Work Setting Policy and Guideline Appraisal paperwork to be
completed by end of session 6
Information overload, competing priorities, and accountability for clinical outcomes are a reality for professional
nurses. These factors highlight the value of synthesis research and practice guidelines. As Grinspun, Melnyk, and Fineout-Overholt (2011, p. 187) state, ?Meta-analyses and integrative reviews facilitate practitioners? ability to base their interventions on the strongest, most up-to-date and relevant evidence, rather than engaging with the
challenging task of individually appraising and synthesizing large volumes of scientific studies. Evidence-based practice guidelines, which are systematically developed statements based on the best available evidence, including synthesis, make recommendations in order to assist practitioners with decisions regarding the most effective interventions for specific clinical conditions across a broad array of clinical diagnoses and situations?. Being able to assess the quality of a practice guideline and determine its utility for assistance in decision making within a clinical scenario becomes an important skill for professional nurses.

To be successful in this activity the student will
1. Read Melnyk Chapter 8:
2. In narrative using APA format:
a. Write how evidence based guidelines can be utilized as tools in healthcare
settings, places they can be found, attributes of good guideline development, and
methods authors use to define strengths of evidence and to grade
recommendations. A minimum of 3 scholarly resources are required.
b. Identify a high quality evidence based practice guideline. State the title of the
guideline selected and the date it was published. Describe why this guideline was
chosen. Attention: The Melynk text identifies several sources that can be searched
for clinical guidelines. You can select any guideline that interests you.
c. Using scholarly resources describe why it is important that nurses be skilled in
guideline appraisal and methods available to assist with guideline appraisals.
d. Complete the AGREE instrument to evaluate the usefulness of the selected
guideline. The AGREE instrument is found in the handouts of session 6. You are
expected to use the AGREE instrument worksheet posted in session 6. Include
your completed AGREE instrument as an appendix to your written work following
APA format.