NURS 6052 Discussion: Searching Databases

NURS 6052 Discussion: Searching Databases – Step-by-Step Guide

The first step before starting to write the NURS 6052 Discussion: Searching Databases, it is essential 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 audience of the paper and its purpose so that it can 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, you should review its use, such as writing citations and referencing the resources used. You should also review how to format the title page and the headings in the paper.

How to Research and Prepare for NURS 6052 Discussion: Searching Databases

The next step in preparing for your paper is to conduct research and identify the best sources to use to support your arguments. Identify the list of keywords from your topic using different combinations. The first step is to visit the 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 PubMed, JSTOR, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, and Google Scholar. Ensure that you select the references that have been published in the last words and go through each to check for credibility. Ensure that you obtain the references in the required format, for example, in 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 about. After the above steps, you can develop a strong thesis that is clear, concise and arguable. Next you should create a detailed outline of the paper so that it can help you to create headings and subheadings to be used in the paper. Ensure that you plan what point will go into each paragraph.

How to Write the Introduction for NURS 6052 Discussion: Searching Databases

The introduction of the paper is the most crucial part as it helps to provide the context of your work, and will determine if the reader will be interested to read through to the end. You should start 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 NURS 6052 Discussion: Searching Databases

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 conducted from the research, ensure that you cite each source properly using in-text citations. You should analyze the evidence presented and explain its significance and how it connects to the thesis statement. You should maintain a logical flow between each paragraph by using transition words and a flow of ideas.

How to Write the In-text Citations for NURS 6052 Discussion: Searching Databases

In-text citations help the reader to give credit to the authors of the references they have used in their works. 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 Smith (2021), the use of electronic health records (EHRs) has streamlined communication among healthcare providers, allowing for more coordinated and efficient care delivery. Furthermore, Johnson and Brown (2020) highlight 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 NURS 6052 Discussion: Searching Databases

When writing the conclusion of the paper, start by restarting 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. End with a call to action that leaves a lasting impact on the reader or recommendations.

How to Format the Reference List for NURS 6052 Discussion: Searching Databases

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, in sentence sentence care. 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

Johnson, L. M., & Brown, R. T. (2020). The role of telehealth in improving patient outcomes. Journal of Nursing Care Quality, 35(2), 123-130. https://doi.org/10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000456

Smith, J. A. (2021). The impact of technology on nursing practice. Health Press.

Instructions for NURS 6052 Discussion: Searching Databases

When you decide to purchase a new car, you first decide what is important to you. If mileage and dependability are the important factors, you will search for data focused more on these factors and less on color options and sound systems.

The same holds true when searching for research evidence to guide your clinical inquiry and professional decisions. Developing a formula for an answerable, researchable question that addresses your need will make the search process much more effective. One such formula is the PICO(T) format. Have a look at NURS 6052 Week 3 Assignment Evidence-Based Project – Clinical Inquiry & Research Methodologies.

In this Discussion, you will transform a clinical inquiry into a searchable question in PICO(T) format, so you can search the electronic databases more effectively and efficiently. You will share this PICO(T) question and examine strategies you might use to increase the rigor and effectiveness of a database search on your PICO(T) question.

To Prepare:

• Review the Resources and identify a clinical issue of interest that can form the basis of a clinical inquiry.
• Review the materials offering guidance on using databases, performing keyword searches, and developing PICO(T) questions provided in the Resources.
• Based on the clinical issue of interest and using keywords related to the clinical issue of interest, search at least two different databases in the Walden Library to identify at least four relevant peer-reviewed articles related to your clinical issue of interest. You should not be using systematic reviews for this assignment, select original research articles.
• Review the Resources for guidance and develop a PICO(T) question of interest to you for further study. It is suggested that an Intervention-type PICOT question be developed as these seem to work best for this course.

Post a brief description of your clinical issue of interest. This clinical issue will remain the same for the entire course and will be the basis for the development of your PICOT question. Describe your search results in terms of the number of articles returned on original research and how this changed as you added search terms using your Boolean operators. Finally, explain strategies you might make to increase the rigor and effectiveness of a database search on your PICO(T) question. Be specific and provide examples.

NURS 6052 Discussion: Searching Databases Example 1 – Infection Control in Healthcare Settings

PICO(T) Question: In healthcare settings (P), does implementing a comprehensive hand hygiene program (I) compared to standard hand hygiene practices (C) reduce the incidence of nosocomial infections (O) within 12 months (T)?

I searched two different databases, PubMed and CINAHL, using the keywords infection control, hand hygiene, hand washing, hand sanitization, and nosocomial infections. In PubMed, the initial search was with the keyword infection control and yielded 1,200 results. Adding the keyword hand hygiene narrowed it down to 500 results. Further refining the search with nosocomial infections resulted in 150 articles. 

Using Boolean operators (AND, OR) to combine these keywords helped to focus the search on relevant articles. On using CINAHL, an initial search with the keyword infection control yielded 800 results. Adding the keyword hand hygiene narrowed it down to 300 results. Further refining the search with nosocomial infections resulted in 100 articles. Similar to PubMed, using Boolean operators (AND, OR) was beneficial in refining the search.

