Step 0: Cultivate a spirit of inquiry – choosing a topic
When choosing a topic my team members and I all came to an agreement that we wanted to focus our paper on suicide in the nursing profession. Suicide has affected all three of our lives in a way that we wanted to further our education on new implications we can implement into the nursing profession to help decrease the rate of suicide. Our team didn’t experience any challenges when it came with choosing a topic.
Step 1: Ask the burning clinical question in PICOT format
Our team struggled with the wording of our PICOT question. We knew we wanted to focus on suicide in nursing, but wasn’t sure what we wanted our focus to be on. Whether it be the factors, rate, difference in other occupations, etc. We decided to focus our paper on the factors that influence suicide in nursing. Our team reached out for help when we needed it, and made sure our PICOT question was worded properly.
Step 2: Search for and collect the most relevant evidence – finding articles
Finding the articles was more challenging at first. It was hard to locate articles that were primitive to the US, within 5 years of publication, and focusing on our PICOT question. After a few days of researching we were able to find suitable articles with the help from our professor and library staff. My team organized weekly work so we would always be on schedule.
Step 3: Critically appraise the evidence – Part I (rapid critical appraisal)
The rapid critical appraisal worksheets was more challenging for our team. How our team divided up work was by weeks. So this was my week to complete all 6 worksheets. After the fourth worksheet it started to get more confusing where I was putting the evidence and ended up switching two of the worksheets. In the future may group talked about dividing the work load up differently so it wouldn’t be on just one student for that week.
Step 3: Critically appraise the evidence – Part II (evidence table & annotated bibliography)
The evidence table was easy to put the information from the rapid sheets into the table. This week was assigned to a different team member who would set up video calls with me and ask questions that they had off my appraisals. After the team member completed the table and bibliography we set up a video call where I looked over the finish work and would add extra information.
Step 3: Critically appraise the evidence – Part III (synthesis – writing the paper)
When it came to writing the paper my team and I each focused on a portion of the paper to write. It was easier for it to flow when only one person focused on certain sections. With disagreements we would resolve within a short period of time to ensure our paper said exactly what we wanted to say. Our rough draft needed work, but after revision it was completed in the way we wanted it.
Final reflection:
I learned that this is a long process to implement any change. The order to go about changing something in healthcare needs to be supported by factual evidence that is scholarly. In the future I will be able to implement what I learned from this class and who to ask for help.
