11.5: Key Terms

adapt

a part of the EBDM process that determines if synthesized information can apply to the client (which may be a single person or a community) in discussion

applicability

when evaluating the evidence, assesses how well the study’s results and data pertain to broad or specific populations

appraise

a part of the EBDM process that involves critically assessing each study for relevance and credibility to ensure the information provided is meaningful, trustworthy, and relevant

database

collection of information organized in a systematic method that is helpful when searching for sources of existing literature related to the topic of inquiry

define

a part of the EBDM process that clearly identifies the problem or question to be addressed

evaluation

a part of the EBDM process that determines the effectiveness of the implemented plan by deciding if it accomplished what was intended and, if not, what may need to be changed

evidence appraisal

systematic critique of acquired information to review its purpose, intended audience, relevance, validity, and applicability to the specific question being asked

evidence-based decision-making (EBDM)

the process of using the most recent research and clinical practice experience to make optimal decisions regarding a policy, practice, and/or program

evidence-based practice (EBP)

using the best available research, clinical experience, and client preferences to inform patient-care interventions and evaluation

focus groups

interviews conducted with small groups of participants who have similar traits or interests; informs the current problem or issue in discussion

implementation

a part of the EBDM process that involves acting on research information to carry out the determined plan

intended audience

demographic that a writer or writers expect to read and interact with an article

needs assessment

an appraisal that identifies strengths and resources from the community and gives reviewers a quick overview of existing systems and policies and areas that need improvement or additional resources

PICOT question

as part of the EBDM process, involves the problem or concern being formatted to address the population, intervention, comparison, outcome, and time frame in the form of an answerable question

purpose

component of a research study or article that identifies the reason it was conducted; often identified as a purpose statement

qualitative research

deals with nonnumerical data such as experiences, attitudes, and behaviors; expressed in word form, cannot be quantified, and describes perspectives of individuals and populations

quantitative research

contains numbers and objective data to evaluate outcomes and determine results; expressed by amount in numerical terms

registries

collections of information regarding people, typically outlining a specific condition or diagnosis

relevance

how closely source elements match the current question and whether the results can be applied to the population in question

reliability

the extent to which results can be reproduced if research is completed again under the same conditions

research ethics

fundamental principles guiding the design and implementation of research centering on respect for society and participants, resources, and regulation of research to prevent misconduct

search

a part of the EBDM process that involves reviewing the literature to examine what research is available to address a concern

synthesize

a part of the EBDM process that involves compiling information, looking for specific trends in data to determine what the research says about the concern or issue

validity

how factual the information within the article is; sometimes referred to as accuracy or credibility in research articles