During rounds Charles encounters a rare condition he has never personally seen, and only vaguely remembers hearing about in nursing school. He takes a few moments to prepare himself by searching the Internet. That evening, he researches even further to treat, administer, and assess the patient safely. He searches clinical databases online and his own school textbooks. Most of the information seems consistent, yet some factors vary. Charles wants to provide the highest quality in patient safety.
- 1. What should Charles do when he encounters information in two sources that is directly contradictory? Which resources are the most trusted? Which resources are the most accurate? What criteria should Charles use to identify credible resources to enhance his clinical practice?
- 2. Practice extracting data from a database at the webpage. Compare and contrast data from at least 2 different states based on incidence by gender and race/ethnicity.
- 3. Visit the webpage.
- Choose one of the guidelines and describe how it was developed and summarize the practice recommendations
- How are these recommendations similar to or different from those contained in your textbook or those currently practiced in your clinical setting?
- Choose a clinical topic and design a search strategy for searching an online database such as CINAHL or MEDLINE. Reflect on your search strategy, for example, what search terms did you initially use, what new terms did you discover as you searched, how did you limit/refine your search?
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
As a medical professor responsible for designing assignments, conducting lectures, and assessing the performance of medical college students, it is crucial to provide guidance on how to navigate through clinical resources to ensure the highest quality of patient safety.
1. When encountering contradictory information from two sources, Charles should critically evaluate the credibility of both sources and consider the frequency of occurrence of the condition described. Charles should choose the most trusted and accurate resources to enhance his clinical practice, such as peer-reviewed journals, reputable textbooks, and evidence-based guidelines. He should also consider the author’s qualifications, the year of publication, and the level of evidence presented in the resource.
2. To extract data from a database, students should go to the webpage, select the appropriate database, and navigate to the desired data. For example, students can compare the incidence of a condition between two states based on gender and race/ethnicity. It is essential to ensure that the data sources are reputable and that the samples are representative of the populations.
3. To choose a clinical topic and design a search strategy for an online database, students should identify the key concepts and keywords related to the topic and use Boolean operators, truncation, and limits to refine their search and eliminate irrelevant results. It is essential to evaluate the credibility and relevance of the resources found, consider their currency, and assess the level of evidence that supports the recommendations made.
Conclusion:
Navigating clinical resources can be challenging, but by critically evaluating the credibility, accuracy, relevance, and currency of resources, and using efficient search strategies, students can enhance their clinical practice and ensure the highest quality of patient safety.
