Evidence Informed Nursing Practice

Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine

2010-09-10T10:36:00.007-04:00

CEBM has a new Levels of Evidence Table. Read this introduction before using the new (June 2010) Levels Table - Steps in finding evidence (“Levels”) for different types of questions.

As the intro notes, The ''levels" are essentially a heuristic, or short-cut to finding the likely best evidence.

Your feedback to the originators is welcome.

Evidence-based health care and consumers

2010-04-22T14:24:00.004-04:00

Leaders in the evidence-based healthcare movement are working to engage the consumer as an important stakeholder. (For example, visit Healthcare Users in Cochrane and the Cochrane Consumer Network

Here's another example:

Advocacy in the Era of Evidence: An International Summit for Consumer Advocates held in conjunction with the 2010 Cochrane and Campbell Joint Colloquium.

Open to the public, this is a unique opportunity for consumers to meet with leaders in the evidence-based healthcare movement for the purpose of building meaningful partnerships and exchanging ideas.

For more information, please contact Janie Gordon jlgordon@jhsph.edu

Evidence Based Nursing Journal - a different format

2010-02-26T11:55:00.005-05:00

If you love the Evidence Based Nursing journal, as I do, you will notice several changes in 2010 with the 13th volume. Find out about their new format and rationale.

Articles will be published on the journal's BMJ website as they are available. The structured abstract will be replaced with a link to the abstract of the original article being discussed, allowing more space for the commentary. EBN's Purpose and Procedure reflects these changes.

Here's a farewell message from the previous editorial team, noting the cessation of the production of the journal at McMaster University and its transfer.

Having been a fan of the journal since the "get-go", I'll be taking a careful look at this evolution. You, too, are welcome to chime in with your opinion!

Policymakers - an excellent series for you

2010-02-26T11:28:00.005-05:00

The journal Health Research Policy and Systems has published a wonderful series of articles "written for people responsible for making decisions about health policies and programmes and for those who support these decision makers."

Access this theme issue, Volume 7, Supplement 1 (16 December 2009) free online.

SUPPORT Tools for evidence-informed health Policymaking (STP)
Guides
Edited by Andy Oxman and Stephen Hanney

Writing up research?

2010-01-29T11:46:00.001-05:00

You may be interested in the National Library of Medicine's Research Reporting Guidelines and Initiatives: By Organization

Haynes "5S" Model AND "6S" model

2009-12-30T13:35:00.011-05:00

This concise and useful powerpoint presentation is based on R. Brian Haynes' "Of studies, syntheses, synopses, summaries, and systems: the “5S” evolution of information services for evidence-based healthcare decisions." Evid Based Med 2006;11:162-164 doi:10.1136/ebm.11.6.162-a (Also found in Evid Based Nurs 2007;10:6-7 doi:10.1136/ebn.10.1.6)

This guide was created to assist the nursing students of Valparaiso University by Prof. Trisha Mileham, 08/07.

But wait - there is a 6S Model! (pdf):
Evid Based Nurs 2009;12:99-101 doi:10.1136/ebn.12.4.99-b
EBN notebook: Accessing pre-appraised evidence: fine-tuning the 5S model into a 6S model by Alba DiCenso, Liz Bayley, R Brian Haynes

GRADE workshop

2009-12-02T10:22:00.005-05:00

An upcoming workshop of interest: The GRADE approach to Diagnostic Tests and Strategies.
February 12, 2010
Montreal
$250

The GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessments, Development and Evaluation) group has been doing great work for nearly a decade now, developing a common, sensible and transparent approach to grading quality of evidence and strength of recommendations. Their approach is increasingly being adopted worldwide. Check out their website for additional information.

Systematic Reviews

2009-09-03T11:48:00.002-04:00

Good information in a nutshell. Intended for librarians, but good for all, especially the links:
Systematic Reviews - Getting Started with Your Patrons

PRISMA Statement

2009-07-28T10:36:00.003-04:00

The Cochrane Bias Methods Group announces...

The PRISMA Statement has just been published which is the updated QUOROM guidelines for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Details of free access to the full text of the Statement and the fuller document of 'explanation and elaboration' of the reporting items are given below:

PRISMA Guidelines:
Moher D, Liberati A, Tetzlaff J, Altman DG, The PRISMA Group (2009) Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: The PRISMA Statement. PLoS Med 6(7): e1000097. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1000097 (available here)

Explanation and Elaboration:
Liberati A, Altman DG, Tetzlaff J, Mulrow C, Gøtzsche PC, et al. 2009 The PRISMA Statement for Reporting Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses of Studies That Evaluate Health Care Interventions: Explanation and Elaboration. PLoS Med 6(7): e1000100. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1000100 (available here)

Hear ye, Hear ye: Podcasts on Systematic Reviews

2009-07-07T14:09:00.005-04:00

Access conference podcasts from the recent US Cochrane Center Stakeholder Summit (June 4-5, 2009)on Using Quality Systematic Reviews to Inform Evidence-based Guidelines.

Take a listen to experts presenting the latest methods and practices for systematic review and guideline development, along with successes, pitfalls, current challenges and future opportunities for evidence-based guidelines.

Narrative Evidence Based Medicine

2009-07-06T14:00:00.005-04:00

Following Rita Charon's work, I call to your attention two noteworthy articles:

Charon, Rita and Peter Wyer. The art of medicine: Narrative evidence based medicine. 2008 Lancet 371, January 26, 296-7

Goyal RK, Charon R, Lekas H, Fullilove MT, Devlin MJ, Diplnf LF, Wyer PC. 'A local habitation and a name': How narrative evidence-based medicine transforms the translational research paradigm. 2008 Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice 14:732-41.

