This assignment comprises of two interlinked sections:
1. An integrative literature review (academic enquiry) on a contemporary researchable clinical problem of your choosing which relates to your field of nursing. Having chosen your research question, you must find 8 research articles which answer your question. These research articles must include primary sources of research; however, you may include a maximum of 2 secondary sources of research (literature reviews).
After thematically analysing the findings from your 8 research articles you will generate 4 theme headings which answer your question. A minimum of two articles must support each theme. The research methods of all 8 articles must be critically appraised in the results section of your assignment.
2. The ‘practice enquiry’ component requires you to propose one realistic recommendation for clinical nursing practice.
This recommendation must be informed by some of the findings discussed in the results section of your assignment. Having rationalised your recommendation, you must critically consider the impact on patients/service users or carers. Finally, you need to analyse the steps involved in implementing your recommendation into one clinical setting. Analysis should illustrate consideration of relevant barriers and facilitators.
– The word limit for this assignment is 4000 words +/- 10%. Word count excludes tables and the
reference list.
– Please use double line spacing in the main body of the assignment.
– Please use font size 12 and theme font Calibri (body) or Arial.
Assignment Guideline: please follow each step
Introduction (500 words max)
• Very brief introduction to your review
• Rationale for the research topic and the specific research question chosen.
• Rationale should be supported by wide range of academic literature. This is necessary to
demonstrate understanding of the subject area you are reviewing. You may also use some clinical
and/or personal experiences to help justify your research question.
• Explain why an integrative review of the literature is important for your research question.
The literature review method as informed by Aveyard, (2014; 2019)
(500 words max)
• A focused research question is required. Refer to your PVEBP notes here in relation to PICO,
PIO and PEO. You can use a table if you wish.
• A clear search strategy explaining how and where you searched for research articles, your search
terms, synonyms and the ways in which you combined them.
• Clear inclusion and exclusion criteria explaining how you narrowed your search to 8 research
articles. Remember, your 8 research articles must include mostly primary research, but you
may also include a maximum of 2 secondary sources of research.
• Discuss how (using critical appraisal tools like CASP) and why you critically appraised the
research design methods of your 8 selected research articles.
• Discuss use of a data extraction table (see figure 1) and attach it as a labelled appendix. The table
to be used in your assignment is under the data extraction table Moodle tile.
• Critical appraisal comments generated from CASP or any other critical appraisal tool must be
entered directly into the “research design strengths and weaknesses” column of your data
extraction table. The amount of critical comments you enter into the data extraction table is up
to you, but there should be no less than 3 critical comments on the research design methods used
in each of your articles.
• A theming table (see figure 2) must be completed and attached as a labelled appendix. Please do
not attempt to complete your theming table until you have completed a data extraction
table for all 8 articles.
• 2-4 themes must be generated. Themes should summarise the key research findings emerging
from your studies and theme headings must answer or directly inform your specific research
question.
Figure 1: Data Extraction Table:
Author, Year and Title Study aim(s) Study design mehod Data Collection Method Research Design Strengths and Weaknesses (Use CASP checklist) Research results/findings
Figure 2: Theming Table
Research findings/result Grouped findings/results Themes
Results (1800 words max)
• 4 themes must be used as subheadings to structure this section.
• Themes discussed in the results section must match the themes identified in the theming table.
• Before you begin to write this section ensure each of your 4 theme headings answer or directly
relate to your research question.
• Research findings (from your 8 research articles) must be discussed under appropriate theme
headings.
• Critically debate whether the research findings discussed are methodologically valid/credible
based on your critical appraisal of the research design methods used in each of your articles.
• There must be 2-3 well explained critical appraisal comments on the research design methods
used in each of your 8 articles. Critical appraisal comments will emerge from the “strengths
and weaknesses column” of your data extraction table.
• Provide a brief summary of the research design methods used evidence in support of each theme.
Additional assignment criteria in relation to the results section-
• There must be a minimum of 2 research articles which relate to each theme heading.
• Each of your 8 research articles must be discussed under at least one theme heading.
• A study can be discussed under more than one theme.
• All critical comments should be explained and supported with relevant academic references.
Implementation of findings (900 words max)
• Make one realistic recommendation for clinical nursing practice based on the research findings
discussed in the results section of the assignment.
• Critically consider how the proposed clinical practice recommendation will impact
patients/service users or carers.
• Using a relevant change theory or framework to analyse the steps involved in implementing your
recommendation into one clinical setting. Analysis should illustrate consideration of the barriers
and facilitators to your recommended change.
Conclusions (300 words max)
• Demonstrate critical consideration of the potential strengths and limitations of your literature
review and clinical practice recommendation.
• Provide a brief summary of the main points from the assignment.
