Page 533 - Encyclopedia of Nursing Research

500 n SySTemATIC ReVIeW

the public. Further study of successful recov-
ery by nurses could help design more effec- SyStematic review
S tive return-to-work programs and underscore
the economic argument for policies that sup-
port rehabilitation and retention, which have The volume of information and data avail-
demonstrable financial benefits. Although able for consideration when making a clinical
significant numbers of nurses are enrolled decision is increasing at unprecedented rates.
in monitoring and peer assistance associated It has become impossible for nurses to keep
with alternative to discipline programs, there up with the literature in their field on a regu-
is little research to support outcomes. This is lar basis. Systematic reviews summarize evi-
in contrast to findings supporting some of the dence across relevant studies, published and
highest long-term addiction recovery rates unpublished. This scholarly integration of
recorded for physicians; one study reported research findings and other evidence forms
that 78% of 904 recovering physicians tested the foundation for evidence-based practice
regularly (mean = 83 tests) over a period of allowing the practitioner to make up-to-date
four 1/2 years had negative results on every decisions.
single test (Dupont, mclellan, White, merlo, A systematic review involves the identi-
& gold, 2007). Such evidence on recovery fication, selection, appraisal, and synthesis of
in nurses could promote healthy lifestyles the best available evidence for clinical deci-
among nurses and encourage the pursuit of sion making. A properly conducted system-
better treatment outcomes for health profes- atic review uses reproducible, preplanned
sionals, typically seen as health role models strategies to reduce bias and instill rigor
by the public (Smith & leggat, 2007). The and pools information from both published
retention of educated and experienced nurses and unpublished sources. The inclusion of
contributes to alleviating the nursing short- unpublished studies and reports is necessary
age, improves patient care, and strengthens to avoid, to the extent possible, a publication
professional resources (Trinkoff, 2006). bias. The holistic understanding provided
The growing evidence on risk factors by a systematic review negates the reduc-
suggests that early intervention with vulner- tionist view provided by a single study and
able nursing students and nurses could deter allows the researcher to make sense of grow-
the prevalence of substance dependence. ing bodies of information (Cook, mulrow, &
education about these and policies that pro- haynes, 1997).
mote healthy work environments should also Systematic reviews are conducted
be evaluated. Unfortunately, little research to answer specific, often narrow, clinical
exists on relationship of increased addictions questions. These questions are formulated
education in medical or nursing programs according to the mnemonic pICO address-
on improved personal outcomes. Despite ing: a specific population (p) (such as peo-
a 47% increase in the hours dedicated to ple traveling long distance), the intervention
drug abuse education in anesthesiology pro- of interest (I) (e.g., preventive measures for
grams, for example, addiction rates remained deep vein thrombosis), an optional com-
largely unchanged (Booth, grossman, moore, parison (C) (such as the standard of care,
lineberger, Reynolds, Reves & Sheffield, which may be no intervention), and one or
2002). educational interventions in nursing more specific outcomes (such as prevention
curricula have yet to be evaluated beyond of deep vein thrombosis). An example, then,
the outcomes of small addictions specialty of a question for systematic review would be,
programs (naegle, 2002). In long-distance travelers, what is the most
effective method of preventing deep vein
Madeline A. Naegle thrombosis?