At Columbia University, Charon and others comprise The Narrative Evidence Based Medicine Working Group

Good web offering

2009-07-01T12:01:00.002-04:00

EBP for the EBP (Extremely Busy Practitioner): Using Search Engines and Databases
Susan Fowler - Washington University

NYC workshop of note

2009-06-30T15:32:00.002-04:00

As more and more practitioners desire to implement evidence based health care, here's a workshop of interest in my home state:

Teaching Evidence Assimilation for Collaborative Healthcare - please note the excellent plenary speakers

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

2009-06-30T15:07:00.000-04:00

FYI, news from the Cochrane Collaboration:

The 2008 impact factors have now been published by Thomson ISI. UB users have access via Journal Citation Reports.

The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews has an IMPACT FACTOR OF 5.182 and is ranked 12th out of 107 in the ISI category Medicine, General & Internal. The 2007 IF was 4.654 and the ranking was 14th out of 100.

IOM's Priority Topics

2009-06-30T11:59:00.003-04:00

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 called on the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to recommend a list of priority topics to be the initial focus of a new national investment in comparative effectiveness research.

The IOM’s recommendations are contained in the report, Initial National Priorities for Comparative Effectiveness Research. (read online free)

Here is the list of 100 Initial Priority Topics for Comparative Effectiveness Research. The topics are listed by groups of 25. The first quartile is considered the highest priority group and the fourth quartile the lowest. Within each group, however, the order of individual topics does not indicate rank.

Conference in Baltimore

2009-06-01T11:39:00.003-04:00

Using Quality Systematic Reviews to Inform Evidence-based Guidelines

June 4 - 5, 2009

Baltimore's Tremont Suite Hotel, Baltimore, Maryland

Sessions:

Standards for systematic reviews: Internal needs and perspectives from the guidelines producers

Thorny problems for guidelines developers

Ensuring the guideline is a trusted source

Workshops

GRADE Profiler: How to make it work for you

Options for formal consensus processes: The steps to success

Getting physicians on-board with guideline development

Incorporating systematic reviews into practice guidelines

To register and get more information

Do you know about Rand COMPARE?

2009-05-21T13:26:00.003-04:00

COMPARE is "a transparent, evidence-based approach to providing information and tools to help policymakers, the media, and other interested parties understand, design, and evaluate health policies."

It address topics such as What is the current state of the U.S. health system ?

COMPARE has four objectives:

Synthesize what is known about the current health care system.

Describe policy options that have been proposed to address one or more existing challenges.

Analyze the effects of different health care policy options on multiple dimensions of health system performance.

Identify gaps in our knowledge about the effects of policy changes.

COMPARE is conducted by RAND Health, a division of the RAND Corporation. RAND Health is one of the world’s largest private health research groups.

Do you know about this Cochrane resource?

2009-05-15T13:30:00.004-04:00

As always, the Cochrane Collaboration is hard at work putting the evidence together. Check out their Evidence Aid project. It includes podcasts and other good information pertaining to natural disasters and other healthcare emergencies large-scale concerns. Find information there on Influenza A/H1N1.

GRADE Working Group

2009-05-07T12:54:00.005-04:00

The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (short GRADE) Working Group is doing excellent work. Check out their FAQ and the importance of grading medical information.

Upcoming Evidence Based Workshops

2009-04-03T10:26:00.003-04:00

Event: Stakeholder Summit on Using Quality Systematic Reviews to Inform Evidence-based Guidelines

Host: US Cochrane Center

Date: 4-5 June, 2009

Location: Baltimore, Maryland (USA)

Details: Join with other leading evidence-based clinical guideline producers for a summit to address the use of quality systematic reviews to inform evidence-based guidelines. Hear from experts on the latest methods and practices for systematic review and guideline development. Share successes, pitfalls, current challenges and future opportunities for evidence-based guidelines. Consider the role of clinical guidelines in the shifting federal debate about quality health care and comparative effectiveness. Engage with guideline developers from multiple disciplines to consider:

Contact: Janie Gordon
Telephone: 410-502-4641
Email: jlgordon@jhsph.edu

Event: 11th Rocky Mountain Workshop on How to Practice Evidence-based Health Care (EBHC Workshop)

Host: University of Colorado Denver

Date: 26-30 July, 2009

Location: Vail Cascade Club & Resort; Vail, Colorado (USA)

Details: This five-day, hands-on workshop is held annually in the summer at one of the beautiful resorts in the Rocky Mountains. Directed by Andy Oxman, Senior Researcher from the Norwegian Knowledge Centre for the Health Services, and Judith Baxter, from the Colorado School of Public Health at the University of Colorado Denver, this workshop features a cadre of world-renowned teachers, practitioners and researchers from the arena of evidence-based health care.

Contact: Jen Stachelski
Telephone: 303-724-7550
Email: Jennifer.mcintyre@ucdenver.edu

New Tutorial

2009-02-24T11:34:00.004-05:00

I created a new tutorial:
Evidence-based Healthcare Resources for Nurses
designed with my user group, UB's School of Nursing, in mind.

