Introduction:** (1/2 page)
** This is not a level heading in APA
✓ Describe the clinical issue (preventing falls in acute care settings), purpose and rationale of the paper.
✓ Acquaint the reader with the background and significance of the clinical issue. The introduction should start out broad to establish the framework for understanding the evidence review then narrowing to the specifics and actual innovative clinical decision based on evidence (the recommendation/conclusion from your evidence).
✓ Discuss what this paper is going to be about and what can the reader expect to learn about in this paper.
✓ The introduction should grab the reader’s attention.
IV. Body of the paper:
Clinical Issue: (1 page)
✓ Identify the clinical issue/problem (falls in acute care settings)
✓ Presents a compelling overview of the relevance of the healthcare issue; the PICOT question (MY PICOT QUESTION: In an acute care setting, how does a falls prevention program compared to a normal standard of practice affect fall rates
within a hospital?) ; the significance of the issue e.g. why is this question important to you? Or why did you decide to use this question?
✓ Discuss why the clinical issue is significant to nursing, patient outcomes, and quality healthcare. (Items to consider: is there a safety or risk concern; are there unsatisfactory patient outcomes; are there wide variations in practice; are there financial concerns; is the clinical concern a time waster; is a quality of care concern?).
✓ Put the PICOT question in the form of a sentence using the PICOT template.
✓ Transition to next section.
Appraisal of the Evidence: (4 pages)
It is to:
✓ Evaluate the foundation of research and internal evidence influencing the clinical issue.
Discuss the overall strength of the evidence in terms of level of evidence, the validity of the evidence and the confidence to act on the evidence.
✓ Statement of the research problem(s) or purpose, research question(s) or hypotheses, study variable, study goals, objectives or aims. Where they related to the problem?
✓ Literature reviews – did they provide a rationale and direction for the studies?
✓ Statement of the theoretical framework if present.
✓ Statement of the research design(s). Were they appropriate to the study? Why or why not?
Level of evidence?
✓ Description of the sample(s), populations and setting
✓ Brief description of the measurement methods used in each study
✓ Brief description of procedure(s) (data collection and analysis)
✓ Interpretation of findings: Statement of the study findings, strengths and limitations – collectively
✓ Statement of the significance of the findings for nursing – collectively
✓ Relevant ideas for future research or implementing findings in practice discussed
Summary of Practice Change: (1 page)
✓ What practice change is warranted? E.g. what does the evidence tell you to do? Findings that flow from the evidence not a restatement of the findings of the studies.
✓ This section reflects why this is clinical issue needs to be investigated; discusses the overall strength of the evidence in terms of level of evidence, and quality indicator or national patient safety goals and your next steps. (For example, in instances where the practice change did not result in less patient falls, what more could be done to change that?)
Conclusion: (1/2 page)
The conclusion emphasizes important points, and demonstrates the possibilities for future exploration of the clinical issue and practice change. Although the conclusion should include a restatement of your clinical issue, it should not simply restate the points you made in your paper; the conclusion should enhance to the reader’s understanding the impact of this clinical issue, on nursing, patient outcome(s) and quality healthcare.
Reference List: In proper APA 6th Edition Format.
APA Formatting: Use level headings to separate the sections of the paper. Proper use of in-text citations, and writing style. DO NOT use I, me or my to describe yourself on the paper. It should be written in the third person.
Font and Margins: Times Roman 12 point font with 1 inch margins.