Nursing Research and Application within Evidence Based Practice
Ijeoma Uzoaru
N302: Nursing Research
Lakeview College of Nursing

Nursing Research and Application within Evidence Based Practice
	Many professions such as medicine, law, and engineering depend on the findings of vetted research in order to improve delivery of their services and advance the profession as a whole.  The purpose of this assignment is to establish a subjective discussion related to my own perceptions regarding the meaning of nursing research, the use of nursing research to develop evidence-based practice guidelines, and the exploration of possible challenges that nurses might face while trying to implement nursing research in the practice setting.
When contemplating the meaning of nursing research, I believe that it is a scientific and holistically based process geared towards improving patient care and patient outcomes within a healthcare setting.  According to Burns and Grove (2009), nursing research is a scientific process that validates and refines existing knowledge and generates new knowledge that directly and indirectly influences the delivery of evidence-based practice.  
When it comes to the use of nursing research to develop evidence-based practice guidelines, there are different types of research modalities currently being used such as quantitative, qualitative, outcomes, and interventions research (Burns & Grove, 2009).  The text states that health professionals integrate this evidence based knowledge to control the delivery of care and thereby improve patient outcomes (Burns & Grove, 2009, p. 7).  These remarks support my initial thoughts on evidence-based research.  The textbook goes on to say that nursing science has been developed through the use of predominantly quantitative research methods 
(Burns & Grove, 2009, p. 7).  Quantitative research methods are centered on scientific data and findings.  The key point with quantitative research is that a study must be repeated numerous times and yield similar findings each time in order for the information obtained from that study to be considered sound empirical evidence (Burns & Grove, 2009, p. 7).  I feel as though
There are numerous possible challenges that nurses might face while trying to implement nursing research in the practice setting.  In my opinion, I think that a major area for risk can be found in how nurses obtain knowledge and in their attitudes and personal beliefs.  For example, during my first semester of nursing school, we were taught to inflate the balloon of a Foley catheter, prior to insertion, in order to check that the balloon was intact and had no leaks or tears.  This previous semester while at Provena hospital for my medical surgical clinical rotation, my instructor (Jason Lohmeyer) informed my group that recent evidence-based research findings concluded that there is more potential harm to the client when pre-inflating catheter balloons and that this technique no longer needs to be implemented. 
Nurses and all healthcare professionals should try to keep up to date with current evidenced-based research findings because the professions have accepted these findings as methods for improving patient outcomes.  Unfortunately, there are people who are not as flexible and tend to stick to their ways because they have performed a task that one way their entire careers.  This is dangerous because we are continuously learning more about wellness and disease, which makes changes in practice inevitable.  

My example of the nurse who does not keep up to date with evidence-based research might be maintaining tradition and following results based from personal experience.  The text states that traditions consist of “truths” or beliefs that are based on customs and past trends (Burns & Grove, 2009, p. 8).  The text goes on to say that traditions can be narrow and limit the knowledge sought for nursing practice (Burns & Grove, 2009, p. 9).  Another interesting point the text made was that many traditions have not been tested for accuracy or efficiency and that the body of knowledge for nursing needs to have an empirical rather than a traditional base (Burns & Grove, 2009, p. 9).
I think that older nurses who have worked in the profession the longest have a responsibility to definitely keep up to date with the most current evidence-based research findings.  These nurses have the honor of being looked upon as expert nurses.  Any nurse who wants to be viewed as an expert nurse needs to be able to walk the walk as well.  The text refers to Benner’s five levels of experience in the development of clinical knowledge and expertise (Burns & Grove, 2009, p. 9).  The text goes on to say that clinical expertise of the nurse is a critical component of evidence-based practice (Burns & Grove, 2009, p. 9).  
In summation, nursing is a professional field that engages in evidence-based research in order to improve performance and patient outcomes in the practice setting.  Quantitative research is extremely important in many professions.  In healthcare I think that quantitative research is the best because it is based on science and proven outcomes.  This is important in the delivery of healthcare 
for maintaining the trust of the public and to see continued profit and job availability.  As a nurse advances in the profession, it is important to keep up to date with current evidence-based research findings.  We as nurses are lifelong learners.  Evidence-based research findings are not effective without application.  The data suggests that patients might potentially have poorer outcomes if the findings are not being applied in the practice setting by everyone.   

References
Burns, N., & Grove, S. (2009). The practice of nursing research: Appraisal, synthesis, 
and generation of evidence (6th Ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Saunders.