Learning how to evaluate and critique nursing literature is an essential step in the nursing inquiry process. This quick guide will discuss how to assess any article. This will enable you to feel confident that you are incorporating the best evidence into your practice.
Read the whole article\u2014not just the abstract
Use the same criteria for evaluating all articles
As you read it, ask yourself:\n
What was the purpose?\nWhat was the population studied?\nWas the setting similar to Houston Methodist?\nWere the patients comparable to our patients?\nDid they use appropriate methods?\nWhat were their findings?\nDo their findings make sense?\nHow did things change?\nHow is this important for nursing?\n
You also want to rank the evidence-based on its level of evidence. We recommend using AACN\u2019s Levels of Evidence.1 This scale was designed specifically for nursing literature.
References:
1. Paterson, M.H., Barnason, S., Donnelly, B., Hill, K. Miley, H., Riggs, L., & Whiteman, K. (2014). Choosing the best evidence to guide practice: Application of AACN levels of evidence.
Critical Care Nurse
, 34(2), 58-68.\n
Level A:
Meta-analysis or systematic review of multiple controlled studies \n
Level B:
Evidence from well-designed controlled studies, both randomized and non-randomized\n
Level C:
Evidence from qualitative, integrative reviews, or systematic reviews of qualitative, descriptive, or correlative studies; randomized studies with inconsistent results\n
Level D:
Evidence from peer-reviewed professional organizational standards\n
Level E:
Theory-based evidence from experts or case reports\n