Making Sense of Evidence-based Practice for Nursing: An Introduction to Quantitative and Qualitative Research and Systematic Reviews

This new edition provides a straightforward guide to evidence-based practice, helping you to increase your understanding of the processes involved in accessing, appraising, synthesising, and implementing good quality research.

Providing a basic introduction to both quantitative and qualitative research, Debra Evans explores how to find out “what works best”, “how does that make someone feel”, and what requires more research. You will also learn the basic rules used in study design and statistics presented in research articles and systematic reviews, and develop the knowledge necessary to challenge practice that is not underpinned by research. Each simply written chapter includes relevant theory, diagrams and tables, hypothetical nursing scenarios, exercises, a summary, and further reading. This edition includes two new chapters that look at how to get evidence implemented into practice to meet practice goals, and provide advice and tips to help with research assignments and dissertations to meet learner goals.

Packed with examples from practice across the nursing fields and at different levels, this book is essential for nurses – both student and qualified – who want to increase their confidence when it comes to research appraisal, the research process, and evidence-based practice processes.

Debra Evans is a senior lecturer at Birmingham City University, UK.