It's about 40 minutes, reviews evidence based practice in the beginning, then moves on to an overview of resources I recommend. Two open sources, PubMed Clinical Queries and National Guideline Clearinghouse are included, along with several subscription resources requiring UB I.D. to access.

Your feedback is most welcome.

Summer Institute on Evidence-Based Practice

2009-01-23T12:58:00.004-05:00

This is an excellent conference, now I believe in it's 8th year.

2009 Summer Institute on Evidence-Based Practice
"ACHIEVING EXCELLENCE WITH EVIDENCE"
July 9 - 11, 2009; Pre-Conferences July 8, 2009
San Antonio, Texas

Sponsored by the Academic Center for Evidence-Based Practice and The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio - School of Nursing

Interesting Project

2008-12-24T10:45:00.003-05:00

I came across this most interesting project: The Society for Clinical Trials and Project ImpACT. Project ImpACT was initiated in 2003 at Johns Hopkins University.

Its goal is to identify and develop a comprehensive description of the most important randomized controlled trials (RCTs) performed in the fields of medicine and public health since 1948.

Take a look at its long and short term aims and background.

It pays to look at the Advisory Board. Funders include the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and interestingly, GlaxoSmithKline.

Unfortunately, Nursing is not listed as a discipline and thus not directly searchable, but many of the trials are of significant interest to nurses, particularly advance practice nurses.

Take a look and share with appropriate people at your institution. Perhaps there is a "Trial of the Year" to be nominated?

The hard part - applying the evidence

2008-12-23T11:10:00.003-05:00

The latest issue (January 2009) of my favorite journal, Evidence Based Nursing, has a wonderful piece by Paul Glasziou on putting evidence into action. Get a cup of coffee and have a quick read of this practical advice.

EBN NOTEBOOK
Applying evidence: what’s the next action?
Paul Glasziou
Evidence-Based Nursing 2009;12:7-8; doi:10.1136/ebn.12.1.7

The same issue announces a new feature for students. I encourage you to take a look.

Happy Holidays and Year End Festivities!

Cochrane mention on ER

2008-12-17T10:00:00.001-05:00

Janice Gordon submitted this notice in a recent Cochrane newsletter:

Cochrane Reviews have made it into popular American culture on ER, a long-running television medical drama. In a recent episode a young physical therapy student comes into the emergency room with an exercise injury. Diagnosed with a sprain and instructed to rest, ice and elevate, she interrupts with "and early weight-bearing gives superior functional results compared to immobilization: Cochrane Review, 2004." To see the clip scroll to the bottom right. The scene is at minute 22.

New Book

2008-12-02T13:34:00.001-05:00

The first edition was essential - now the second edition is available.

Users' Guides to the Medical Literature: Essentials of Evidence-Based Clinical Practice, Second Edition
By Gordon Guyatt, Drummond Rennie, Maureen Meade, Deborah Cook
2008
Paperback, 600 pages
ISBN 0071590382 / 9780071590389
Buy on Amazon or from McGrawHill Professional

Review quote

"This second edition is even better than the original. Information is easier to find and the additional resources that will be available at www.JAMAevidence.com will provide readers with a one-stop source for evidence-based medicine. 5 Stars!"-- Doody's Review Service

Multimedia Available - October Cochrane Colloquium

2008-10-30T11:27:00.003-04:00

Not able to attend the 16th Cochrane Colloquium, "Evidence in the Era of Globalisation" in Freiburg, Germany this past October 3-7, 2008?

Thanks to technology, here's a chance to catch up.

This year's Colloquium offers several virtual components:

* Virtual Poster Session (beta) - view posters online from the
poster sessions

* Multimedia from the Plenary Sessions - PowerPoints, audio files
(mp3) and Slidecasts (audio synched to the PowerPoint) for all
Plenary Sessions

Go here and look under "Virtual Colloquium."
If you experience any technical difficulties with these virtual products, email web@cochrane.org.

Cochrane Systematic Review Workshop

2008-10-02T14:36:00.001-04:00

"Completing a Cochrane Systematic Review Workshop"

January 15-17, 2009

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

This workshop guides participants through the steps of developing a systematic review and includes presentations about Cochrane methodology and hands-on practice using the Cochrane Collaboration's Review Manager (RevMan) software.

Priority registration for those interested in contributing to the Cochrane Eyes and Vision Group. Those with Cochrane registered titles, protocols, and reviews as well as those interested in learning more about systematic reviews are also accepted, space permitting.

Contact: Ann Ervin (uscevg@jhsph.edu) or go to the website
for more information.

Psychwiki: Meta-analysis

2008-08-15T11:47:00.000-04:00

I came across Psychwiki which offers a great section on meta-analysis. Of course it is intended for Psychology, but Nursing folks will like the information as well.

‘Thematic Synthesis’ - what is it?

2008-08-14T15:26:00.002-04:00

This paper presents one approach to the synthesis of findings of qualitative research which the authors call ‘thematic synthesis’.

Methods for the thematic synthesis of qualitative research in systematic reviews. James Thomas and Angela Harden
Methods for Research Synthesis Node, Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Co-ordinating (EPPI-)Centre, Social Science Research Unit, 18 Woburn Square, London WC1H 0NS
http://eppi.ioe.ac.uk/cms/Default.aspx?tabid=188
ESRC National Centre for Research Methods
NCRM Working Paper Series
Number (10/07)

Here's the abstract. See if it is of interest to you.

