NR711 Week 4 Assignment: Evidence Synthesis and Tables

NR711 Week 4 Assignment: Evidence Synthesis and Tables – Step-by-Step Guide With Example Solution

The first step before starting to write the NR711 Week 4 Assignment: Evidence Synthesis and Tables is to understand the requirements of the assignment. The first step is to read the assignment prompt carefully to identify the topic, the length and format requirements. You should go through the rubric provided so that you can understand what is needed to score the maximum points for each part of the assignment. 

It is also important to identify the paper’s audience and purpose, as this will help you determine the tone and style to use throughout. You can then create a timeline to help you complete each stage of the paper, such as conducting research, writing the paper, and revising it to avoid last-minute stress before the deadline. After identifying the formatting style to be applied to the paper, such as APA, review its use, including writing citations and referencing the resources used. You should also review the formatting requirements for the title page and headings in the paper, as outlined by Chamberlain University.

How to Research and Prepare for NR711 Week 4 Assignment: Evidence Synthesis and Tables

The next step in preparing for your paper is to conduct research and identify the best sources to use to support your arguments. Identify a list of keywords related to your topic using various combinations. The first step is to visit the Chamberlain University library and search through its database using the important keywords related to your topic. You can also find books, peer-reviewed articles, and credible sources for your topic from the Chamberlain University Library, PubMed, JSTOR, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, and Google Scholar. Ensure that you select the references that have been published in the last 5 years and go through each to check for credibility. Ensure that you obtain the references in the required format, such as APA, so that you can save time when creating the final reference list. 

You can also group the references according to their themes that align with the outline of the paper. Go through each reference for its content and summarize the key concepts, arguments and findings for each source. You can write down your reflections on how each reference connects to the topic you are researching. After the above steps, you can develop a strong thesis that is clear, concise and arguable. Next, create a detailed outline of the paper to help you develop headings and subheadings for the content. Ensure that you plan what point will go into each paragraph.

How to Write the Introduction for NR711 Week 4 Assignment: Evidence Synthesis and Tables

The introduction of the paper is the most crucial part, as it helps provide the context of your work and determines whether the reader will be interested in reading through to the end. Begin with a hook, which will help capture the reader’s attention. You should contextualize the topic by offering the reader a concise overview of the topic you are writing about so that they may understand its importance. You should state what you aim to achieve with the paper. The last part of the introduction should be your thesis statement, which provides the main argument of the paper.

How to Write the Body for NR711 Week 4 Assignment: Evidence Synthesis and Tables

The body of the paper helps you to present your arguments and evidence to support your claims. You can use headings and subheadings developed in the paper’s outline to guide you on how to organize the body. Start each paragraph with a topic sentence to help the reader know what point you will be discussing in that paragraph. Support your claims using the evidence collected from the research, and ensure that you cite each source properly using in-text citations. You should analyze the evidence presented and explain its significance, as well as how it relates to the thesis statement. You should maintain a logical flow between paragraphs by using transition words and a flow of ideas.

How to Write the In-text Citations for NR711 Week 4 Assignment: Evidence Synthesis and Tables

In-text citations help readers give credit to the authors of the references they have used in their work. All ideas that have been borrowed from references, any statistics and direct quotes must be referenced properly. The name and date of publication of the paper should be included when writing an in-text citation. For example, in APA, after stating the information, you can put an in-text citation after the end of the sentence, such as (Smith, 2021). If you are quoting directly from a source, include the page number in the citation, for example (Smith, 2021, p. 15). Remember to also include a corresponding reference list at the end of your paper that provides full details of each source cited in your text. An example paragraph highlighting the use of in-text citations is as below:

“The integration of technology in nursing practice has significantly transformed patient care and improved health outcomes. According to Morelli et al. (2024), the use of electronic health records (EHRs) has streamlined communication among healthcare providers, allowing for more coordinated and efficient care delivery. Furthermore, Alawiye (2024) highlights that telehealth services have expanded access to care, particularly for patients in rural areas, thereby reducing barriers to treatment.”

How to Write the Conclusion for NR711 Week 4 Assignment: Evidence Synthesis and Tables

When writing the conclusion of the paper, start by restating your thesis, which helps remind the reader what your paper is about. Summarize the key points of the paper by restating them. Discuss the implications of your findings and your arguments. Conclude with a call to action that leaves a lasting impression on the reader or offers recommendations.

