Best practice: An approach or procedure that has produced outstanding results in a previous situation or setting and could be adapted to improve effectiveness of clinical practice in a current situation or setting.

 

Case study: research design (usually prospective) that systematically describes a single person, group, or event.

 

Clinical report (case report): narrative description of the history of a single patient, group or event; not considered a research method because it lacks the rigor and depth of a case study.

 

Case-control study: retrospective research design that compares individuals with a specific condition to those without it, using matched controls; purpose is usually to identify predictors or correlates of a condition (causation).

 

Clinical Practice Guidelines: Statements of recommendations for assessment and intervention for a specific diagnosis or condition; CPG’s are based on rigorous analysis & synthesis of existing evidence by an expert consensus group.

 

Cohort study: prospective research design that studies the outcomes of two groups of people over time: those who were exposed to a condition and those who were not. The purpose is to identify differences between groups over time (prognosis).

 

Controlled trial: experimental design that studies the effect of an intervention or treatment using at least two groups: one that received the intervention and one that did not; participants are NOT randomly assigned to a group (therapy, prevention).

 

Evidenced-based practice: “A problem solving approach to practice that involves the conscientious use of current best evidence in making decisions about patient care; EBP incorporates a systematic search for and critical appraisal of the most relevant evidence to answer a clinical question along with one’s own clinical expertise and patient values and preference.”

[Melnyk, B. & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2005). Evidence-based Practice in Nursing and Healthcare: A Guide to Best Practice. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.]

 

Expert opinion: recommendations from persons with established expertise in a specific clinical area, often based on clinical experience; not considered a research method because systematic inquiry is lacking.

 

Instrument-testing study: descriptive research design, measures accuracy or prognostic ability of assessment tools or diagnostic/screening tools by comparing them to a “gold standard” (instrument or technique with known reliability & validity); (diagnosis).

 

Meta-analysis: systematic synthesis of results of multiple studies of a phenomenon using quantitative techniques; the purpose is to draw conclusions about a condition or effectiveness of an intervention based on data from multiple studies.

 

Qualitative research: method that systematically examines a phenomenon using an inductive approach & exploration of meaning of phenomenon; purpose is to understand & describe human experience, explore meanings & patterns; data are often narrative (meaning).

 

Quantitative research: method that systematically examines phenomena using a deductive approach & measurement of variables, purpose is to describe variables, investigate relationships among variables, determine cause & effect; data are often numerical.

 

Randomized Controlled Trial: experimental design that studies the effect of an intervention or treatment using at least two groups: one that received the intervention and one that did not; participants ARE randomly assigned to a group (therapy, prevention).

 

Research (nursing): A systematic and rigorous investigation using established scientific methods that validates and refines existing knowledge and develops new knowledge; the goal is development of an empirical body of knowledge to guide nursing practice.

 

Research utilization: - Summarizing and using research findings to address a nursing practice problem.

 

Systematic Review: systematic synthesis of results of multiple studies of a phenomenon using non-statistical techniques; an expert panel develops rigorous guidelines to delineate a focus, locate, appraise & synthesize evidence; purpose is to draw conclusions based on existing evidence.