IP T1

(This table is included in the students' Course of Study.)

Level I Hierarchy: Meta-analysis, Systematic Reviews, Integrative Reviews, National

Practice guidelines. This level includes; research designs of Meta-Analyses, Systematic Reviews, Integrative Reviews, and EBP Guidelines which are developed from systematic reviews and housed in national repositories.

Level II Hierarchy: Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) and Experimental. This level represents evidence from studies using a true experimental design.

Level III Hierarchy: Quasi-Experimental. This level represents evidence obtained from experimental studies without randomization.

Level IV: Hierarchy: Non-experimental. This level represents evidence from well-designed non-experimental designs such as retrospective, case-control, cross-sectional, cohort comparison, prospective, descriptive and correlational single studies.

Level V Hierarchy: Meta-Synthesis. This level represents evidence from systematic reviews of studies using qualitative methods.

Level VI Hierarchy: Single Qualitative Study. This level represents single studies using a qualitative research method.

Level VII Hierarchy: Expert Opinions. This level represents materials from a variety of non-research based evidence and generally consists of reports of expert committees and/or opinions of authorities on the subject. The evidence from this level includes specialists’ opinions, case studies, practice guidelines, narrative reviews, editorials, regulations, legislation, and program outcome data/QI projects.