How to Format the Reference List for NR711 Week 4 Assignment: Evidence Synthesis and Tables

The reference helps provide the reader with the complete details of the sources you cited in the paper. The reference list should start with the title “References” on a new page. It should be aligned center and bolded. The references should be organized in an ascending order alphabetically, and each should have a hanging indent. If a source has no author, it should be alphabetized by the title of the work, ignoring any initial articles such as “A,” “An,” or “The.” If you have multiple works by the same author, list them in chronological order, starting with the earliest publication. 

Each reference entry should include specific elements depending on the type of source. For books, include the author’s last name, first initial, publication year in parentheses, the title of the book in italics, the edition (if applicable), and the publisher’s name. For journal articles, include the author’s last name, first initial, publication year in parentheses, the title of the article (not italicized), the title of the journal in italics, the volume number in italics, the issue number in parentheses (if applicable), and the page range of the article. For online sources, include the DOI (Digital Object Identifier) or the URL at the end of the reference. An example reference list is as follows:

References

Morelli, S., Daniele, C., D’Avenio, G., Grigioni, M., & Giansanti, D. (2024). Optimizing telehealth: Leveraging Key Performance Indicators for enhanced telehealth and digital healthcare outcomes (Telemechron Study). Healthcare, 12(13), 1319. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12131319

Alawiye, T. (2024). The impact of digital technology on healthcare delivery and patient outcomes. E-Health Telecommunication Systems and Networks, 13, 13-22. 10.4236/etsn.2024.132002.

NR711 Week 4 Assignment: Evidence Synthesis and Tables Instructions

Purpose

The purpose of this assignment is to develop a synthesis of evidence using five research articles to support an evidence-based intervention. Have a look at NR711 Week 5 Discussion | Operating Budget.

The development of the Johns Hopkins Individual Evidence Summary Tool builds a body of research evidence about a practice problem and evidence-based intervention for implementation in a practice change project. Continually adding research studies to the Johns Hopkins Individual Evidence Summary Tool builds the foundation for the synthesis of research for a practice change project.

As you incorporate published research study findings into your own writing, you create a synthesis of the research information. Before learning how to write a synthesis, it is important to define this term. At its most basic level, a synthesis involves combining two or more summaries. Synthesis writing is more difficult than it might first appear because this combining must be done in a meaningful way.

A synthesis requires critical reading and thinking to compare different material, highlighting similarities, differences, and connections. When a practice scholar synthesizes successfully, they present new ideas based on interpretations of published research evidence. Conceptually, it can be helpful to think about synthesis existing at both the local (or paragraph) level and the global (or paper) level. Synthesis is all about collecting information from different sources and merging the information together as one content.

Please note that this week 4 assignment is the is the first part of the Week 6 assignment. You will receive feedback from your course faculty on this assignment and will be required to use the feedback to revise this paper and add as a section of the Week 6 assignment.

Instructions

Follow these guidelines when completing each component of this assignment. Contact your course faculty if you have questions.

1. Download the following tools linked below (located in the Student Resource Center under Project & Practicum Resources).
   1. Link (Word doc): Johns Hopkins Research Evidence Appraisal Tool
   2. Link (Word doc): Johns Hopkins Individual Evidence Summary Tool

2. Use five (5) level I, II, or III peer-reviewed primary research studies and/or systematic reviews that focus on the evidence-based intervention for the selected practice problem. Four research articles that focus on the evidence-based intervention included in this synthesis may be from previous courses. One peer-reviewed research article that focuses on the evidence-based intervention must be new to this synthesis and not used in previous courses. All articles should be current, published within the past 5 years. Enter the articles for the synthesis into the Johns Hopkins Individual Evidence Summary Tool. For new articles for this synthesis, Highlight the author’s name in the Johns Hopkins individual Evidence Summary Table.
3. Use the most current version of Microsoft Word that is the format for all Chamberlain University College of Nursing found in student resources. The Document is labeled DNP and will end in “docx.”
4. All Chamberlain University policies related to plagiarism must be observed.
5. Review the rubric for the grading criteria.

