Locating Reliable Sources for Evidence-Based Nursing Practice

As a baccalaureate-prepared nurse, I am responsible for overseeing nursing care based on the best available evidence. This means efficiently communicating with staff nurses and helping them locate credible research to inform clinical decisions. When a newly oriented nurse approached me with an unfamiliar patient diagnosis, I saw an opportunity to model evidence-based practices.

Communication and Collaboration Strategies

If assigned a patient diagnosed with a UTI, I would first empathetically acknowledge to the new nurse that it can feel overwhelming to research an unfamiliar diagnosis. To help ease any anxiety, I would inform them of our institution’s evidence-based resources, such as up-to-date clinical practice guidelines and point-of-care tools for urine testing and management, available through our online libraries and databases. I recommend that the new nurse start with a foundational search of CINAHL Plus, which contains over 3,300 full-text nursing journals thoroughly indexed for topics like UTIs (Yang et al., 2020). Studies have shown that utilizing this database allows nurses to locate current best practices for various aspects of UTI diagnosis and treatment efficiently.

Moreover, to guide a comprehensive search, I suggest using established search filters and medical subject headings (MeSH) tailored to UTIs when navigating CINAHL Plus. Research indicates that this organized approach captures the most relevant evidence (DeMars & Perruso, 2022). I also recommend cross-referencing findings with other sources to gain multidisciplinary perspectives. However, I encourage the new nurse to discuss any questions that arise from their research with other seasoned team members for collaboration. Studies have found that utilizing existing teams as supportive resources early in nursing facilitates confidence and competence with new diagnoses over time (Leonard et al., 2022). Working together in this way promotes the delivery of safe, evidence-based care for patients.

Best Places to Complete Research

Our hospital’s computer lab and bedside access to online databases allowed convenient research directly in the patient care setting. CINAHL was initially searched, given its indexing of nursing and interdisciplinary journals relevant to various illnesses, including those involving urinary systems (Yang et al., 2020). UTIs are commonly treated in inpatient settings