Literature Searches
Literature Searches
Summary of the Search
The topic selected during the search was nursing ethics. Similarly, nursing ethics was the search term used to evaluate different types of literature. During the search, there were different levels in terms of the hierarchical arrangement. One of the most notable levels in the search pertains to academic journals. This level comprises of sources written for academic purposes. The second level of results pertains to research articles. The articles were drawn from the academic scene and the professional sector. Another level during the search comprised of books. These are publications meant for scholarly work as well as the professional sector. Consequently, the search presents three main levels of results including books, research articles and academic journals.
Types of Information
During the search, different sources of information were evident in the different levels. Firstly, academic journals contained diverse contexts from the perspective of nursing ethics. Whereas some academic journals focused on the significance of nursing ethics in health care, others emphasized on the role of ethics in nursing practice. For instance, nursing ethics helps in ensuring that the practitioner respects the patient’s right for autonomy (McCarthy, 2008).
It is also essential to highlight that some academic journals focused on the development of nursing ethics over the years. In essence, monumental agreements such as the Belmont Report and the Helsinki Declaration have tremendously shaped the course of nursing ethics around the globe (Austin, 2012). These aspects show that academic journals are useful sources of information while conducting research. On the other hand, books focused on primary research and secondary research. Some authors document results and findings from primary research while others deliberate on studies by other people. Such an approach is extremely essential while searching for information pertaining to different topics (Butts, 2012). Additionally, most books encompass extensive literature review from other sources. This is helpful in terms of evaluating information from diverse contexts.
The research articles comprised of information about specific issues in nursing ethics. For instance, some research articles describe case studies in which the fundamental principles of nursing ethics have been violated. In such cases, the authors assess the implications of such violations (Lacey, 2010). Such specificity is extremely essential in terms of evidence based practice. On the other hand, other articles focus on the review of the current policy framework in order to streamline the standards of ethics in the practice of nursing. All these perspectives highlight the different types of information as evident in the three levels of sources in the hierarchy.
Tip for Conducting an Effective Literature Search
While conducting literature search, it is fundamentally essential to evaluate as many sources as possible. In essence, this implies that the review should not be limited to just a single level. Greater variety in literature review helps in enhancing the quality of research. This is because the researcher is exposed to numerous sources that address the topic in question from diverse contexts (Polit & Beck, 2012). In the practice of health care, a variety of sources helps in streamlining evidence based practice. Consequently, this serves as an essential approach towards enhancing the quality of outcome for patients.
Additionally, it is also crucial to examine primary research sources and secondary sources. Both provide an excellent framework of evaluating a topic. Through such an approach, the quality of literature search is tremendously enhanced. Additionally, such a framework forms the basis of future research pertaining to a given topic.
References
Austin, W. (2012). Nursing under the influence. Nursing Ethics, 19(3): 380-389
Butts, J. & Rich, K. (2012). Nursing ethics: Across the curriculum and into practice. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning
Lacey, A. (2010). The research process in nursing. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons
McCarthy, J. (2008). Moral distress reconsidered. Nursing ethics. 15(2): 254-262
Polit, D. F., & Beck, C. T. (2012). Nursing research, Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
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