nursing literature review essay

Nursing: How to Write a Literature Review

• Traditional or Narrative Literature Review

Getting started

1. start with your research question, 2. search the literature, 3. read & evaluate, 4. finalize results, 5. write & revise, brainfuse online tutoring and writing review.

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The best way to approach your literature review is to break it down into steps.  Remember, research is an iterative process, not a linear one.  You will revisit steps and revise along the way.  Get started with the handout, information, and tips from various university Writing Centers below that provides an excellent overview.  Then move on to the specific steps recommended on this page.

• UNC- Chapel Hill Writing Center Literature Review Handout, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
• University of Wisconsin-Madison Writing Center Learn how to write a review of literature, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
• University of Toronto-- Writing Advice The Literature Review: A few tips on conducting it, from the University of Toronto.
• Begin with a topic.
• Understand the topic. 
• Familiarize yourself with the terminology.  Note what words are being used and keep track of these for use as database search keywords. 
• See what research has been done on this topic before you commit to the topic.  Review articles can be helpful to understand what research has been done .
• Develop your research question.  (see handout below)
• How comprehensive should it be? 
• Is it for a course assignment or a dissertation? 
• How many years should it cover?
• Developing a good nursing research question Handout. Reviews PICO method and provides search tips.

Your next step is to construct a search strategy and then locate & retrieve articles.

•  There are often 2-4 key concepts in a research question.
• Search for primary sources (original research articles.)
• These are based on the key concepts in your research question.
• Remember to consider synonyms and related terms.
• Which databases to search?
• What limiters should be applied (peer-reviewed, publication date, geographic location, etc.)?

Review articles (secondary sources)

Use to identify literature on your topic, the way you would use a bibliography.  Then locate and retrieve the original studies discussed in the review article. Review articles are considered secondary sources.

• Once you have some relevant articles, review reference lists to see if there are any useful articles.
• Which articles were written later and have cited some of your useful articles?  Are these, in turn, articles that will be useful to you? 
• Keep track of what terms you used and what databases you searched. 
• Use database tools such as save search history in EBSCO to help.
• Keep track of the citations for the articles you will be using in your literature review. 
• Use RefWorks or another method of tracking this information. 
• Database Search Strategy Worksheet Handout. How to construct a search.
• TUTORIAL: How to do a search based on your research question This is a self-paced, interactive tutorial that reviews how to construct and perform a database search in CINAHL.

The next step is to read, review, and understand the articles.

• Start by reviewing abstracts. 
• Make sure you are selecting primary sources (original research articles).
• Note any keywords authors report using when searching for prior studies.
• You will need to evaluate and critique them and write a synthesis related to your research question.
• Consider using a matrix to organize and compare and contrast the articles . 
• Which authors are conducting research in this area?  Search by author.  
• Are there certain authors’ whose work is cited in many of your articles?  Did they write an early, seminal article that is often cited?
• Searching is a cyclical process where you will run searches, review results, modify searches, run again, review again, etc. 
• Critique articles.  Keep or exclude based on whether they are relevant to your research question.
• When you have done a thorough search using several databases plus Google Scholar, using appropriate keywords or subject terms, plus author’s names, and you begin to find the same articles over and over.
• Remember to consider the scope of your project and the length of your paper.  A dissertation will have a more exhaustive literature review than an 8 page paper, for example.
• What are common findings among each group or where do they disagree? 
• Identify common themes. Identify controversial or problematic areas in the research. 
• Use your matrix to organize this.
• Once you have read and re-read your articles and organized your findings, you are ready to begin the process of writing the literature review.

2. Synthesize.  (see handout below)

• Include a synthesis of the articles you have chosen for your literature review.
• A literature review is NOT a list or a summary of what has been written on a particular topic. 
• It analyzes the articles in terms of how they relate to your research question. 
• While reading, look for similarities and differences (compare and contrast) among the articles.  You will create your synthesis from this.
• Synthesis Examples Handout. Sample excerpts that illustrate synthesis.

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Literature Review Overview

What is a Literature Review? Why Are They Important?

A literature review is important because it presents the "state of the science" or accumulated knowledge on a specific topic. It summarizes, analyzes, and compares the available research, reporting study strengths and weaknesses, results, gaps in the research, conclusions, and authors’ interpretations.

