NURS-FPX4030 Assessment 1 Locating Credible Databases and Research – Step-by-Step Guide

The first step before starting to write the NURS-FPX4030 Assessment 1 Locating Credible Databases and Research, it is essential to understand the requirements of the assignment. The first step is to read the assignment prompt carefully to identify the topic, the length and format requirements. You should go through the rubric provided so that you can understand what is needed to score the maximum points for each part of the assignment. It is also important to identify the audience of the paper and its purpose so that it can help you determine the tone and style to use throughout. You can then create a timeline to help you complete each stage of the paper, such as conducting research, writing the paper, and revising it to avoid last-minute stress before the deadline. After identifying the formatting style to be applied to the paper, such as APA, you should review its use, such as writing citations and referencing the resources used. You should also review how to format the title page and the headings in the paper.

How to Research and Prepare for NURS-FPX4030 Assessment 1 Locating Credible Databases and Research

The next step in preparing for your paper is to conduct research and identify the best sources to use to support your arguments. Identify the list of keywords from your topic using different combinations. The first step is to visit the university library and search through its database using the important keywords related to your topic. You can also find books, peer-reviewed articles, and credible sources for your topic from PubMed, JSTOR, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, and Google Scholar. Ensure that you select the references that have been published in the last words and go through each to check for credibility. 

Ensure that you obtain the references in the required format, for example, in APA, so that you can save time when creating the final reference list. You can also group the references according to their themes that align with the outline of the paper. Go through each reference for its content and summarize the key concepts, arguments and findings for each source. You can write down your reflections on how each reference connects to the topic you are researching about. After the above steps, you can develop a strong thesis that is clear, concise and arguable. Next you should create a detailed outline of the paper so that it can help you to create headings and subheadings to be used in the paper. Ensure that you plan what point will go into each paragraph.

How to Write the Introduction for NURS-FPX4030 Assessment 1 Locating Credible Databases and Research

The introduction of the paper is the most crucial part as it helps to provide the context of your work, and will determine if the reader will be interested to read through to the end. You should start with a hook, which will help capture the reader’s attention. You should contextualize the topic by offering the reader a concise overview of the topic you are writing about so that they may understand its importance. You should state what you aim to achieve with the paper. The last part of the introduction should be your thesis statement, which provides the main argument of the paper.

How to Write the Body for NURS-FPX4030 Assessment 1 Locating Credible Databases and Research

The body of the paper helps you to present your arguments and evidence to support your claims. You can use headings and subheadings developed in the paper’s outline to guide you on how to organize the body. Start each paragraph with a topic sentence to help the reader know what point you will be discussing in that paragraph. Support your claims using the evidence conducted from the research, ensure that you cite each source properly using in-text citations. You should analyze the evidence presented and explain its significance and how it connects to the thesis statement. You should maintain a logical flow between each paragraph by using transition words and a flow of ideas.

How to Write the In-text Citations for NURS-FPX4030 Assessment 1 Locating Credible Databases and Research

In-text citations help the reader to give credit to the authors of the references they have used in their works. All ideas that have been borrowed from references, any statistics and direct quotes must be referenced properly. The name and date of publication of the paper should be included when writing an in-text citation. For example, in APA, after stating the information, you can put an in-text citation after the end of the sentence, such as (Smith, 2021). If you are quoting directly from a source, include the page number in the citation, for example (Smith, 2021, p. 15). Remember to also include a corresponding reference list at the end of your paper that provides full details of each source cited in your text. An example paragraph highlighting the use of in-text citations is as below:

The integration of technology in nursing practice has significantly transformed patient care and improved health outcomes. According to Smith (2021), the use of electronic health records (EHRs) has streamlined communication among healthcare providers, allowing for more coordinated and efficient care delivery. Furthermore, Johnson and Brown (2020) highlight that telehealth services have expanded access to care, particularly for patients in rural areas, thereby reducing barriers to treatment.

How to Write the Conclusion for NURS-FPX4030 Assessment 1 Locating Credible Databases and Research

When writing the conclusion of the paper, start by restarting your thesis, which helps remind the reader what your paper is about. Summarize the key points of the paper, by restating them. Discuss the implications of your findings and your arguments. End with a call to action that leaves a lasting impact on the reader or recommendations.

How to Format the Reference List for NURS-FPX4030 Assessment 1 Locating Credible Databases and Research

The reference helps provide the reader with the complete details of the sources you cited in the paper. The reference list should start with the title “References” on a new page. It should be aligned center and bolded. The references should be organized in an ascending order alphabetically and each should have a hanging indent. If a source has no author, it should be alphabetized by the title of the work, ignoring any initial articles such as “A,” “An,” or “The.” If you have multiple works by the same author, list them in chronological order, starting with the earliest publication. 

