Essentials of nursing research: methods, appraisal, and utilization Denise F Polit Essentials of nursing research: methods, appraisal, and utilization , Cheryl Tatano Beck Lipincott Williams and Wilkins 554 £24.95 0781749727 0781749727 [Formula: see text].

Perhaps not obvious from the title, this book is designed to guide the reader through the process of finding, reading, and critically evaluating published nursing research, and to consider the practical use to which research findings may be put. The reader is led systematically through the stages of finding published studies (with reference to widely available databases), reviewing them in relation to their ethical implications and theoretical bases, scrutinising their design, sampling, data collection and analysis methods, and evaluating the quality of the data generated. Guidelines for producing a written critique of published studies are provided. The book ends with a focus on using research evidence, referring to key models for evidence-based nursing practice. While barriers to research utilisation are discussed, a greater emphasis on this topic might have been expected, given the inclusion of research utilisation within the book's title.