"There is a growing recognition of the value of synthesising qualitative research in the evidence base in order to facilitate effective and appropriate policy and practice. In response to this, methods for undertaking these syntheses are currently being developed. Thematic analysis is a method that is often used to analyse data in primary qualitative research. This paper reports on the use of this type of analysis in systematic reviews to bring together and integrate the findings of multiple qualitative studies. We describe the activity of thematic synthesis, outline several steps for its conduct and illustrate the process and outcome of this approach using a completed review of health promotion and public health research. We compare thematic synthesis to other methods for the synthesis of qualitative research and discuss issues of context and rigour."

Evidence Based Public Health Nursing

2008-07-25T13:45:00.000-04:00

Public Health nurses - visit:
EBPHN: Access to Electronic Health Information

Qualitative Systematic Reviews

2008-07-22T15:08:00.001-04:00

ASQUS - new discussion list for qualitative systematic reviews methods

The Cochrane Collaboration Qualitative Research Methods Group is pleased to invite you (via sender Andrew Booth - A.Booth@sheffield.ac.uk) to join ASQUS - the new discussion list for sharing methodological developments in qualitative evidence syntheses (qualitative systematic reviews). This list will be used to exchange methodological developments, details of new publications, provide advice and share details of training and conference events.

If you have a question on Qualitative Evidence Synthesis ASQUS!

Here's how to join :
From the homepage follow the link "Join or leave the list (or change settings)". Fill in your email address, name, and select which options you want to set for your subscription. Click on the 'Join...' button.

A excellent EBN Tutorial

2008-07-21T10:51:00.000-04:00

Visit this wonderful Evidence Based Practice Tutorial for Nurses from Penn State.

It is a wonderful teaching tool and review.

CINAHL - What is...?

2008-07-18T12:42:00.003-04:00

What is included in the CINAHL Evidence-Based Practice limiter?

Click here to find out!

What is Evidence-Based Practice in CINAHL?

Answer

New Nursing Books of Interest

2008-06-18T13:45:00.005-04:00

I have been meaning to thoughtfully review the following 4 books. Until I catch up with doing that, the next best thing is to let you know these are out there.

Evidence-based nursing: the research-practice connection by Sarah Jo Brown. Sudbury, Mass.: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2009. 389 p.

Reviewing research evidence for nursing practice: systematic reviews edited by Christine Webb and Brenda Roe. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub., 2007. 266 p.

Johns Hopkins nursing evidence-based practice model and guidelines by Robin P. Newhouse, et al. Indianapolis : Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, 2007. 224 p.
I found the Exemplars and Appendices (Question Development Tool, Evidence Rating Scale, Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice Model, Research and Non-Research Evidence Appraisal forms, and others) particularly valuable.

Evidence-based practice manual for nurses edited by Jean V. Craig, Rosalind L. Smyth. New York: Churchill Livingstone, 2007. 2nd Ed. 363 p.

Excellent Conference

2008-06-06T11:12:00.000-04:00

Information on the Seventh Annual SUMMER INSTITUTE ON EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE

2008 Theme: Innovation for Quality & Safety
June 26-28, 2008; Pre Conferences June 25
Crowne Plaza Riverwalk Hotel, San Antonio, Texas

HIGHLIGHTS
* The new IOM Report: What Works in Health Care
* Introduction to NEW AHRQ Health Care Innovations Exchange Adopt changes that make a difference in care outcomes
* Strong Care Processes, Strong Care Providers: The balance between change and change agent
* Magnet Recognition and EBP: Employing EBP
* Adventures in Innovation
* Strong Care Teams for the Front Line
* Strengthening Caregivers to Innovate for Safety & Quality
* Patient-Centered Evidence: Link between qualitative research and best practice

Citing

2008-06-04T10:20:00.000-04:00

I get this question every once in a while:
How to cite Cochrane Collaboration products

EBM links

2008-05-28T10:28:00.001-04:00

Good set of links for health professionals concerning all things "evidence" here.

From Australia's newly launched CareSearch.

Definition of evidence

2008-05-28T10:16:00.000-04:00

The Canadian Health Services Research Foundation offers this definition of evidence:

Evidence is information that comes closest to the facts of a matter. The form it takes depends on context. The findings of high-quality, methodologically appropriate research are the most accurate evidence. Because research is often incomplete and sometimes contradictory or unavailable, other kinds of information are necessary supplements to or stand-ins for research. The evidence base for a decision is the multiple forms of evidence combined to balance rigour with expedience—while privileging the former over the latter.

Attention - Public health decision makers

2008-05-09T13:17:00.000-04:00

Another website of relevance to nurses working in public and community health - health-evidence.ca . On this site is a free, searchable online registry of published research evidence that evaluates public health interventions. Launched in 2005, the registry now features enhanced search capabilities and additional information on each article.

My thanks to Paula Robeson who made this comment to my February 22, 2008 posting. I feature it here so you can be sure to take a look!

Mutimedia Presentations

2008-05-02T12:09:00.002-04:00

I spent some time looking and listening to the multimedia offerings from the German Cochrane Centre's 10th Anniversary Symposium.

For the truly serious, I encourage you to take a look, too!

Especially interesting to me was Iain Chalmers' presentation, Clinical Trials before Archie Cochrane. Fascinating! View this engaging offering from an expert and a scholar and add to your store of knowledge.

