POLICY CRITIQUE

Nursing Entry to Practice Programme

January 2015

Why?

• To demonstrate your ability to select & review relevant literature

• To demonstrate your ability to link evidence based research throughout the critique of the policy

• To engage with the quality improvement process

Nursing Knowledge…

• Knowledge is never absolute

• Always based on best available evidence

• Used to inform best practice

• Should always be something that is aimed towards

• Research = generation of new knowledge

• From the middle French word cerchier, with the prefix re-, signifies a re-occurring event

• ‘to search closely’

Clinical Reasoning“Clinical reasoning is a process whereby knowledge,scientific information and experience are used inconsidering multiple possibilities to achieve desiredgoals whilst considering the patient situation. Criticalthinking is inherent in making sound clinicalreasoning”

Benner, Hughes & Sutphen, 2008

Where do I start?

• Due 26th June

• Discuss

• Identify gaps in own knowledge

• Identify gaps between practice and policy

What do I do??

How do I do it?

What do I get for it?

Critiquing your chosen policy

What is the relationship like between academic literatureand policy content?

What is the relationship between clinical practice andpolicy adherence?

When was it last updated?

What do international guidelines look like?

I need to do what??

Recommendations

• Synthesis of policy content, policy in practice & academic literature generates recommendations

• Are they reasonable?

• Do they flow on from your critique?

What makes a good reference?

• Quality

• Relevance

• Timeframe

• APA latest edition

• We do check!

Don’t forget…

• Make sure you are using the most current policy

• Consider paper vs online policies

• Utilise the library services for up-to-date literature

• Confidentiality

• Professionalism