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NUR 440 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric

Overview The world of professional nursing practice and health policy is ever-evolving to meet the new dynamics of care needs in every setting. As a registered nurse, you are accountable and responsible for making decisions that are consistent with safe, competent, and ethical practice on a daily basis. You also face a variety of complex issues that impact the delivery of your nursing care. A professional practice issue is any issue or situation that either compromises client care/service by placing a client at risk, or affects a nurse’s ability to provide care/service consistent with standards and guidelines, and agency or organization policies or procedures. For this final project, you will develop an integrative review of literature about a clinical problem or issue of your choosing encountered in nursing practice. The purpose of an integrative review of literature assignment is to assist in preparing a scholarly paper that systematically collects, classifies, and analyzes a body of research evidence about a clinical topic in order to make evidence-based practice recommendations for a practice change. The project is divided into four milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Modules One, Two, Four, and Five. The final product will be submitted in Module Seven. In this assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:

x Assess diverse ways of knowing in nursing for their appropriateness in conducting nursing research and evidence-based nursing practice x Critique relevant primary research sources for their potential to provide evidence-based solutions to clinical nursing problems x Employ principles of ethical conduct of research in seeking evidence-based resources that support professional nursing practice changes x Propose evidence-based recommendations for practice changes that address clinical nursing problems for improving quality of care

Prompt Choose a clinical problem or issue, with your instructor’s approval, that might be encountered in nursing practice. For this assessment, prepare a scholarly integrative review of the literature that will support a recommendation for a practice change to solve or improve the identified clinical problem or issue. To cover the appropriate range of the research, you should search for and retrieve six current and relevant nursing research studies from primary sources that are relevant to your clinical topic of interest (these should be the articles from your annotated bibliography). Follow the assignment guidelines below to prepare a scholarly integrative review of the research literature you retrieved. Specifically, your integrative review of the literature should include the following critical elements: I. Introduction

A. What is the purpose of the integrative review?

B. Clearly articulate the topic of interest, problem statement, and the research question being studied. C. What variables of interest (such as concepts, target population, setting, interventions, etc.) will be used to guide the review of literature? D. Discuss the background and significance of the problem to nursing. Be sure to substantiate your claims with specific examples from your research.

II. Literature Search Methods

A. Identify keywords, subject headings, and combinations used in the initial search. B. Which databases were searched? C. State the inclusion/exclusion criteria for the sample of research reports. In other words, how did you make decisions to narrow the search and focus

the literature review? How was the final sample of research reports determined?

III. Data Analysis and Critical Appraisal A. Analyze the quality of each study. In other words, is the problem well formulated and the purpose of the study clear? Is the study approach well

designed and executed? Does the study demonstrate understanding of related studies? Do the findings advance knowledge? B. Note each study’s strengths and limitations. C. Identify gaps in the literature and reflect on why these may exist. D. Identify similarities and inconsistencies across the studies.

IV. Synthesis, Interpretation and Presentation of Results

A. Develop an evidence table of your results that addresses the following criteria for each study: report citation, design, method, sample, data collection, data analysis, validity, and reliability of the findings. This table should appear in the Appendix of your paper.

B. Identify major trends or patterns in the research reviewed. C. Can you make generalizations across the studies? Why or why not? D. What conclusions can you draw? Be sure to use a logical chain of evidence to support them. E. Provide a scholarly summary of the research reviewed that describes the “state of the science” presented by the research reports. F. Make practice recommendations based on the research reviewed.

V. Conclusions

A. Identify the limitations of the literature review. B. Discuss the relevance of the results of your literature review to clinical practice. C. Discuss implications of the recommended practice change on future nursing practice and research.