Baltimore: U.S. Cochrane Conference

2008-05-01T11:24:00.000-04:00

The U.S. Cochrane Center presents a conference on Priority Setting for Systematic Reviews

July 10 - 11, 2008

Baltimore, MD

"How do we decide which systematic review to do? Is there an ideal system for prioritizing which systematic reviews get done, or are there many ways to make the decision? Policy makers, health care providers, consumers and payers will come together to share current practice, innovative approaches, and untested models to set priorities. Conference participants will explore new and existing priority setting models through plenary sessions, case studies, debates, workshops and discussions. Models, criteria, standards and methods will be presented by a wide variety of individuals and agencies involved in producing systematic reviews."

Request a registration form at uscc@jhsph.edu. Conference fee is $175.00 before June 15th, and $250.00 after June 15th.

Focused questions

2008-04-20T09:14:00.002-04:00

Need some examples of focused clinical questions relevant to nurses?

These were found in the January 2008 issue (volume 11, number 1) of Evidence Based Nursing :

Do vaccines against human papillomavirus (HPV) prevent cervical cancer precursors in young women?

In older people in the community, which interventions reduce fear of falling?

Which components of observable behaviour in patients, their families, and friends indicate a potential for violence toward nurses in the emergency department?

CONSORT update

2008-04-18T09:42:00.001-04:00

Nurses, the CONSORT Group has published a new extension to the CONSORT Statement for reporting randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing non-pharmacologic treatments (NPT).

NPT is of natural interest to nursing researchers since it concerns a wide range of treatments such as surgery, technical interventions, rehabilitation, psychotherapy, behavioral interventions, implantable and non-implantable devices and complementary medicine.

Take a look!

New Project

2008-04-14T11:05:00.002-04:00

LISTEN: Learning Information Seeking and Technology for Evidence-based Nursing
A project designed to improve information literacy competencies of student and professional nurses.

Visit occasionally to see the development of a series of online learning modules,web-based resources, and interactive opportunities. I like their social bookmarking site http://del.icio.us/listenuphealth

Specifically for adult learners who have:

varying professional backgrounds
different learning styles
diverse aptitudes, knowledge, and skills in information technology, information seeking, and information application.

Contact Information:
The LISTEN Project
Cynthia Russell, PhD, RN, Project Director
University of Tennessee Health Science Center
College of Nursing, Room 629
Memphis, TN 38163
901-448-6158

Nurses - Patient Safety

2008-04-07T14:03:00.000-04:00

A new release from AHRQ: Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses.
(AHRQ Publication No. 08-0043). Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD.

Systematic Reviews Conference

2008-04-04T14:08:00.000-04:00

North American Conference on Systematic Reviews July 10-11, 2008

Priority Setting for Systematic Reviews

Hosted by the US Cochrane Center, and to be held in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area. For more information contact Janie Gordon at jlgordon@jhsph.edu.

Cochrane News -Consumers

2008-04-04T13:55:00.002-04:00

Janie Gordon, a U.S. Cochrane Center staff member, has worked extensively with advocacy organizations dedicated to increasing citizen access to and understanding of scientific/medical information.

Consumers United for Evidence-based Health Care (CUE)offers two new online resources:

Six minute video highlighting the role of consumers in promoting evidence-based healthcare

and

Understanding Evidence-based Healthcare: A Foundation for Action, an online course for consumer advocates. (6 modules, 10-15 minute each.) Designed to help consumer advocates navigate the world of medical information, critically appraise reports from research studies, and influence the development of responsible public policy in healthcare.

Newly revised Cochrane Handbook

2008-04-01T15:15:00.000-04:00

A major revision of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions (Version 5.0.0) is now available. Access the online version here

Of special interest is:

Chapter 6: Searching for studies
Part 3, especially Chapter 20: Qualitative research and Cochrane reviews

Definition of evidence based health care

2008-02-29T13:51:00.001-05:00

Bandolier has posted a nice definition of evidence based health care that they have shared from a letter from Dr. Nicholas Hicks:

"Evidence based health care takes place when decisions that affect the care of patients are taken with due weight accorded to all valid, relevant information."

As Dr. Hicks notes, several things follow from this definition...

New website to watch

2008-02-22T14:55:00.001-05:00

The EQUATOR Network is a new international initiative that aims to improve the reliability of scientific publications by promoting transparent and accurate reporting of health research. As they note, "Too often, good research evidence is undermined by poor quality reporting."

Although many of the sections are under development, it bears watching. You can sign up for email news.

EBN Journal opportunity

2008-02-01T14:09:00.000-05:00

If you are an Evidence-Based Nursing journal fan, as I am, you may be interested in their editor's invitation!

Sign up to be a MOREebn rater. You will receive high-quality articles in your clinical area, sent to you at a frequency that you determine and can change at any time. You rate these current studies and systematic reviews for relevance to your clinical practice and newsworthiness (ie, comprises new information or simply reconfirms what is already known). The benefits of being a rater include keeping up with new research in your clinical area and documentation of your participation for your professional portfolio.

This is in association with the journal's new 2008 enhancement:
At the end of each abstract of quantitative studies or reviews, you will find the clinical impact ratings. These are the average of individual nurse ratings for relevance and newsworthiness based on a 7-point scale (where 7 = the most relevant and newsworthy). The relevance and newsworthiness ratings are assigned by practising nurses who have signed on to be MOREebn raters.

