Guidelines for Written QSEN Leadership Literature Review

This paper is worth 50 points, accounts for 50% of your course grade, and will be graded according to the following rubric.

As a writing intensive course, a major focus is developing writing skills. Writing is a process that requires you to conceptualize, outline, draft, edit, and revise. Chapter Three, “Writing Clearly and Concisely”, in the sixth edition of the APA manual contains useful information and suggestions to improve expression of ideas and writing.  This paper should be between 10-12 pages excluding the title and reference pages.

The written paper should include the following sections:

·         Introduction

• This part of your paper should introduce the QSEN topic
• Introduce the problem or issue of this competency that is the focus of concern. Examples may include but are not limited to:
  • Rationale/goal for the QSEN competency
  • Reports of patient outcomes.
  • Short history of why there is a need to focus on the particular competency chosen[unique_solution]
• Provide some supporting demographics and relevant statistics about the competency and the problem in
• End with a clear thesis statement about the central idea of your project and the content of the Basically state what your paper is about. Tell your reader what you are going to include in the paper. Do not assume that the reader knows what you are thinking. Spark interest to make the reader want to continue.

·         Review of Research Literature—this section should be about 6-8 pages

• Summarize a minimum of ten specific research articles conducted on this topic and its application to nurse leadership.
• What is known and unknown about this topic and this population group?
• Identify research-based actions previously utilized or currently being utilized regarding this topic and group. How effective are these programs?
  • What changes worked to improve patient safety/experience?
  • What interventions only partially accomplished the goal
• Discuss where gaps or inconsistencies In essence your literature review should be providing support for the best evidence found to accomplish the goals of the chosen competency
• Conclude this section with a short discussion of the best evidence found for nursing support for the competency

• Typically this section is the bulk of your paper and the most difficult to write. Refer back to your research book or notes from nursing research course on how to write a review of the research Services of the Writing Center are available at http://www.mckendree.edu/academics/WRC.aspx

• The purpose of doing a literature review is to synthesize information about what is known on the topic.  Do not simply write one paragraph about each article.  Do not hand in an outline.  Write this information in narrative form.

Conclusion/Synthesis of Findings

• Summarize your topic and findings of the research include a synthesis section just before the summary, where the collected ideas from all sources are looked at together.

Identify: is there is consensus for best practice or consensus in                                           identifying problems, or is there disagreement?

-what was the consensus of findings?

• – were common themes were shared among the studies?
• Evaluating the findings and list two to three applications to current nursing practice (What needs to change? How can nurses help achieve this change?)
• Discuss the need for further study of this topic and/or population and future intervention