The assignment includes the following components:

1. Title Page
   1. Title of the paper
   2. Student name
   3. Chamberlain University College of Nursing
   4. Course number and course name
   5. Session month and year
2. Introduction
   1. Write a one-sentence purpose statement.
   2. Introduce the practice problem. (Cited)
   3. Introduce the evidence-based intervention using research study evidence. (Cited)
3. Describe the significance of the practice problem at the national level (1 paragraph).
   1. Significance
   2. Prevalence
   3. Mortality
   4. Economic ramifications of the practice problem. (Cited)
4. Evidence Synthesis: Using a minimum of five research articles (published within the past 5 years) to support the evidence-based intervention, write a synthesis of evidence to include the following:
   1. Include a minimum of 5 research articles to support the evidence-based intervention with citations (4 articles can be from previous courses).
   2. Identify and discuss the main themes and salient points that emerge from the sources. (Cited)
   3. Contrast the main points from evidence sources. (Cited)
   4. Present an objective overarching synthesis of research statement supporting the evidence-based intervention. (Cited)
5. Conclusion
   1. Include a summary of practice problem.
   2. Include a summary of the evidence synthesis which supports the evidence-based intervention (cite all sources).
6. Appendix: Johns Hopkins Individual Evidence Summary Table
   1. Include the completed Johns Hopkins Individual Evidence Summary Tool with this assignment.
   2. Complete all sections of the Johns Hopkins Individual Evidence Summary Tool for each research study.
   3. Identify the quality and the level of evidence for all research studies.
   4. Enter the information for a minimum of 5 research articles level I, II, or III that focus on the evidence-based intervention and published within the last 5 years into the Johns Hopkins Individual Evidence Summary Table.
7. APA Standards and References
   1. Use appropriate Level I headers.
   2. Create the reference page.
   3. Each reference has a matching citation and citations are in current APA style.

Writing Requirements (APA format)

• Length: 3-4 pages (not including title page, reference page, and appendix)
• 1-inch margins
• Double-spaced pages
• 12-point Times New Roman font or 11-point Arial
• Headings & subheadings
• In-text citations
• Title page
• References page
• Appendix
• Standard English usage and mechanics

Program Competencies

This assignment enables the student to meet the following program competencies:

1. Integrates scientific underpinnings into everyday clinical practice. (POs 3, 5)
2. Uses analytic methods to translate critically appraised research and other evidence into clinical scholarship for innovative practice improvements. (POs 3, 5)
3. Appraises current information systems and technologies to improve healthcare. (POs 6, 7)
4. Analyzes healthcare policies to advocate for equitable healthcare and social justice to all populations and those at risk due to social determinants of health.
5. Leads others in professional identity, advanced clinical judgment, systems thinking, resilience, and accountability in selecting, implementing, and evaluating clinical care. 

Course Outcomes

This assignment enables the student to meet the following course outcomes:

1. Examine the role of the DNP-prepared nurse in leading financial planning and management across healthcare settings. (PCs 5, 8; POs 2, 4, 9)
2. Develop strategies to lead project planning, implementation, management, and evaluation to promote high value healthcare. (PCs 1, 3, 4; POs 3, 5, 7)

NR711 Week 4 Assignment: Evidence Synthesis and Tables Example

Evidence Synthesis and Tables

Staff burnout and compassion fatigue are prevalent practice issues that significantly affect the well-being of healthcare providers and patient outcomes. Burnout, as defined by Edú-Valsania et al. (2022), is characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment resulting from chronic occupational stressors. As noted by Rauvola et al. (2019), compassion fatigue is a secondary traumatic stress response in healthcare providers consistently exposed to patient suffering.

According to Aryankhesal et al. (2019), evidence-based interventions, such as psychological interventions (meditation, yoga, and mindfulness), resilience-building programs, optimizing staffing ratios, and workload management, are crucial in managing staff burnout and compassion fatigue. This paper aims to synthesize evidence using research articles to support an evidence-based intervention.

Significance of the Practice Problem

Staff burnout and compassion fatigue pose significant challenges to healthcare practice at the national level, impacting healthcare quality, exacerbating workforce shortages, and imposing financial strain. Before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Academy of Medicine conducted a study that revealed a significant and alarming prevalence of burnout within the healthcare sector in the United States. Their findings characterized the situation as having reached “crisis levels.”

Specifically, the study indicated that a substantial portion of healthcare professionals experienced symptoms of burnout, with estimates ranging from 35% to 54% among nurses and physicians, and even higher percentages of 45% to 60% among medical students and residents (Wei et al., 2022). Burnout and compassion fatigue lead to decreased job satisfaction and suboptimal patient care, contributing to medical errors, delayed diagnoses, and adverse patient outcomes, including increased mortality rates.

These issues are prevalent among healthcare professionals, with varying incidence across specialties, and can even lead to suicide in severe cases (Søvold et al., 2021). The economic ramifications of staff burnout and compassion fatigue encompass substantial healthcare costs, productivity losses, malpractice expenses, and long-term reductions in workforce capacity, ultimately affecting patient access and healthcare affordability at the national level.

