ADVANCED LEVELS OF CLINICAL INQUIRY AND SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS
Your quest to purchase a new car begins with an identification of the factors important to you. As you conduct a search of cars that rate high on those factors, you collect evidence and try to understand the extent of that evidence. A report that suggests a certain make and model of automobile has high mileage is encouraging. But who produced that report? How valid is it? How was the data collected, and what was the sample size?
delve deeper into clinical inquiry by closely examining your PICO(T) question. You also begin to analyze the evidence you have collected.
Review the Resources and identify a clinical issue of interest that can form the basis of a clinical inquiry.
Develop a PICO(T) question to address the clinical issue of interest you identified in Module 2 for the Assignment. This PICOT question will remain the same for the entire course.
Use the key words from the PICO(T) question you developed and search at least four different databases in the Walden Library. Identify at least four relevant systematic reviews or other filtered high-level evidence, which includes meta-analyses, critically-appraised topics (evidence syntheses), critically-appraised individual articles (article synopses). The evidence will not necessarily address all the elements of your PICO(T) question, so select the most important concepts to search and find the best evidence available.
Reflect on the process of creating a PICO(T) question and searching for peer-reviewed research.
Sample Solution
Crafting the PICO(T) Question:
- Struggles and insights: Did identifying the key components of your question (population, intervention, comparison, outcome, and timeframe) present any challenges? How did you overcome these challenges, and what valuable insights did you gain in the process?
- Sharpening the focus: Did refining your question lead to a clearer understanding of your clinical issue? How did this impact the scope and direction of your research?
- Balancing feasibility and relevance: Did you need to adjust your question to balance its feasibility for research with its relevance to your area of practice? How did you make this decision,
Full Answer Section
Searching for Evidence:
- Database navigation: Did you encounter any difficulties navigating different databases? Did you discover any helpful tricks or strategies for efficient database searching?
- Critical appraisal: How did you approach the process of critically appraising the research articles you found? What were some key aspects you focused on evaluating?
- Balancing comprehensiveness and quality: Did you feel overwhelmed by the amount of available research? How did you manage to balance searching for a comprehensive pool of evidence with focusing on high-quality sources?
- Unexpected findings: Did your search lead you to any unexpected findings or research directions? How did this influence your understanding of the clinical issue?
Overall Reflections:
- Challenges and growth: What were the biggest challenges you faced throughout the process, and how did you overcome them? What skills or knowledge did you gain through this experience?
- Confidence and competence: Did this exercise enhance your confidence in formulating research questions and critically appraising evidence? How do you envision applying these skills in future practice or research?
- Future directions: Based on your findings, what are some potential next steps for your clinical inquiry? Do you see the need for further research on this topic, or are there opportunities to implement evidence-based practices in your area of practice?
These are just some prompts to stimulate your own reflection. The most valuable insights will come from your personal experience and the specific challenges and discoveries you encountered throughout the PICO(T) question development and research process.
Remember, clinical inquiry is a continuous learning journey. By reflecting on your current experiences and challenges, you can develop valuable skills and knowledge that will equip you to become a more evidence-based and informed healthcare practitioner