario
You are supervising three nurses working on the medical-surgical floor of a local teaching hospital. This
hospital is nationally recognized as a leader in education and has a computer lab with an online library
where staff has access to medical research databases (that is, CINAHL, PubMed, Medline, and Cochrane
library) and online sources of all hospital policies, procedures, and guidelines, and computers at nurse
workstations that also have access to these resources. (For this scenario, use the Capella University Library
to simulate the hospital's online library.) You have given the nurses their patient assignments and you have
all participated in shift report. A new nurse who just completed orientation and training a week ago
approaches you and tells you that one of the assigned patients has a diagnosis he or she is very unfamiliar
with. Knowing that patient-centered care based on best practices is imperative to positive patient
outcomes, you want to assist this nurse to find research that can be utilized to provide the best care for this
patient. Describe how you would communicate with this nurse to encourage him or her to research the
diagnosis. Assume you will assist in the quest to locate evidence, then describe where you would go within
the facility and what resources you would look for. These resources may include websites, journals, facility
policies or guidelines, or any other sources of online information.
You may choose the diagnosis for the patient in this scenario or health care issue/diagnosis of your choice.
Or you may choose something you would find interesting to research or that applies to a clinical
problem/diagnosis you would be interested in addressing. Create a list of at least five sources that could be
used to find evidence, with the best source listed first, and explain why the sources you chose are best to
find evidence for the diagnosis you chose and the clinical scenario. You are only evaluating the sources of
evidence (database, website, policy database or website, journal article, et cetera). You are not actually
completing a search and selecting evidence. Consider the following examples: a nursing journal in CINAHL
may not be the best source of evidence for information on how to administer medications through a central-
venous catheter, whereas a hospital policy database found on a website may not be the best source of
information on caring for a patient with a rare chromosomal abnormality.
Preparation
To help ensure you are prepared to complete this assessment, review the following resources related to the
Capella library. These resources will provide you an overview of the types of tools, resources, and guides
available in the library. This may be useful in forming a better understanding of the library to apply to the
hypothetical situation laid out in the scenario of this assessment.
BSN Program Library Research Guide.
Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing & Health Sciences.
Databases A-Z: Nursing & Health Sciences.
Get Critical Search Skills.
Remember, it is also appropriate to look toward databases and resources outside of the Capella library, such
as organizational policies, professional organizations, and government health care resources.
You are encouraged to complete the Evaluating the Credibility of Evidence activity. This activity offers an