Evidence Synthesis

The systematic review conducted by Aryankhesal et al. (2019) aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding of interventions for reducing burnout among hospital physicians and nurses. The study included 12 randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and six pretest-posttest studies conducted between January 2000 and June 2017. The primary interventions assessed were team-based programs, coping and communication skills training, and psychological interventions such as yoga, meditation, and mindfulness.

The review revealed that most of these interventions had a positive impact on reducing burnout, with a particular emphasis on improving communication skills, teamwork, and participatory programs. Notably, psychological interventions such as yoga, meditation, and mindfulness have been identified as effective means to address burnout. The study suggests that these interventions can potentially enhance mental health in the long term, highlighting their importance in addressing staff burnout and compassion fatigue among healthcare professionals.

The article by Paiva-Salisbury and Schwanz (2022) highlights the critical issue of compassion fatigue (CF) and its impact on the well-being of healthcare professionals. The article identifies a lack of awareness and education around CF, leading to uncertainty in treating its symptoms among mental health clinicians. It highlights the significant symptom overlap between CF and other conditions such as posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, insomnia, and substance abuse disorders, underlining the complexity of diagnosis and treatment.

The article acknowledges the importance of evidence-based assessments and screening measures in identifying CF and distinguishing it from other presentations effectively. It advocates for using evidence-based strategies, such as acceptance and commitment therapy, to build resilience among professionals and pre-professionals in the helping professions.

A narrative review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) by Shiri et al. (2023) focused on workplace interventions for health and social service workers. The authors highlight the importance of addressing the significant challenges of high workloads and job stressors in these professions. The review, which included 108 RCTs, focused on various health indicators and identified several key themes. Notably, psychological interventions such as meditation, yoga, and mindfulness have been shown to effectively reduce job burnout, enhance well-being, and increase job satisfaction among healthcare workers.

Participating in resilience-building programs emerged as another effective strategy for enhancing work ability, improving job performance, and enhancing perceived general health, while reducing psychosocial stressors, burnout, and sickness absence. Optimizing staffing ratios and workload management were critical factors in mitigating staff burnout. Despite these positive outcomes, the effects of these interventions were generally modest and short-lived. Barriers to participation included inadequate staffing, high workload, time pressures, work constraints, lack of manager support, and scheduling health programs outside work hours.

A comprehensive review of burnout in nursing by Dall’Ora et al. (2020) identifies several key themes and salient points relevant to evidence-based interventions for addressing staff burnout and compassion fatigue. The study synthesizes evidence from 91 papers and highlights that adverse job characteristics, such as high workload, low staffing levels, long shifts, and limited control over the job, consistently predict burnout in nursing. These findings underscore the importance of interventions to improve work-related factors, including workload management, staffing levels, and shift scheduling.

Additionally, the review identifies various adverse outcomes of burnout, such as reduced job performance, poor quality of care, and patient safety concerns, emphasizing the urgency of addressing burnout to maintain patient well-being and healthcare quality. This evidence synthesis provides valuable support for evidence-based interventions designed to mitigate staff burnout and compassion fatigue, highlighting the need to target the identified risk factors within nursing environments to enhance both staff and patient outcomes.

The study by Bernburg et al. (2020) examines the effectiveness of professional training in mental health self-care for nurses working in hospital departments, aiming to address staff burnout and compassion fatigue. The main themes and salient points emerging from the study highlight the significant challenges nurses face in terms of occupational stress, exhaustion, and low job resources. The intervention consisted of a 12-week training program that covered work-related stress management, problem-solving techniques, and solution-focused counseling for nurses.

The results indicated that nurses in the intervention group experienced decreased perceived job stress, emotional exhaustion and improved emotion regulation skills. The intervention received high satisfaction scores, suggesting its acceptability among participants. This evidence supports the implementation of evidence-based interventions, such as mental health self-care training, as a supportive approach to mitigate staff burnout and compassion fatigue among nurses starting work in hospital departments.

Conclusion

Staff burnout and compassion fatigue are significant practice problems in healthcare, impacting healthcare quality, workforce availability, and national healthcare costs. The synthesis of evidence from various studies underscores the critical significance of addressing staff burnout and compassion fatigue in healthcare settings. These issues affect the well-being of healthcare providers and have far-reaching consequences for patient outcomes, healthcare quality, workforce capacity, and financial sustainability at the national level.

