Information Literacy and Evidence-based Nursing Practice

Are you Information Literate? Do you KNOW the question & what information you might need to address it? Can you ACCESS information effectively & efficiently?

Are You Information Literate? Can you EVALUATE the information & its sources critically? Can you USE the information effectively to accomplish your purpose? Do you know how to do all these things ETHICALLY?

Information Literacy Necessary skills for Evidenced-based practice (EBP) Steps for EBP: Question Search for the best evidence Analyze the evidence Determine application to practice Evaluate the outcome

Question PICO P = Population/Patient or problem I = Intervention C = Comparison intervention (if any) O = Outcome Examples

Access - Search Search Tips: Use key words related to Population/Patient/Problem and Intervention in search Advanced search options Truncation: Asterick * Boolean operators AND – narrows search AND NOT – finds documents which have the first word but not the second word OR – broadens search

Information Resources Library Database - Journal Search http://www.howardcc.edu/students/campus_services/library/ Databases: ProQuest Nursing Ovid

Access - Search EBP Guidelines: Cochrane Reviews http://www.cochrane.org/reviews/ National Guideline Clearinghouse http://www.guideline.gov/ Registered Nurses Association of Ontario http://www.rnao.org/

Access - Search Government Agencies National Organizations Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality CDC FDA PubMed National Organizations American Diabetes Association American Heart Association

Evaluate – Analyze Is the quality of the information/study good enough to use the results? Reputable sources Peer-reviewed or scholarly journals Evaluation of Web sites Source--recognized authority Unbiased & credentialed Intended audience Accurate & complete information Current & updated

Hierarchy of Evidence From Shirm, V. (2007). Evidence Based Practice Tutorial for Nurses.

Levels of Evidence Level I : systematic review of random controlled tests (RCT) Level II: Evidence obtained from at least one well-designed RCT Level III: one well-designed controlled trials without randomization Level IV: well-designed case-control and cohort studies Level V: systematic reviews of descriptive or qualitative study Level VI : single descriptive or qualities study Level VII: opinion of authorities and/or reports of expert committees

Use – Apply Application of results Are the findings applicable in my setting? What do the results mean for my patient? Ethical use of information & resources Citation of print and online sources APA Format

Practice Situation: There have been several readmissions for diabetic patients with foot ulcers. You note different treatments are being used and that your unit does not have patient education materials on foot care. Formulate a Question using PICO

Practice - Search Journals: Library Database EBP Guidelines Cochrane Review: http://www.cochrane.org/reviews/ National Guideline Clearinghouse http://www.guideline.gov/

Practice - Search American Diabetes Association http://www.diabetes.org/ Medline Plus http://medlineplus.gov/ Google & Google Scholar http://www.google.com/

Practice Evaluate quality of information found. Are the findings applicable to my patient? How would changes in practice be implemented?

References Craig, J. and Smyth, R. (2002) The Evidence-based practice manual for nurses. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingston. Shirm, V. (2007). Evidence based practice tutorial for nurses. Retrieved June 23, 2009, from Penn State University Park website http://www.libraries.psu.edu/instruction/ebpt-07/index.htm