Tips and techniques for conducting a literature review are described more fully in the subsequent boxes:

• Literature review steps
• Strategies for organizing the information for your review
• Literature reviews sections
• In-depth resources to assist in writing a literature review
• Templates to start your review
• Literature review examples

Literature Review Steps

Graphic used with permission: Torres, E. Librarian, Hawai'i Pacific University

1. Choose a topic and define your research question

• Try to choose a topic of interest. You will be working with this subject for several weeks to months.
• Ideas for topics can be found by scanning medical news sources (e.g MedPage Today), journals / magazines, work experiences, interesting patient cases, or family or personal health issues.
• Do a bit of background reading on topic ideas to familiarize yourself with terminology and issues. Note the words and terms that are used.
• Develop a focused research question using PICO(T) or other framework (FINER, SPICE, etc - there are many options) to help guide you.
• Run a few sample database searches to make sure your research question is not too broad or too narrow.
• If possible, discuss your topic with your professor. 

2. Determine the scope of your review

The scope of your review will be determined by your professor during your program. Check your assignment requirements for parameters for the Literature Review.

• How many studies will you need to include?
• How many years should it cover? (usually 5-7 depending on the professor)
• For the nurses, are you required to limit to nursing literature?

3. Develop a search plan

• Determine which databases to search. This will depend on your topic. If you are not sure, check your program specific library website (Physician Asst / Nursing / Health Services Admin) for recommendations.
• Create an initial search string using the main concepts from your research (PICO, etc) question. Include synonyms and related words connected by Boolean operators
• Contact your librarian for assistance, if needed.

4. Conduct searches and find relevant literature

• Keep notes as you search - tracking keywords and search strings used in each database in order to avoid wasting time duplicating a search that has already been tried
• Read abstracts and write down new terms to search as you find them
• Check MeSH or other subject headings listed in relevant articles for additional search terms
• Scan author provided keywords if available
• Check the references of relevant articles looking for other useful articles (ancestry searching)
• Check articles that have cited your relevant article for more useful articles (descendancy searching). Both PubMed and CINAHL offer Cited By links
• Revise the search to broaden or narrow your topic focus as you peruse the available literature
• Conducting a literature search is a repetitive process. Searches can be revised and re-run multiple times during the process.
• Track the citations for your relevant articles in a software citation manager such as RefWorks, Zotero, or Mendeley

5. Review the literature

• Read the full articles. Do not rely solely on the abstracts. Authors frequently cannot include all results within the confines of an abstract. Exclude articles that do not address your research question.
• While reading, note research findings relevant to your project and summarize. Are the findings conflicting? There are matrices available than can help with organization. See the Organizing Information box below.
• Critique / evaluate the quality of the articles, and record your findings in your matrix or summary table. Tools are available to prompt you what to look for. (See Resources for Appraising a Research Study box on the HSA, Nursing , and PA guides )
• You may need to revise your search and re-run it based on your findings.

6. Organize and synthesize

• Compile the findings and analysis from each resource into a single narrative.
• Using an outline can be helpful. Start broad, addressing the overall findings and then narrow, discussing each resource and how it relates to your question and to the other resources.
• Cite as you write to keep sources organized.
• Write in structured paragraphs using topic sentences and transition words to draw connections, comparisons, and contrasts.
• Don't present one study after another, but rather relate one study's findings to another. Speak to how the studies are connected and how they relate to your work.

Organizing Information

Options to assist in organizing sources and information :

1. Synthesis Matrix

• helps provide overview of the literature
• information from individual sources is entered into a grid to enable writers to discern patterns and themes
• article summary, analysis, or results
• thoughts, reflections, or issues
• each reference gets its own row
• mind maps, concept maps, flowcharts
• at top of page record PICO or research question
• record major concepts / themes from literature
• list concepts that branch out from major concepts underneath - keep going downward hierarchically, until most specific ideas are recorded
• enclose concepts in circles and connect the concept with lines - add brief explanation as needed

3. Summary Table

• information is recorded in a grid to help with recall and sorting information when writing
• allows comparing and contrasting individual studies easily
• purpose of study
• methodology (study population, data collection tool)

Efron, S. E., & Ravid, R. (2019). Writing the literature review : A practical guide . Guilford Press.