Evidence Pods from Cochrane

2008-01-25T15:04:00.000-05:00

The Cochrane Collaboration now highlights some of its reviews in "Evidence Pods." Take a listen to some of their audio summaries:

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for low back pain

Cranberries for preventing urinary tract infections

Water for wound cleansing

Infection control strategies for preventing the transmission of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in nursing homes for older people

Music Therapy for depression

Hand washing for preventing diarrhoea

Hawthorn extract for treating chronic heart failure

UB users, search the full Cochrane databases through the health Sciences Library's Evidence Based Medical Reviews.

Canadian Cochrane Symposium

2008-01-10T15:26:00.000-05:00

Early bird registration for the 6th Annual Canadian Cochrane Symposium 2008 closes January 14, 2008. Thinking about going to Edmonton? The featured speakers list reads like a Who's Who in EBM!

Campbell Collaboration Colloquium

2007-12-21T12:00:00.000-05:00

You are invited to the 2008 Campbell Collaboration (C2) Colloquium in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from May 12 to 14, 2008.

The theme of the 2008 Colloquium is Speaking Truth to Power: Evidence for Decisions in Education, Social Welfare, and Criminal Justice.

To find out more about the colloquium visit the Eight Annual International Campbell Collaboration Colloquium website.

OVID enhances EBMR Reviews

2007-12-20T14:17:00.000-05:00

OVID users, the Cochrane Methodology Register (CMR), available at no charge on the web, is also now available via EBM Reviews. CMR citations concern methodologies used in health studies publications. The database may be searched separately.

The Cochrane Database of Methodology Reviews (CDMR), also from the Cochrane Collaboration, has now been incorporated into the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. CDMR are full-text methodology reviews.

Also available within EBM Reviews and available for searching separately are:

Health Technology Assessment (HTA) - citations to studies on implications of healthcare interventions

NHS Economic Evaluation Database (NHSEED) - abstracts of quality assessed economic evaluations

UB users, be sure to check out our full lineup of biomedical databases available to you as you search for "all things evidence!"

Campbell Collaboration

2007-11-30T14:33:00.000-05:00

The Campbell Collaboration (C2) is a younger sibling of The Cochrane Collaboration, focusing on education, crime and justice, and social welfare. Educators, you might want to check it out!

In Washington? Interesting Workshop

2007-11-19T14:45:00.000-05:00

Free and open to the public:

Redesigning the Clinical Effectiveness Research Paradigm: Innovation and Practice-Based Approaches
The fourth workshop of the EBM Roundtable's Learning Healthcare System series

December 12-13, 2007

The National Academy of Sciences Building Lecture Room
2100 C Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037

Register online and download the agenda.

Another regional offering of interest

2007-11-19T11:10:00.000-05:00

The second Invitational Conference on Evidence-Based Nursing Practice is sponsored by the New Jersey Center for Evidence-Based Practice at UMDNJ-School of Nursing. It will be held Friday, December 7, 2007, beginning at 8:30 a.m. at the Morristown Memorial Hospital. The program provides 5 NJSNA contact hours.

The seminar includes a keynote presentation, Developing an Agenda for Quality and Patient Safety, by Suzanne C. Beyea, PhD, RN, FAAN, Director of Nursing Research at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.

Distinguished faculty presentations also include Best Practices for Teaching Evidence-Based Practice by Susan Stillwell, RN, MSN, CNE, CCRN, Arizona State University College of Nursing and Healthcare Innovation Center for Evidence-Based Practice.

Regional Class Offering

2007-10-17T10:37:00.000-04:00

You might be interested in this class offered in New Jersey:

Finding the Evidence: Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing,

November 28, 2007

Co-Sponsored by the Health Sciences Library Association of New Jersey, Health Research and Educational Trust of New Jersey, and the Organization of Nurse Executives of New Jersey.

Full, current access to EBN

2007-09-04T15:23:00.000-04:00

We now have full current access to the journal, Evidence Based Nursing. Color me very happy that you now have access to the latest issues!

Evidence Based Child Health

2007-08-22T12:08:00.000-04:00

A new journal is available, Evidence-Based Child Health: A Ccochrane Review Journal, from Wiley Interscience.

Volume 1, Issue 1, March 2006, contains a nice editorial introduction.

AACN Competencies Document

2007-08-06T14:35:00.001-04:00

The AACN Task Force on the Revision of the Essentials for Baccalaureate Nursing Education has completed the first draft revision of the document which outlines the expected competencies of graduates of baccalaureate nursing programs.

The revised document is available for review and comment on the Web.

Of special interest is section:
Essential III: Beginning Scholarship and Analytical Methods for Evidence-Based Practice.

Cochrane Guide to Online Collaboration

2007-08-01T09:33:00.000-04:00

Reduce your carbon imprint!

The Cochrane Collaboration Web Team has assembled a simple, user-friendly guide to technologies related to distance communication and interaction.

Many of the suggested services are offered for free and could eliminate some face-to-face meetings and the associated environmental impact.

2 new books

2007-07-02T14:26:00.000-04:00

Two new books on the subject:

Evidence-based clinical practice in nursing and health care: Assimilating research, experience and expertise by Alan Pearson, John Field, Zoe Jordan. Oxford; Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub., 2007.
Table of Contents

Nursing research: Methods and critical appraisal for evidence-based practice edited by Geri LoBiondo-Wood, Judith Haber. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby Elsevier, c2006.
With accompanying CD

Sicily statement on evidence-based practice

2007-06-21T14:47:00.000-04:00

Sicily statement on evidence-based practice. Martin Dawes, William Summerskill, Paul Glasziou, Antonino Cartabellotta, Janet Martin, Kevork Hopayian, Franz Porzsolt, Amanda Burls, and James Osborne. BMC Med Educ 2005; 5: 1. doi: 10.1186/1472-6920-5-1.