VI. Abstract: Include an abstract at the beginning of your paper that summarizes each of the following elements:

A. Aims and objectives B. Background C. Methods D. Results E. Conclusions

F. Relevance to clinical practice VII. Appendix: Provide an appendix at the end of your paper that includes the following elements:

G. Search method flow chart H. The table of evidence that you developed in Step IV.A

Milestones

Milestone One: Topic Proposal In Module One, you will submit your topic proposal for instructor approval. You will briefly explain your interest and what you hope to gain through a review of the literature. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone One Rubric. Milestone Two: PICO(T) Question In Module Two, you will submit your PICO(T) question, which will guide your research and review of the literature. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Two Rubric. Milestone Three: Annotated Bibliography In Module Four, you will submit an annotated bibliography to help gather resources for your final project. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Three Rubric. Milestone Four: Evidence Table In Module Five, you will submit an evidence table to organize your resources and as part of your final project. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Four Rubric. Final Submission: Integrative Review of the Literature In Module Seven, you will submit your final project. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the critical elements of the final product. It should reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course. This submission will be graded with the Final Project Rubric.

Deliverables Milestone Deliverable Module Due Grading

One Topic Proposal One Graded separately; Milestone One Rubric

Two PICO(T) Question Two Graded separately; Milestone Two Rubric

Three Annotated Bibliography Four Graded separately; Milestone Three Rubric

Four Evidence Table Five Graded separately; Milestone Four Rubric

Final Submission: Integrative Review of the Literature

Seven Graded separately; Final Project Rubric

Final Project Rubric Guidelines for Submission: Your paper should be a maximum of 12 pages, exclusive of the title page, abstract, references, and appendices. Your paper should be formatted with one-inch margins and 12-point Times New Roman font, and all citations must appear in proper APA format.

Critical Elements Exemplary (100%) Proficient (85%) Needs Improvement (55%) Not Evident (0%) Value Introduction: Purpose

Meets “Proficient” criteria and description is in depth and includes scholarly detail

Accurately describes the purpose of the integrative review

Describes the purpose of the integrative review, but with gaps in accuracy

Does not describe the purpose of the integrative review

4.8

Introduction: Articulate

Meets “Proficient” criteria and uses scholarly, industry language to demonstrate expertise

Clearly articulates topic of interest, problem statement, and research question

Articulates topic of interest, problem statement, or research question, but with gaps in clarity or detail

Does not articulate topic of interest, problem statement, and research question

4.8

Introduction: Variables

Meets “Proficient” criteria and variables identified demonstrate keen insight into the literature review process

Comprehensively identifies variables of interest used to guide the review of literature

Identifies variables of interest used to guide the review of literature, but identification is not comprehensive

Does not identify variables of interest used to guide the review of literature

4.8

Introduction: Background and

Significance

Meets “Proficient” criteria and makes nuanced connections between concepts

Discusses the background and significance of the problem to nursing, and substantiates claims with specific examples from research

Discusses the background and significance of the problem to nursing, but does not substantiate claims with specific examples from research

Does not discuss the background and significance of the problem to nursing

4.8

Literature Search Methods: Keywords

Meets “Proficient” criteria and demonstrates keen insight into scholarly search methods

Accurately identifies keywords, subject headings, and combinations used in the initial search

Identifies keywords, subject headings, or combinations used in the initial search, but with gaps in accuracy or detail

Does not identify keywords, subject headings, and combinations used in the initial search

4.3

Literature Search Methods: Databases

Meets “Proficient” criteria and databases identified demonstrate keen insight into the literature review process

Identifies databases appropriate to the issue that were used in the initial search

Identifies databases that were used in the initial search, but databases are not appropriate to the issue

Does not identify databases that were used in the initial search

4.3

Literature Search Methods:

Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria

Meets “Proficient” criteria and description is in depth and includes scholarly detail

Describes inclusion and exclusion criteria appropriate to the issue for the sample of research reports

Describes inclusion and exclusion criteria for the sample of research reports, but criteria are not appropriate to the issue

Does not describe inclusion and exclusion criteria for the sample of research reports

4.8

Analysis and Appraisal: Quality

Meets “Proficient” criteria and analysis is exceptionally well informed and well supported

Accurately analyzes the quality of each study

Analyzes study quality, but with gaps in accuracy or detail

Does not analyze the quality of each study

4.3

Analysis and Appraisal: Strengths and

Limitations

Meets “Proficient” criteria and demonstrates novel, scholarly insight into research study characteristics