Evidence-based interventions, such as psychological interventions (including meditation, yoga, and mindfulness), resilience-building programs, workload management, and professional training in mental health self-care, offer promising avenues for mitigating these challenges and enhancing staff and patient well-being. These findings underscore the importance of implementing evidence-based strategies to effectively address staff burnout and compassion fatigue in healthcare environments.

Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice

Appendix G: Individual Evidence Summary Tool

Article Number	Author and Date	Evidence Type	Sample, Sample Size, Setting	Findings That Help Answer the EBP Question	Observable Measures	Limitations	Evidence Level, Quality
1	Aryankhesal et al. (2019)	Systematic review	N/A	The review revealed that team-based programs, coping and communication skills training, and psychological interventions such as yoga, meditation, and mindfulness interventions positively affected burnout reduction.	Experiences of doctors and nurses.	Studies using the same interventions were too small, implying the need for cautious interpretation when attempting to generalize the findings.	Level I
2	Paiva-Salisbury and Schwanz (2022)	Case study	N/A	The article advocates for using evidence-based strategies, such as acceptance and commitment therapy, to build resilience among professionals and pre-professionals, thereby reducing compassion fatigue.	Cases	The study must be interpreted cautiously, and other study designs should ideally corroborate their findings to strengthen the evidence for causation.	Level III
3	Shiri et al. (2023)	Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses.	N/A	Participating in resilience-building programs emerged as an effective strategy for improving work ability, job performance, and perceived general health while reducing psychosocial stressors, burnout, and sickness absence.	Organizational-level interventions.	The current review was a narrative review that only searched PubMed, which may have missed some relevant publications from other databases.	Level I
4	Dall’Ora et al. (2020)	Systemic review	N/A	Studies consistently show that adverse job characteristics (high workload, low staffing levels, long shifts, and low control) are associated with burnout in nursing.	Job Characteristics	The authors did not apply a formal quality appraisal instrument, despite noting critical omissions of essential details.	Level I
5	Bernburg et al. (2020)	Randomized Controlled Trial	N/A	The study showed first indications that training in mental health self-care skills for junior nurses could be a supportive approach for nurses starting work in hospital departments.	Work-related self-care skills.	A small sample size limits the generalizability of conclusions and the external validity of the study results.	Level II

References

Aryankhesal, A., Mohammadibakhsh, R., Hamidi, Y., Alidoost, S., Behzadifar, M., Sohrabi, R., & Farhadi, Z. (2019). Interventions on reducing burnout in physicians and nurses: A systematic review. Medical Journal of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 33(77), 77. https://doi.org/10.34171/mjiri.33.77

Bernburg, M., Groneberg, D., & Mache, S. (2020). Professional training in mental health self-care for nurses starting work in hospital departments. Work, 67(3), 583–590. https://doi.org/10.3233/wor-203311

Dall’Ora, C., Ball, J., Reinius, M., & Griffiths, P. (2020). Burnout in nursing: A theoretical review. Human Resources for Health, 18(1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-020-00469-9

Edú-Valsania, S., Laguía, A., & Moriano, J. A. (2022). Burnout: A review of theory and measurement. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(3), 1780. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031780

Paiva-Salisbury, M. L., & Schwanz, K. A. (2022). Building compassion fatigue resilience: Awareness, prevention, and intervention for pre-professionals and current practitioners. Journal of Health Service Psychology, 48(1), 39–46. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42843-022-00054-9

Rauvola, R. S., Vega, D. M., & Lavigne, K. N. (2019). Compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress, and vicarious traumatization: A qualitative review and research agenda. Occupational Health Science, 3, 297–336. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41542-019-00045-1

Shiri, R., Nikunlaakso, R., & Laitinen, J. (2023). Effectiveness of workplace interventions to improve health and well-being of health and social service workers: A narrative review of randomized controlled trials. Healthcare, 11(12), 1792. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11121792

Søvold, L. E., Naslund, J. A., Kousoulis, A. A., Saxena, S., Qoronfleh, M. W., Grobler, C., & Münter, L. (2021). Prioritizing the Mental Health and Well-being of Healthcare Workers: An Urgent Global Public Health Priority. Frontiers in Public Health, 9(1), 1–12. frontiersin. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.679397

Wei, H., Aucoin, J., Kuntapay, G. R., Justice, A., Jones, A., Zhang, C., Jr, H. P. S., & Hall, L. A. (2022). The prevalence of nurse burnout and its association with telomere length pre- and during the COVID-19 pandemic. ProQuest, 17(3), e0263603. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0263603