This consensus statement is based on current literature and incorporates the experience of delegates attending the 2003 Conference of Evidence-Based Health Care Teachers and Developers ("Signposting the future of EBHC"). It provides a clear statement of what Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) means, a description of the skills required to practise in an evidence-based manner and a curriculum that outlines the minimum requirements for training health professionals in EBP.

Cochrane Colloquium 2006 videos

2007-06-15T15:17:00.000-04:00

The videos of the plenary sessions from the 2006 Colloquium in Dublin, Ireland are available for viewing online.

Nurses in particular might be interested in the twenty-minute "Incorporating Qualitative Information in Systematic Reviews" video, which I found very thoughtful.

Clinical Scholars and EBP

2007-05-31T15:04:00.000-04:00

Clinical Scholars at the Bedside - a new online continuing education course from the Nursing Knowledge International website.

It is designed to help you identify the role that clinical scholars play in an Evidence-Based Practice culture. This 6 hour CE course may help you obtain the skills necessary to initiate and sustain and EBP culture.

Article of Interest

2007-05-30T11:19:00.000-04:00

Implications for research from Cochrane reviews. Clarke L, Clarke M, Clarke T. Journal of Health Services Research and Policy 2007; 12:101-103.

Article describes an assessment of the Implications for Research Section in all 2535 Cochrane reviews in Issue 4, 2005 of The Cochrane Library. It shows that Cochrane reviews identify residual uncertainty for many of the interventions assessed and that the reviews are a rich source for ongoing and future healthcare research studies.

Completing a Cochrane Systematic Review Workshop

2007-05-30T11:11:00.000-04:00

Date: 18-20 July 2007
Location: Mount Washington Conference Center, Baltimore, MD
Details: This workshop guides participants through the steps of developing a systematic review. The workshop includes presentations about Cochrane methodology and hands-on practice using the Cochrane Collaboration's Review Manager (RevMan) software.
Contact: Ann Ervin (uscevg@jhsph.edu) or go to the website for more information.

BMJ and the "Change Page"

2007-04-26T10:27:00.000-04:00

BMJ has launched an interesting new feature called the "Change Page." The idea is to alert clinicians to the immediate need for a change in practice in line with current evidence.

See BMJ editor Fiona Godlee's recent Editorial, "The Change Page".

As noted, "the change must be implementable and must offer therapeutic or diagnostic advantage for a reasonably common clinical problem. Compelling and robust evidence must underpin the proposal for change."

Check out the first published Change Page article, "Don't use minocycline as first line oral antibiotic in acne" by P. McManus and I. Iheanacho. BMJ 2007, 334(7585)January 20: 154 in "Journals@Ovid.

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews - enhancement

2007-04-26T10:18:00.000-04:00

This came across CCInfo: Electronic news bulletin of The Cochrane Collaboration.

The Cochrane Database of Methodology Reviews (CDMR) was merged into the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR) with the publication of Issue 2, 2007, of The Cochrane Library on 18th April.

Why is this being done?

This request originated from the Cochrane Methodology Review Group and was approved by the Cochrane Collaboration Publishing Policy and Steering Groups. All Cochrane reviews will now be in a single database, paving the way for further types of reviews (diagnostic test accuracy reviews and overviews of reviews, previously known as umbrella reviews) to be introduced in the future. Other benefits of the merge are the inclusion of methodology reviews in MEDLINE and having them indexed by ISI/Thomson Scientific for the Science Citation Index. Both of these will increase the detection of the reviews and their authors.

All 12 Cochrane reviews and 10 protocols that make up CDMR will be transferred to CDSR and flagged as 'new' as they will be new to CDSR.

Cochrane Database of Sytematic Reviews tutorial

2007-04-24T14:22:00.000-04:00

You may be interested in a brief tutorial I created on the Cochrane Database of Sytematic Reviews (using the OVID platform). It is hosted on the UB School of Nursing website and includes a printable handout. As always, your comments are appreciated!

You will also find there a longer voice-over powerpoint session on evidence based resources.

PIER -a new resource

2007-03-15T14:32:00.000-04:00

PIER - Physician's Information and Education Resource - is a new decision-support tool. Put out by the American College of Physicians, it is an evidence-based medicine point-of-care tool. Although geared to physicians, it may be useful to nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists. For example, you can find information on:

childhood obesity

smoking cessation

otitis media with effusion

handwashing

PIER has links to other resources, including PubMed and the National Guideline Clearinghouse. It uses the Stat!Ref platform, so you may already be familiar with the interface.
Look for it within HUBNET.

Another workshop to consider close to home..

2007-02-26T14:19:00.000-05:00

Evidence-Based Nursing Practice Workshop
One–week intensive course at McMaster University, Hamilton Ontario, June 10-15, 2007.

advance your skills in critical appraisal of research literature
learn strategies for teaching evidence-based nursing practice

Very interested in guidelines?

2007-02-22T15:14:00.000-05:00

Perhaps "Collaboration in Clinical Practice Guidelines," the 4th Guidelines International Network Conference in our region is for you.

Keynote speakers include:
Carolyn Clancy, Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and
Peter Littlejohns, Clinical Director of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, United Kingdom.