Strategies to increase the rigor and effectiveness of the database search include the use of boolean operators (AND, OR) effectively to combine keywords and phrases, ensuring that the search results are both relevant and comprehensive. For instance, combining hand hygiene AND nosocomial infections ensured that articles addressed both aspects of the clinical issue. Additionally, exploring the use of subject headings (e.g., MeSH terms in PubMed) to refine the search helps identify articles that may not contain the exact keywords but are still relevant to the topic (Ho et al., 2020).

It is also important to utilize database filters to limit search results to specific publication types (for example, clinical trials and randomized controlled trials) to focus on original research studies rather than reviews or commentaries (Ho et al., 2020). Others include adjusting the date range to ensure that the search results include the most recent studies, ensuring that the selected articles are published in reputable, peer-reviewed journals to maintain the quality and validity of the research, and keeping a detailed record of the search process, including the keywords used, the number of results at each stage, and the inclusion or exclusion criteria applied (Bramer et al., 2019). This documentation will assist in tracking the search’s rigor and effectiveness.

NURS 6052 Discussion: Searching Databases References

Bramer, W. M., De Jonge, G. B., Rethlefsen, M. L., Mast, F., & Kleijnen, J. (2019). A systematic approach to searching: an efficient and complete method to develop literature searches. Journal of the Medical Library Association: JMLA, 106(4), 531. https://doi.org/10.5195/jmla.2018.283

Ho, G. J., Liew, S. M., Ng, C. J., Hisham Shunmugam, R., & Glasziou, P. (2020). Development of a search strategy for an evidence based retrieval service. PloS One, 11(12), e0167170. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0167170

NURS 6052 Discussion: Searching Databases Example 2

As healthcare providers progress with practice, the rise of clinical inquiry is inevitable, given the different clinical issues they face. According to Anvari et al. (2023), healthcare providers are also expected to identify best practices from research evidence apart from only using common practice.

Therefore, it is essential to beware of searching databases and how to maximize searches to ensure that the search results contain the required information on best practices related to the clinical issue. This discussion explores the clinical issue of using psychotherapy for depression, the PICOT question developed from the clinical issue, and the search results while using the PICOT question formula to search databases.   

The selected clinical issue of interest is the effectiveness of psychotherapy, specifically the use of the group therapy approach in treating depression among adolescents. Depression, also known as major depressive disorder, is one of the most common mental illnesses affecting individuals of all ages and health populations (Oberste et al., 2020).

Different patients respond to depression treatment approaches differently (Bernaras et al., 2019). In addition, there are different treatment interventions and approaches for treating depression. Although the effectiveness of most of them is backed up by research and clinical trial evidence, it raises a clinical issue of which intervention or approach is best for use in treating specific patient populations (Fava et al., 2020).

The developed PICOT question is; Among youths and adolescents diagnosed with depression, is group therapy more effective in achieving symptom remission within three months compared to individual therapy? From this PICOT question, the selected key terms used in the search include depression, therapy, and adolescents.

The key phrases included “group therapy in treating depression among adolescents” and “comparison of group and individual therapy effectiveness in treating adolescents with depression.” I accessed the google scholar search engine from the library and used it to search and locate resources from different databases.

On the first search attempt using the keywords, the results entailed over 2.5 million articles, which were returned in 0.03 seconds. The search results entailed any relevant article, regardless of the year of publication. The articles were mixed, including original research articles, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses.

The huge amount of search results is because the results included all the articles that had any of the keywords in the search. However, I continued to refine the search by developing complete key phrases and adding the Boolean operator “AND” to the key terms. The search results were narrowed down to produce fewer and more direct articles. Most of the articles included in these results were mainly original articles with the key phrases as the major focus.

The strategies I can make to increase the rigor and effectiveness of a database search on my PICO(T) question include searching one key phrase at a time, customizing my search to produce more direct results, and focusing on different parts of the PICOT question at a time. For example, when searching one key phrase at a time, I would divide the PICOT question into; group therapy effectiveness and therapies for treating depression among adolescents.

I would also customize my search settings to produce the most relevant results from a specific timeline, like the last 5 or 10 years. Finally, I can focus on different parts of the PICOT per search by searching the intervention, comparison, and outcomes separately. For example, the search would read “comparison of group and individual therapy in depression treatment.”           

References

Anvari, S., Neumark, S., Jangra, R., Sandre, A., Pasumarthi, K., & Xenodemetropoulos, T. (2023). Best practices for the provision of virtual care: a systematic review of current guidelines. Telemedicine and e-Health, 29(1), 3–22. https://doi.org/10.1089/tmj.2022.0004

Bernaras, E., Jaureguizar, J., & Garaigordobil, M. (2019). Child and adolescent depression: A review of theories, evaluation instruments, prevention programs, and treatments. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 543. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00543 

Fava, G. A., Cosci, F., Guidi, J., & Rafanelli, C. (2020). The Deceptive Manifestations of Treatment Resistance in Depression: A New Look at the Problem. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 89(5), 265–273. https://doi.org/10.1159/000507227

Oberste, M., Medele, M., Javelle, F., Lioba Wunram, H., Walter, D., Bloch, W., Bender, S., Fricke, O., Joisten, N., Walzik, D., Großheinrich, N., & Zimmer, P. (2020). Physical Activity for the Treatment of Adolescent Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Frontiers in Physiology, 11, 185. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2020.00185