APPENDIX F

Appraisal Guide:

Findings of a Quantitative Review

Citation:

Synopsis

What was the purpose of the study (research questions, purposes, and hypotheses)?

How was the sample obtained?

What inclusion or exclusion criteria were used?

Who from the sample actually participated or contributed data (demographic or clinical profile and dropout rate)?

What methods were used to collect data (e.g., sequence, timing, types of data, and measures)?

Was an intervention tested? Yes No

1. How was the sample size determined?

2. Were patients randomly assigned to treatment groups? What are the main findings?

Is the study published in a source that required peer review?  Yes   No   Not clear

Was the design used appropriate to the research question?  Yes   No   Not clear *Did the data obtained and the analysis conducted answer the research question?  Yes   No   Not clear

Were the measuring instruments reliable and valid?  Yes   No   Not clear

*Were important extraneous variables and bias controlled?  Yes   No   Not clear

*Was the study free of extraneous variables introduced by how, when, and where the study was done?  Yes   No   Not clear *If an intervention was tested, answer the following five questions: 1. Were participants randomly assigned to groups and were the two groups similar at the start (before the intervention)?  Yes   No   Not clear 2. Were the interventions well defined and consistently delivered?  Yes   No   Not clear 3. Were the groups treated equally other than the difference in the interventions?  Yes   No   Not clear 4. If no difference was found, was the sample size large enough to detect a difference if one existed?  Yes   No   Not clear 5. If a difference was found, are you confident it was due to the intervention?  Yes   No   Not clear Are the findings consistent with findings of other studies?  Yes   No   Not clear Are the findings credible?  Yes   No   Not clear Clinical Significance Is the target population clearly described?  Yes   No   Not clear Is the frequency, association, or treatment effect impressive enough for you to be confident that the finding would make a clinical difference if used as a basis for care?  Yes   No   Not clear Are the findings clinically significant?  Yes   No   Not clear Comments

APPENDIX E

Appraisal Guide:

Findings of a Qualitative Study

Citation:

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Synopsis

What experience, situation, or subculture does the researcher seek to understand?

Does the researcher want to produce a description of an experience, a social process, or an event, or is the goal to generate a theory?

How was data collected?

How did the researcher control his or her biases and preconceptions?

Are specific pieces of data (e.g., direct quotes) and more generalized statements (themes, theories) included in the report?

What are the main findings of the study?

Credibility

Is the study published in a source
that required peer review?  Yes   No   Not clear

Were the methods used appropriate
to the study purpose?  Yes   No   Not clear

Was the sampling of observations or
interviews appropriate and varied
enough to serve the purpose of the study?  Yes   No   Not clear

*Were data collection methods
effective in obtaining in-depth data?  Yes   No   Not clear

Did the data collection methods
avoid the possibility of oversight,
underrepresentation, or
overrepresentation from certain
types of sources?  Yes   No   Not clear

Were data collection and analysis
intermingled in a dynamic way?  Yes   No   Not clear

*Is the data presented in ways that
provide a vivid portrayal of what was
experienced or happened and its
context?  Yes   No   Not clear

*Does the data provided justify
generalized statements, themes,
or theory?  Yes   No   Not clear

Are the findings credible?  Yes All   Yes Some   No

Clinical Significance

*Are the findings rich and informative?  Yes   No   Not clear

*Is the perspective provided
potentially useful in providing
insight, support, or guidance
for assessing patient status
or progress?  Yes   Some  No  Not clear

Are the findings
clinically significant?  Yes All   Yes Some   No

* = Important criteria

Comments

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APP E-2 Brown

Brown APP E-1

APPENDIX C

Appraisal Guide:

Findings of a Integrative Review

Citation:

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Synopsis

How many persons were involved in conducting the review?

What topic or question did the integrative research review address?

How were potential research reports identified?

What determined if a study was included in the analysis?

How many studies were included in the review?

What research designs were used in the studies?

What were the consistent and important across-studies conclusions?

Clinical Significance

Across studies, is the size of the treatment or the strength of the association found or the meaningfulness of qualitative findings strong enough to make a difference in patient outcomes or experiences of care?  Yes   No   Not clear

Are the conclusions relevant to the care the nurse gives?

 Yes   No   Not clear

The conclusions clinically significant?

 Yes   No   Not clear

Applicability

Does the IRR address a problem, situation, or decision we are addressing in our setting?

 Yes   No   Not clear

Are the patients in the studies similar to those we see, either overall or in a subgroup of patients?

 Yes   No   Not clear

What changes, additions, training, or purchases would be needed to implement and sustain a clinical

protocol based on these conclusions?

 Yes   No   Not clear

Specify

Is what we will have to do to implement the new protocol realistically achievable by us (resources, capability, commitment)?

 Yes   No   Not clear

How will we know if our patients are benefiting from our new protocol?

 Yes   No   Not clear

Specify

Should we proceed to design a protocol incorporating these conclusions?

 Yes   No   Not clear

Comments

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