Cochrane Collaboration - 7 minute video

2007-02-22T11:05:00.000-05:00

You might be interested in this short video for a general overview, with some emphasis on the health consumer. Tell me how you like it!

Is it Time to Change the Way You Seek Best Evidence?

2007-02-09T09:18:00.000-05:00

The January issue of the Evidence Based Nursing journal has an excellent article by Brian Haynes. A 5 tier model is proposed whereby you can help yourself to the best current evidence using the most "evolved" information services . Haynes suggests you compare this 5S approach with how you usually seek out evidence-based information. Is it time to revise your tactics?

See the article (a copy of the print journal is available at HSL) for the graphic model, but here's a textual summary.

Starting at the top of the 5S pyramid of evidence:

Systems (computerized decision support systems integrated with electronic medical records)
Summaries (Evidence-based textbooks such as Clinical Evidence and PIER) [Clinical Evidence is available through HUBNET's Books @ OVID, and PIER is on it's way]
Synopses (Evidence-based journal abstracts: ACP Journal Club, Evidence Based Nursing, Evidence Based Medicine)
Syntheses (Systematic Reviews: bmjupdates+, Cochrane Library, PubMed Clinical Queries)
Studies (Original journal articles: bmjupdates+, PubMed Clinical Queries, [CINAHL])

Begin your search for evidence at the highest level.

The article is worth a read. As always, if you have questions about accessing any of these resources, drop me a line.

In nursing, what does "best research evidence" refer to?

2007-01-19T11:36:00.000-05:00

"In nursing, best research evidence refers to methodologically sound, clinically relevant research about the effectiveness and safety of nursing interventions, the accuracy and precision of nursing assessment measures, the power of prognostic markers, the strength of causal relationships, the cost-effectiveness of nursing interventions, and the meaning of illness or patient experiences."

p.4

Evidence-Based Nursing: A Guide to Clinical Practice

by DiCenso, Guyatt, and Ciliska

2005

Evidence Based Medicine debate

2007-01-18T14:35:00.000-05:00

This is focused on Medicine, but applicable to Nursing as well: Does "Evidence-Based Medicine" Diminish the Physician's Role?" You may need to register with Medscape, if you haven't already, but it is free and easy.

Evidence Based Nursing Journal

2007-01-17T12:00:00.000-05:00

I am a big fan of the Evidence Based Nursing Journal. Its purpose is "to select from the health related literature those articles reporting studies and reviews that warrant immediate attention by nurses attempting to keep pace with important advances in their profession. These articles are summarised in "value added " abstracts and commented on by clinical experts." It is available to you at no charge on the web minus the current year and the Health Sciences Library has a current print subscription.

Especially valuable are these 3 features. Many of them are available full-text at the website.

Tutorials and other Web Resources

2007-01-10T11:00:00.000-05:00

Great resources exist to strengthen your understanding of evidence based nursing. Here are some suggestions:

Sample scenarios, searches, completed worksheets and CATs for Evidence-Based Nursing

Evidence-Based Nursing: Guides & Tools

Evidence Based Nursing

Resources

2006-12-14T13:15:00.000-05:00

A robust array of evidence-based resources are now available and continue to develop. I'll post several essential ones you should know about here and in the next few postings.

Learn about The Cochrane Library in the first 7 slides of this online module produced by Wiley. Our library offers the major components of the Cochrane Library through OVID's Evidence Based Medicine Reviews.

PubMed Clinical Queries is available to you now and after you leave the University. Of special interest to search are Systematic Reviews and Clinical Study Category.

Practice Guidelines

2006-12-11T12:26:00.000-05:00

You have probably heard of the National Guideline Clearinghouse and others, but have you heard of Nursing Guidelines from the Guidelines International Network? As the organization suggests, it has an international flare. Worth a look.

Essential Competencies for Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing

2006-12-08T14:23:00.000-05:00

Visit the the Academic Center for Evidence-Based Practice, to order a 2005 copy (or check with your library) of The Essential Competencies for Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing. You may also view a PowerPoint presentation on this topic there.

Evidence-Based Nursing: A definition or two

2006-12-08T10:58:00.000-05:00

So what is evidence-based nursing?

"Evidence-based nursing (EBN) means using the best available evidence from research, along with patient preferences and clinical experience, when making nursing decisions."
(Cullum N. EBN Users'Guide: Users' guides to the nursing literature: an introduction. Evidence-Based Nursing 2000 Jul;3:71, doi:10.1136/ebn.3.3.71 with reference to DiCenso A, Cullum N, Ciliska D. Implementing evidence-based nursing: some misconceptions [editorial]. Evidence-Based Nursing 1998 Apr;1:38-40)

and what is evidence-based practice?

"Evidence-based practice is the integration of best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values to facilitate clinical decision-making."
From my favorite book, mentioned earlier, Evidence-Based Nursing: A Guide to Clinical Practice, xxv.

Getting Your Feet Wet - a recommendation

2006-12-06T10:36:00.000-05:00

Serious about evidence based nursing? Want to learn more? I highly recommend Evidence-Based Nursing: A Guide to Clinical Practice by Alba Dicenso, Gordon Guyatt, and Donna Ciliska. Published in 2005, it is concise, readable, and replete with excellent examples. It is a wonderful place to start and a great book to have on hand.

Under Development!

2006-12-05T15:20:00.000-05:00

Check back again soon for more content.