Appraisal
Determining Levels of Evidence:
Many times, you can determine the level of evidence by finding it in the article’s TITLE or in the METHODS section of the paper.
TITLE EXAMPLE:
Practice nurse-led proactive care for chronic depression in primary care: A randomized controlled trial
METHODS EXAMPLES:
Research Design: The study used a quasi-experimental pre-intervention/ post-intervention design.
- Methods: We conducted a multicenter qualitative study.
- Methods: A descriptive survey was conducted.
Second, appraise each piece of evidence using the tools available within the Ovid Synthesis Clinical Evidence Manager or the APPRAISAL TOOLS found in Appendices for the EBP Tool Kit Link. These tools will help you to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the evidence, as well as gaps. Definitions for the levels of evidence and qualities of evidence can be found using this tool: Levels and Quality of Evidence Pyramid.
Finally, compile all pieces of evidence in the Evidence Table within the Ovid Synthesis Clinical Evidence Manager or EVIDENCE SUMMARY TOOL found in Appendices from the EBP Tool Kit Link. This tool will help you to identify recommendations for practice change.
Additional tools to consider using for evidence appraisal from the Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based Practice Model for Nursing and Healthcare Professionals version 2022 can be found here:
