In order to be able to access the knowledge within the body of the industry, it is important to understand the key methodological approaches for conducting a deliberate set of actions in the given direction. The identified methods are evidence-based practice, literature research, and logical reasoning. The first step involves determining the question or topic of interest in regards to the field of knowledge. The second step revolves around an analysis, which considers the typology of sources needed to be utilized. One should be aware that not all topics have a sufficient level of scientific evidence, which is why less reliable secondary sources might be necessary. The third step is centered on using the databases and appropriate search engines with the application of relevant keywords. The fourth step is filtering or sorting out the most relevant and up-to-date materials. The fifth step is an identification of the level of evidence and its reliability because some research methodologies might be flawed or biased. The last step includes conducting logical reasoning to derive pieces of knowledge, which are evidence-based and can be applied to practical settings.
Methodology and Process
The process of accessing the most relevant and essential knowledge within the body of industry includes referring to outside sources of information. The most plausible and effective approach is the utilization of scientific literature available in the field. It is important to ensure that all three methodologies need to be used in conjunction in order to derive the most appropriate results. Evidence-based practice is necessary in order to base the proposed arguments and recommendations on factual data. Researching literature is a core element of the given approach since it needs to be conducted strictly according to sound eliminations. Logical reasoning is vital because it is applied in all steps of knowledge access.
Topic
The most important aspect of evidence-based practice is evidence itself, which is why referring to scientific literature is critical. The first step revolves around determining a topic or question of interest, which needs to be specific in order to acquire precise information. It is especially true in a field, such as nursing or medicine, where details and seemingly minor elements can have a major effect on patients. Evidence-based practice is not a blind application of advice gleaned from recently published patient-specific literature. Evidence-based practice requires the use of certain steps to collect sufficient information necessary to answer a clearly posed question in relation to a particular patient. Instead, the evidence-based practice involves the use of a series of steps to gather enough useful information for a thorough evidence-based medicine response and includes a patient’s value system, which includes things such as costs incurred, patient’s religious or moral beliefs, and patient autonomy (Dang, 2017). Applying the principles of evidence-based practice usually involves such steps as formulating a clinical question, collecting evidence, assessing the quality and reliability of evidence, and deciding whether to apply the findings to a given patient.
Categorization
Logical reasoning is also necessary in order to design a proper approach towards the problem. The second step involves applying the given methodology to identify the typology or category of sources needed for gaining a piece of invaluable industry knowledge. For example, in many cases, the academic or scientific literature with an emphasis on primary sources is the correct approach, but some questions might not have sufficient data. Many legislative documents, standards, or industry-related recommendations can be accessed through the websites of the relevant government agencies. Acquaintance with the literature published on the topic begins with the development of an idea, that is, the concept of proposed scientific research, which, as already indicated earlier, finds its expression in the topic and work plan of the dissertation. This formulation of the case allows a more purposeful search for literary sources on a chosen topic and a deeper understanding of the material contained in the published works of other scientists because the main issues of the problem are almost always laid down in earlier studies.
Literature Search
After the topic is determined and a typology of information is identified, the course of action points towards the place of search. The third step is researching literature, which can be effectively conducted in online databases and appropriate search engines, such as Google scholar. In the case of the latter, it is important to utilize proper keywords, which will result in an accurate range of literature presented. One should think over the search order and start compiling a card index or a list of literary sources on the topic. A well-written list, even with a cursory glance at the source titles, helps to cover the subject as a whole. On its basis, it is possible to clarify the plan at the beginning of the study. All types of sources, the content of which is related to the topic of the dissertation research, should be reviewed (Dang, 2017). These include materials published in various publications, unpublished documents such as research and development reports, dissertations, deposited manuscripts, specialist travel reports, firm materials, and official materials.
Filtering
One should also be aware that some literature can be appropriate or inappropriate to use in developing a practice implementation model. The fourth step is centered around sorting or filtering out the found pieces of literature by applying certain requirements. These might include the date of publication, citations, researchers, methodology, and the general relevance to the topic of research. For example, some articles can be outdated due to their date of publication, whereas others might utilize poor methods of analysis. One should note that not all scientific research is of equal value, and different types of research have additional scientific strength and legitimacy.
Evidence-based medicine classifies different types of clinical data and indicators or evaluates them according to the degree of their freedom from various biases that are subject to medical research. For example, the strongest evidence for therapeutic interventions is a systematic review of randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled studies with secretion and complete follow-up with a homogeneous patient population and health status. In contrast, patient testimonials, case reports, and even expert opinion have little value in evidence because of the placebo effect, biases inherent in observing and reporting difficult cases in figuring out who is the expert in a given situation.
Level of Evidence
In certain instances, the application of arbitrary elimination metrics might be insufficient. Therefore, the fifth step includes a more deliberate utilization of logical reasoning in order to determine the level of evidence and the reliability of findings. It can be considered as an extension of the previous step, but it requires an additional analysis, which is why such a structure is used. It is especially necessary when the topic question is at the center of the spotlight among industry researchers, which means that the body of literature is dense with many recently published materials. For any given type of study, the individual examples often differ in the quality of the internal action methodology as well as the generalization of results such as external validity. The confidence level is rated from 1 to 5 in decreasing order of quality (Dang, 2017). The forms at each level vary slightly depending on the clinical question but usually include the categories shown in Table 1.
Meta-analysis is a statistical method that brings together the results of independent studies. It is most commonly used to assess the clinical effectiveness of therapeutic interventions; for this, the results of two or more randomized controlled trials are pooled. The usefulness of a meta-analysis depends on the quality of the systematic review on which it is based (Dang, 2017). Qualitative meta-analysis involves examining all studies on the relevant issue, assessing heterogeneity, and determining the informative value of the main results through sensitivity analysis.
Table 1
Application
It is important to note the fact that not all knowledge can be applied in practice, which means that they are mere academic endeavors, which are not relevant in the given case. The sixth step focuses on a stronger use of logical reasoning to derive the most useful pieces of knowledge. These need to be evidence-based and applicable to practical settings, where their utility will be manifested in an improved outcome for patients or better performance for medical specialists. One of the persistent problems with evidence-based medicine is that some healthcare professionals do not follow the evidence. This is in part because the current balance of evidence for and against treatment is constantly changing, and it is impossible to know about every change. Even when the evidence clearly contradicts treatment, it usually takes ten years for other treatments to be adopted. In other cases, significant changes may require a generation of doctors to retire and be replaced by doctors trained with more recent evidence. Another important reason for doctors and other health care providers who treat patients in ways that are not supported by evidence is that these health care providers are subject to the same cognitive biases as everyone else.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the identified methodological frameworks include logical reasoning, evidence-based practice, and literature research. The first step is a determination of the topic of interest, and the second step is the analysis of the category of sources. The third step is based on locating and utilizing relevant databases and search engines, which is followed by the fourth step, which is an application of filters, such as dates or citations. The fifth revolves around a more extensive analysis of the relevance of the literature through assessment of the level of evidence. The last step is a selection of the pieces of knowledge with the highest practical utility.
Reference
Dang, D. (2017). Johns Hopkins nursing evidence-based practice models and guidelines. Sigma Theta Tau International.