Accurately identifies each study’s strengths and limitations

Identifies study strengths and limitations, but with gaps in accuracy or detail

Does not identify each study’s strengths and limitations

4.3

Analysis and Appraisal: Gaps

Meets “Proficient” criteria and draws nuanced connections between concepts

Accurately identifies gaps in literature and reflects on why they may exist

Inaccurately identifies gaps in literature, or does not reflect on why they may exist

Does not identify gaps in literature

4.3

Analysis and Appraisal: Similarities and Inconsistencies

Meets “Proficient” criteria and demonstrates novel, scholarly insight into research study characteristics

Accurately identifies similarities and differences across the studies

Identifies similarities or differences across the studies, but with gaps in accuracy or detail

Does not identify similarities and differences across the studies

4.3

Results: Evidence Table

Meets “Proficient” criteria and presentation of data is exceptionally clear and logical

Develops a comprehensive evidence table

Develops an evidence table, but with gaps in detail

Does not develop an evidence table

4.8

Results: Major Trends

Meets “Proficient” criteria and draws nuanced connections between concepts

Accurately identifies major trends or patterns in the research

Identifies trends or patterns in the research, but with gaps in accuracy

Does not identify trends or patterns in the research

4.3

Results: Generalizations

Meets “Proficient” criteria and draws nuanced connections between concepts

Accurately determines if generalizations can be made across studies, and justifies position

Inaccurately determines if generalizations can be made across studies, or does not justify position

Does not determine if generalizations can be made across studies

3.5

Results: Conclusions

Meets “Proficient” criteria and draws nuanced connections between concepts

Explains appropriate conclusions that can be drawn, and uses a logical chain of evidence to support them

Explains conclusions that can be drawn, but they are not appropriate, or does not use a logical chain of evidence to support them

Does not explain conclusions that can be drawn

4.8

Results: Summary

Meets “Proficient” criteria and articulation is exceptionally clear and logical

Provides a scholarly summary of the research that describes the “state of the science” presented by the research reports

Provides a summary of the research that is not scholarly, or does not describe the “state of the science” presented by the research reports

Does not provide a summary of the research

4.8

Results: Recommendations

Meets “Proficient” criteria and provides detailed examples of how the recommendation(s) will fill the gaps in practice

Makes appropriate practice change recommendation(s) based on the research reviewed

Makes practice change recommendation(s) that are not appropriate, or are not based on the research reviewed

Does not make practice change recommendation(s)

4.8

Conclusions: Limitations

Meets “Proficient” criteria and demonstrates novel, scholarly insight into the literature review process

Accurately identifies limitations of the literature review

Identifies limitations of the literature review, but with gaps in accuracy or clarity

Does not identify limitations of the literature review

4.8

Conclusions: Relevance

Meets “Proficient” criteria and draws nuanced connections between concepts

Discusses the relevance of the results of literature review to clinical practice

Discusses the relevance of the results of literature review to clinical practice, but with gaps in detail or clarity

Does not discuss the relevance of the results of literature review to clinical practice

4.8

Conclusions: Implications

Meets “Proficient” criteria and draws nuanced connections between concepts

Discusses implications of the recommended practice change on future nursing practice and research

Discusses implications of the recommended practice change on future nursing practice or research, but with gaps in detail

Does not discuss implications of the recommended practice change on future nursing practice and research

4.8

Abstract

Meets “Proficient” criteria and uses scholarly, industry language to demonstrate expertise

Includes a comprehensive abstract

Includes an abstract, but with gaps in detail

Does not include an abstract 4.8

Appendix Meets “Proficient” criteria and presentation of data is exceptionally clear and logical

Provides a comprehensive appendix

Provides an appendix, but with gaps in detail

Does not provide an appendix 2

Articulation of Response

Submission is free of errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, and organization and is presented in a professional and easy-to-read format

Submission has no major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization

Submission has major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that negatively impact readability and articulation of main ideas

Submission has critical errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that prevent understanding of ideas

2

Earned Total 100%