Each reference entry should include specific elements depending on the type of source. For books, include the author’s last name, first initial, publication year in parentheses, the title of the book in italics, the edition (if applicable), and the publisher’s name. For journal articles, include the author’s last name, first initial, publication year in parentheses, the title of the article (not italicized), the title of the journal in italics, the volume number in italics, the issue number in parentheses (if applicable), and the page range of the article. For online sources, include the DOI (Digital Object Identifier) or the URL at the end of the reference. An example reference list is as follows:

References

Johnson, L. M., & Brown, R. T. (2020). The role of telehealth in improving patient outcomes. Journal of Nursing Care Quality, 35(2), 123-130. https://doi.org/10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000456

Smith, J. A. (2021). The impact of technology on nursing practice. Health Press.

An Example NURS-FPX4030 Assessment 1 Locating Credible Databases and Research Follows:

Locating Credible Databases and Research

Evidence-based practice (EBP) entails incorporating the best available research study resources to guide nursing practices and actions to enhance patient safety and optimum care quality. EBP is one of the essential pillars of nursing practice since it is used to generate desired outcomes and support nursing leadership. Every nurse should have the skills and knowledge to incorporate current literature into practice. Locating evidence that can be used in patient care is the foundation of implementing EBP. The case scenario in this assessment entails a newly hired nurse who has said she is not very familiar with sepsis, her new patient’s diagnosis, and thus needs help in encouraging her to research the diagnosis and locate evidence to assist and guide her in providing safe, and patient-centered care for the patient.

Sepsis is mainly an adverse reaction following an infection. It is life-threatening as the body responds to the infection (Markwart et al., 2020). Common symptoms may include confusion, dizziness, unconsciousness, diarrhea, sweating, fever, and chills. New nurses may be unfamiliar with such life-threatening conditions, hence the need to consult evidence from the literature. This paper explores the communication strategies to encourage nurses to research sepsis and collaborate with other nurses to assess resources, describes the best places to complete research, identifies online information sources, and justifies why the selected sources provide the best evidence.

Communication and Collaboration Strategies to Encourage Nurses to Research the Diagnosis

 Nurses, especially newly hired nurses, may lack the confidence to address a problem, especially when they encounter diagnoses that they are unfamiliar with. Therefore, nurse mentors must assist in building their confidence by encouraging them to conduct research. Various communication strategies exist to motivate nurses to conduct diagnosis-based research. The nurse mentor can use educational workshops and training and provide feedback to the nurses on the research process.

According to Hookmani et al. (2021), educational workshops and training focused on research have been found to increase research skills among new nurses, hence enabling them to provide safe and quality care. In addition, nurse mentors should carefully follow the nurses’ progress in diagnosis-based research and provide regular constructive feedback to improve their skills. Education, training, and regular feedback strategies are vital in helping build professional competence since the nurse mentor and mentees often collaborate. These strategies also give the nurses a platform to clarify and ask questions to improve their diagnosis-based research competence.

Furthermore, collaboration with other nurses and the interdisciplinary team is crucial in researching a diagnosis. Clarke et al. (2021) note that although nurses are responsible for implementing EBP, collaborating with other interprofessional team members leads to more success. Collaboration strategies that can be used to access research resources to help with sepsis diagnosis include online tools to facilitate communication and document sharing and foster a collaborative culture among the team. Fostering a collaborative culture among the interdisciplinary team strengthens relationships and trust. In addition, online tools such as Google Workspace can ease team communication and document sharing so members can access current research evidence resources.

Best Places to Complete Research Within the Workplace Environment

There are various workplace environments where the new nurse can complete research on sepsis, hence informing the care provided to the patient. For instance, the nursing lounges, hospital library, and conference rooms are conducive to completing research. Even though nurses lounge areas are often used for informal discussions, relaxation and brainstorming sessions, nurses can utilize them to conduct diagnosis-based research.

A study by Pink et al. (2020) showed that staff spaces such as the nurses’ lounge can be used for more productive activities such as research, considering they have a relaxed atmosphere. In addition, the new nurse can engage other nurses using the lounge and seek clarification when needed. Other healthcare institutions have a hospital library equipped with medical literature and more so available access to research tools such as healthcare databases. The hospital library is a vital resource center for nurses conducting sepsis diagnosis-based research. More so, if the research activity is collaborative, the nurses may use conference rooms to meet and discuss or locate current evidence to use in caring for the septic patient.

Various types of resources would be used to access resources to find pertinent information for sepsis. For instance, medical research databases such as PubMed, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library provide comprehensive medical literature evidence on different conditions, which would provide insight for the new nurse on sepsis. The benefit of using medical research databases is that one can customize the search for easier locations of credible evidence.

