DOING

IT

BETTER

Putting research into practice

Improving practice with a journal club

BY DEBRA DYCKOFF, RN, CNS, MSN; JULITA MANELA, RN, BSN; AND SHARON VALENTE, RN, PHD

NURSES COMMITTED TO evidence-based practice provide better care for patients and help prevent costly complications. But research literature is often highly technical, and how to apply research ndings to clinical practice may be unclear. Launched in July 2001, our research journal club has proven to be an effective way to help staff nurses read and critically analyze current research. Topics for the journal club, which are recommended by staff nurses and selected by members of the Nursing Research Council, are discussed at monthly lunchtime meetings. Each month, all staff nurses in the institution receive an e-mail and yer inviting them to the next meeting and identifying the topic to be discussed. Topics weve covered include hypertension, depression, anxiety, hepatitis C, and osteoporosis. The invitations also include directions for obtaining or downloading the selected article. At the monthly meeting, a presenter, who may be a researcher or a staff nurse, analyzes the selected article and leads a discussion about applying the ndings to practice. In the clubs early days, presentations also included a minilecture on how to critique research. Other minilectures have helped club members learn how to formulate a research question, review literature, and replicate a study. About 40 nurses attend each meeting. People from other disciplines are welcome to attend and often do. After 6 months, we surveyed nurses on the value of the topics presented in the journal club. They gave the presentations high marks in applicability to practice. In the second year, we expanded the application of research to our nursing practice. For instance, the surgical service designed a pilot study to compare traditional versus current guidelines for withholding food and uids before surgery. Based on the ndings, changes were recommended. In 2002, Sigma Theta Tau awarded the Nursing Research Councils Journal Club and related activities the regional Pinnacle Award for Best Practice.
SELECTED REFERENCES Ciliska, D., et al.: Resources to Enhance Evidence-Based Nursing Practice, AACN Clinical Issues. 12(4):520-528, 2001. Gennaro, S., et al.: Making Evidence-Based Practice a Reality in Your Institution, The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 26(5):236-244, September-October 2001. Higgs, J., et al.: Integrating Clinical Reasoning and Evidence-Based Practice, AACN Clinical Issues. 12(4):482-490, November 2001.
Debra Dyckoff is a clinical coordinator, Julita Manela is a staff nurse, and Sharon Valente is a nurse-researcher at Veterans Administration Greater Los Angeles (Calif.) Health Care Center.

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