Essentials of Nursing Research: Appraising Evidence for Nursing Practice

The world’s most widely used nursing research textbook, Essentials of Nursing Research, Tenth Edition equips students with everything they need to confidently apply research to nursing practice. AJN award-winning authors Denise Polit and Cheryl Beck clarify the language of nursing research and instill a practical understanding of nursing research fundamentals and the research process for both quantitative and qualitative studies — including design principles; sampling and data collection; criteria for assessing data quality; appraising the quality, rigor, and trustworthiness of studies; and approaches to understand the statistical results. This updated edition incorporates the latest clinical insights and approaches to research to familiarize students with increasingly important considerations in today’s nursing practice, including the involvement of patients and stakeholders in translating research evidence to local settings; the appraisal of not only the rigor of research designs and methods but also the relevance and applicability of practice-based evidence; and the effective use of research in local quality improvement (QI) projects. UPDATED! New organization simplifies the presentation of complex topics and better facilitates the use of research evidence in nursing practice. Clear, approachable writing makes difficult ideas easily digestible, even to students with no prior knowledge of technical terms. Critical Appraisal Guidelines walk students through studies and highlight aspects amenable to evaluation by research consumers. Research Examples and Critical Thinking Exercises emphasize important points and sharpen students’ critical thinking skills. Tips help students confidently translate abstract notions of research methods into concrete applications. Colorful tables, figures, and examples engage students’ attention and reinforce their understanding. Chapter Objectives emphasize essential information in each chapter. Key Terms familiarize students with common research terms. Bulleted Summary Points highlight key takeaways at a glance.