Copyright 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health Lippincott Willi 349561

Copyright 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health Lippincott Williams Wilkins

Identify the key aspects of literature reviews, including their purposes, sources of information, types of searches, and methods for critiquing and synthesizing evidence. Understand the use of matrices in organizing literature, as well as best practices for preparing and writing a review. Recognize the importance of cultural competence in nursing assessments, including historical, subjective, and objective data considerations, especially related to diverse populations. Familiarize with biocultural variations in physical examination findings, laboratory tests, and clinical decision-making, along with examples of how to accommodate cultural differences in nursing care plans.

Grasp the fundamentals of theoretical frameworks, including the purpose of theories, differences between classical, descriptive, grand, middle-range, and conceptual models. Understand schematic models and frameworks, their role in nursing research, and the process of developing conceptual definitions and models of nursing practice. Review common nursing and non-nursing models used in research, and their application to organizational structure within quantitative and qualitative studies.

Paper For Above instruction

The literature review is a foundational component of scholarly research, serving multiple purposes such as identifying gaps in knowledge, orienting researchers to what is currently known or unknown, and demonstrating the need for further studies. It systematically collates relevant evidence, primarily relying on primary sources like research reports conducted by original investigators, while secondary sources such as summaries and reviews are used less frequently. The process of conducting a literature review involves selecting appropriate information sources, including electronic databases like CINAHL and PubMed, employing various search strategies—subject, text word, and author searches—to locate pertinent studies.

To effectively organize information during a literature review, researchers often utilize matrices. Methodologic matrices document the design and quality of research approaches, results matrices categorize findings, and evaluation matrices assess the quality of studies. These tools facilitate thematic analysis and synthesis, enabling a comprehensive understanding of the evidence base. Critical appraisal of individual studies encompasses evaluating methodological rigor and research findings, which collectively underpin evidence-based practice.

When critiquing literature, it’s essential to consider the substantive and theoretical themes, including conceptual, methodological, and substantive dimensions. Organizing information coherently enhances the clarity of a written review, which should follow guidelines on content, style, and critical analysis. Developing a coherent narrative involves synthesizing findings from multiple studies, identifying patterns, contradictions, and gaps in knowledge.

In nursing practice, cultural competence significantly impacts health assessment and care planning. Culturally tailored assessments are vital because they acknowledge clients’ diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and health practices. The health history, a subjective data collection tool, must encompass biographical, genetic, medication, and cultural information. It guides the formulation of culturally responsive care plans that respect individual differences, such as traditional remedies or perceptions of medication. Recognizing biocultural variations is critical in physical examination, where findings like skin pigmentation, vital signs, and body proportions may vary across populations. For example, petechiae are less visible on darkly pigmented skin but are more readily detected in the oral mucosa or conjunctiva.

Nursing assessments also involve understanding biocultural variations in laboratory values, such as hemoglobin levels and cholesterol, which may naturally differ among ethnic groups. Such variation informs clinical decision-making, emphasizing the importance of a culturally sensitive approach in interpreting diagnostic results. Cultural differences extend to health behaviors, beliefs about illness, and preferences for treatment modalities, necessitating a framework of cultural care preservation, accommodation, or restructuring. For example, arranging for a client’s medication schedule to avoid prayer times exemplifies cultural care accommodation, facilitating adherence without compromising cultural values.

On the theoretical side, understanding the nature and scope of theories is essential for advancing nursing science. Theories are abstract representations that explain phenomena, with classical theories providing broad generalizations, descriptive theories offering detailed descriptions, and middle-range theories focusing on specific aspects of human experiences. Conceptual models serve as visual or schematic representations of phenomena, illustrating the relationships among core concepts. These models, whether based on a theoretical framework or conceptual ideas, assist researchers in developing hypotheses and guiding empirical research. They are developed through systematic processes, including literature review, mapping of concepts, and defining conceptual relationships.

In the context of qualitative research, theories such as grounded theory, phenomenology, ethnography, and symbolic interactionism provide data-driven explanations of human experiences and cultural phenomena. Grounded theory, for example, aims to develop new theories grounded in empirical data, often used when existing theories do not adequately explain observed phenomena. Phenomenology explores the lived experience of individuals concerning a particular phenomenon, yielding rich, descriptive insights that inform practice and theory development.

The selection and evaluation of theories or models involve assessing clarity, complexity, grounding, appropriateness, importance, and whether they are applicable within nursing practice. Theories and models are essential in organizing research, guiding analysis, and understanding phenomena. They also underpin the development of conceptual definitions, which clarify the meaning of core concepts through review and synthesis of literature, exemplifying the systematic process of construct development.

Overall, the integration of literature review methodology, cultural competence, and theoretical frameworks forms the backbone of evidence-based nursing practice. By critically appraising research, organizing findings systematically, and applying culturally responsive assessments, nurses can enhance care quality and scholarly inquiry. Furthermore, a deep understanding of theoretical models allows for the development of more precise, contextually relevant research and interventions, ultimately advancing the profession and improving patient outcomes.

References

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• Roberts, C. M., & Yeager, V. A. (2019). Developing a culturally competent nursing care plan. Journal of Nursing Education, 58(3), 133-140.
• Polit, D., & Beck, C. (2021). Essentials of Nursing Research: Appraising Evidence for Nursing Practice. Wolters Kluwer.
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