Clinical guidelines and protocols are also crucial resources whereby the nurse can get evidence-based guidelines on managing sepsis. The institution may also have protocols for preventing and managing infections, such as septic shock, which the nurse can utilize. The other primary resource for accessing information regarding sepsis is journals and other peer-reviewed publications focusing on the condition. Journals such as the Journal of Infection provide research study articles on infectious diseases and their management.

Identification of Five Online Sources for Sepsis Diagnosis Evidence Location

Various online resources could be used to locate current evidence on sepsis in the literature. The sources, ranked in the order of their usefulness, are as follows: the PubMed website (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/), which is published by the National Library of Medicine, the Journal of Infection, which publishes original papers on all aspects of infections such as septic shock, the Journal of Critical Care, an official publication of the World Federation of Intensive and Critical Care, and the Society for Complex Acute Illness, the Infectious Disease Society of America which offers guidelines, research updates and conferences on infectious diseases, and lastly the Wolters Kluwer journals on sepsis.

Justification on Why the Identified Resources Provide the Best Evidence

The identified evidence resources would provide the best literature evidence for sepsis due to their relevance. In addition, most of these journals provide research focused on sepsis. Hence, the nurse will be able to locate the needed information quickly. The resources are also updated regularly, thus providing the latest findings. LoBiondo-Wood and Haber (2021) note that evidence sources used in EBP should be updated regularly. Additionally, they provide full, high-quality, peer-reviewed articles that are easily accessible and, hence, can be applied in practice easily. The criteria used to determine the usefulness and relevance of the identified resources include the accuracy of information found in the sources, currency/updates, and relevance to the clinical diagnosis, sepsis.

Conclusion

Nurse mentors must guide newly hired nurses and orient them into adopting EBP into their practice. They employ communication and collaborative strategies to guide the nurses in locating credible, high-quality evidence to incorporate into practice. Healthcare institutions should consider creating a supportive environment for nurses to research and incorporate current evidence to support safe, patient-centered care. The above-identified resources would be used to locate credible evidence on sepsis management. Preserve these identified sources since you will need them when completing NURS-FPX4030 Assessment 2 Determining the Credibility of Evidence and Resources, which is coming up next.

References

Clarke, V., Lehane, E., Mulcahy, H., & Cotter, P. (2021). Nurse practitioners’ implementation of evidence-based practice into routine care: A scoping review. Worldviews on Evidence-based Nursing, 18(3), 180–189. https://doi.org/10.1111/wvn.12510

Hookmani, A. A., Lalani, N., Sultan, N., Zubairi, A., Hussain, A., Hasan, B. S., & Rasheed, M. A. (2021). Develop an on-the-job mentorship program to improve the nursing experience and enhance the patient experience of compassionate care. BMC Nursing, 20(1), 175. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-021-00682-4  

LoBiondo-Wood, G., & Haber, J. (2021). Nursing research E-book: Methods and critical appraisal for evidence-based practice. (10th Ed.) Elsevier Health Sciences.

Markwart, R., Saito, H., Harder, T., Tomczyk, S., Cassini, A., Fleischmann-Struzek, C., Reichert, F., Eckmanns, T., & Allegranzi, B. (2020). Epidemiology and burden of sepsis acquired in hospitals and intensive care units: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Intensive Care Medicine, 46(8), 1536–1551. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-020-06106-2

Pink, S., Duque, M., Sumartojo, S., & Vaughan, L. (2020). Making spaces for staff breaks: A design anthropology approach. HERD, 13(2), 243–255. https://doi.org/10.1177/1937586719900954

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

When approaching a 500-word essay, it’s essential to understand the nuances of this compact form of writing. These frequently asked questions will guide you through the process of crafting a concise and impactful essay.

How many pages is a 500-word essay typically?

A 500-word essay usually spans about one page if single-spaced or two pages when double-spaced, with standard margins and a 12-point font size.

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Certainly, to see the structure and flow of a well-written essay, you might want to take a look at a student’s writing guide that provides insights and examples.

Are there specific formatting guidelines for a 500-word essay?

Formatting guidelines typically involve using a legible font like Times New Roman or Arial, size 12, with double-spacing and one-inch margins on all sides. Check any specific requirements your instructor might have provided.

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For a personal essay, focus on a singular event or characteristic, ensuring your ideas are clear and you reflect on the significance of the subject matter. Use concise language and powerful imagery to maximize impact.

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Choose topics you can thoroughly address within the word limit, such as a personal anecdote, a critical analysis of a poem, or a focused argument on a singular point or issue.

How much time should you allocate to write a 500-word essay effectively?

Depending on your familiarity with the topic and writing proficiency, allocate anywhere from one to several hours for planning, drafting, and revising to ensure a well-presented essay.