There is the need for taking into account the key concepts which will determine whether a particular study that has already been done is useful and can be incorporated into practice. The primary components that will make a particular study helpful for use in a certain research process determine how such information can be incorporated into the nursing process. As such, determining the validity of different forms of study is an important step towards achieving evidence-based care (Fineout-Overholt et al., 2010).
The first reason for conducting a critical appraisal on a particular study is to determine whether there are any flaws on it. In the event that such a study does not meet the required reliability and validity tests, then it does not meet the minimum requirements for it to be incorporated into practice (Fineout-Overholt et al., 2010). Secondly, critical appraisal lays a foundation which will determine whether the evidence that has been retrieved from the research process can actually result in improved patient outcomes.
The process of critical appraisal is aimed at determining the appropriateness of a particular study in practice. Therefore, the critical appraisal process for a quantitative study starts with determining the reason why a particular study was carried out. This serves the rough purpose of locating the answers to a particular problem. The second step is determining whether the sample size is large enough to represent the characteristics of the entire population. This process is essential as it shows that a particular happening did no occur out of chance (Fineout-Overholt et al., 2010). Thirdly, the data collection instruments need to be evaluated in terms of whether they meet the validity and reliability test. This means that they are supposed to produce the same results if the study is carried out severally. The data analysis process is vital in the critical appraisal process since it shows whether the purpose of carrying out the study was achieved. Moreover, determining whether there were instances of attrition in the course of study may affect the outcomes of study due to the fact that a decline in the sample size results in compromised final inferences (Fineout-Overholt et al., 2010). Also, it is essential that the study carried out marries with previous studies in the same field as a way of showing the required consistency in results and consequently the validity of the study. The final critical appraisal process is determining the significance of the study in the clinical process. It is at this point that a study is established to be meeting the evidence-based threshold.
For qualitative studies, the critical appraisal process starts with determining whether the results are trustworthy which means that the inferences must be in line with the objective of the study (Polit & Beck, 2013). Secondly, the effects that the study has on the reader determine whether the results of the study have actually met their objective. Thirdly, it is imperative that the study approach used by the researcher takes into account the main characteristics of a qualitative study to ensure the validity of the final results (Polit & Beck, 2013). The fourth point is determining the data collection and analysis methodologies to ensure that validity and reliability issues have been given the required attention. Finally, the results from the study need to be incorporated into the caregiving process.
For randomized controlled trials, the three main areas which need to be addressed in the critical appraisal process is determining the validity of the findings, establishing whether the findings are important and if the inferences can be incorporated into the patient care process. The validity of the study is based on the concept of randomness and whether there was an experiment and a control group (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2005). Issues of attrition need also to be addressed. The magnitude of the intervention is vital in determining the importance of the study. The confidence level with which the results appear is critical in knowing whether the study was important. Finally, if the results can be clinically measured, it makes them feasible in regards to how they will be incorporated in the caregiving process.
Finally, for systematic reviews, the key factor regarding the validity of the study is determining the search strategy used in locating the randomized controlled trials used in the study. The second point concerning the appraisal process is determining the consistency of the results from the different tests included in the review (Polit & Beck, 2013). This process is crucial in regards to determining whether the inferences can be incorporated into practice. If the results can be incorporated into practice, then the systematic review will be regarded as important to the specific clinical area.
References
Fineout-Overholt, E., Melnyk, B. M., Stillwell, S. B., & Williamson, K. M. (2010). Evidence-based practice step by step: Critical appraisal of the evidence: Part I. AJN The American Journal of Nursing, 110(7), 47-52.
Melnyk, B. M., & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2005). Rapid critical appraisal of randomized controlled trials (RCTs): an essential skill for evidence-based practice (EBP). Pediatric Nursing, 31(1), 50.
Polit, D. F., & Beck, C. T. (2013). Essentials of nursing research: Appraising evidence for nursing practice. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
