Some of the students in your research group argue about the necessity of knowing how to critically analyse and interpret research articles when they don't intend to conduct research. Explain to your peers why it is important that, as research consumers, they need to know how to critically read research articles

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

ANSWERS While all of us have completed the same research units, only some of us will embark on a nursing or midwifery research career. We won't all be conducting research, although we may well be expected, in the clinical area, to be part of, or assist in, a research project. For example, we may be asked to collect certain data (e.g. urine samples, blood pressure readings, temperature readings) for inclusion in a clinical medical, nursing or midwifery study. The emphasis on evidence-based practice—that is, using the best available evidence to provide quality patient care— necessitates a good understanding of the research process (which we obtained in our research unit), and the ability to critically read and evaluate research articles in order to apply the findings to our particular clinical area. So it isn't a question of some of us not intending to conduct research because our interests are elsewhere; it is a question of understanding the content (design, method, tests or in-depth interviews, sample, data collection and analysis methods, limitations and results) of research articles in order to make decisions about our practice. Every nurse and midwife should be a competent research consumer. Once we accept the responsibility of providing best practice in our nursing and midwifery care, we become accountable for the quality of care we administer. Critical reading of research articles then becomes paramount; we need to be in a position of knowledge in order to discuss which evidence relates best to our particular practices. Our knowledge of our clinical area and the research process, and the decisions we make (which include an understanding of patient preferences, needs and values) provide us with the best tools we need to offer our patients the best possible care. Critical reading requires skilled reading, writing and reasoning abilities. And these skills can be learned—the more we practise, the more competent we become. Reading critically involves four levels of understanding: preliminary understanding (gained through a light reading); comprehensive understanding (identifying core concepts and recognising relationships between the different parts); analysis understanding (breaking the article into parts in order to gain a deeper understanding of each part); and synthesis understanding (putting the parts together again into a complex whole). When we have mastered the critical reading technique we will be able to read articles more fluently, with greater understanding and enjoyment.