Literature Review Sections

• Lit reviews can be part of a larger paper / research study or they can be the focus of the paper
• Lit reviews focus on research studies to provide evidence
• New topics may not have much that has been published

* The sections included may depend on the purpose of the literature review (standalone paper or section within a research paper)

Standalone Literature Review (aka Narrative Review):

• presents your topic or PICO question
• includes the why of the literature review and your goals for the review.
• provides background for your the topic and previews the key points
• Narrative Reviews: tmay not have an explanation of methods.
• include where the search was conducted (which databases) what subject terms or keywords were used, and any limits or filters that were applied and why - this will help others re-create the search
• describe how studies were analyzed for inclusion or exclusion
• review the purpose and answer the research question
• thematically - using recurring themes in the literature
• chronologically - present the development of the topic over time
• methodological - compare and contrast findings based on various methodologies used to research the topic (e.g. qualitative vs quantitative, etc.)
• theoretical - organized content based on various theories
• provide an overview of the main points of each source then synthesize the findings into a coherent summary of the whole
• present common themes among the studies
• compare and contrast the various study results
• interpret the results and address the implications of the findings
• do the results support the original hypothesis or conflict with it
• provide your own analysis and interpretation (eg. discuss the significance of findings; evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the studies, noting any problems)
• discuss common and unusual patterns and offer explanations
•  stay away from opinions, personal biases and unsupported recommendations
• summarize the key findings and relate them back to your PICO/research question
• note gaps in the research and suggest areas for further research
• this section should not contain "new" information that had not been previously discussed in one of the sections above
• provide a list of all the studies and other sources used in proper APA 7

Literature Review as Part of a Research Study Manuscript:

• Compares the study with other research and includes how a study fills a gap in the research.
• Focus on the body of the review which includes the synthesized Findings and Discussion

Literature Reviews vs Systematic Reviews

Systematic Reviews are NOT the same as a Literature Review:

Literature Reviews:

• Literature reviews may or may not follow strict systematic methods to find, select, and analyze articles, but rather they selectively and broadly review the literature on a topic
• Research included in a Literature Review can be "cherry-picked" and therefore, can be very subjective

Systematic Reviews:

• Systemic reviews are designed to provide a comprehensive summary of the evidence for a focused research question
• rigorous and strictly structured, using standardized reporting guidelines (e.g. PRISMA, see link below)
• uses exhaustive, systematic searches of all relevant databases
• best practice dictates search strategies are peer reviewed
• uses predetermined study inclusion and exclusion criteria in order to minimize bias
• aims to capture and synthesize all literature (including unpublished research - grey literature) that meet the predefined criteria on a focused topic resulting in high quality evidence

Literature Review Examples

• Breastfeeding initiation and support: A literature review of what women value and the impact of early discharge (2017). Women and Birth : Journal of the Australian College of Midwives
• Community-based participatory research to promote healthy diet and nutrition and prevent and control obesity among African-Americans: A literature review (2017). Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities

• Vitamin D deficiency in individuals with a spinal cord injury: A literature review (2017). Spinal Cord

Resources for Writing a Literature Review

These sources have been used in developing this guide.

Resources Used on This Page

Aveyard, H. (2010). Doing a literature review in health and social care : A practical guide . McGraw-Hill Education.

Purdue Online Writing Lab. (n.d.). Writing a literature review . Purdue University. https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/conducting_research/writing_a_literature_review.html

Torres, E. (2021, October 21). Nursing - graduate studies research guide: Literature review. Hawai'i Pacific University Libraries. Retrieved January 27, 2022, from https://hpu.libguides.com/c.php?g=543891&p=3727230

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Good Place to Start: Citation Databases

Interdisciplinary Citation Databases:

A good place to start your research  is to search a research citation database to view the scope of literature available on your topic.

TIP #1: SEED ARTICLE Begin your research with a "seed article" - an article that strongly supports your research topic.  Then use a citation database to follow the studies published by finding articles which have cited that article, either because they support it or because they disagree with it.

TIP #2: SNOWBALLING Snowballing is the process where researchers will begin with a select number of articles they have identified relevant/strongly supports their topic and then search each articles' references reviewing the studies cited to determine if they are relevant to your research.

BONUS POINTS: This process also helps identify key highly cited authors within a topic to help establish the "experts" in the field.

Begin by constructing a focused research question to help you then convert it into an effective search strategy.

• Identify keywords or synonyms
• Type of study/resources
• Which database(s) to search
• Asking a Good Question (PICO)
• PICO - AHRQ
• PICO - Worksheet
• What Is a PICOT Question?

Seminal Works: Search Key Indexing/Citation Databases

• Google Scholar
• Web of Science

TIP – How to Locate Seminal Works

• DO NOT: Limit by date range or you might overlook the seminal works
• DO: Look at highly cited references (Seminal articles are frequently referred to “cited” in the research)
• DO: Search citation databases like Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar

Web Resources

What is a literature review?

A literature review is a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of published information on a subject area. Conducting a literature review demands a careful examination of a body of literature that has been published that helps answer your research question (See PICO). Literature reviewed includes scholarly journals, scholarly books, authoritative databases, primary sources and grey literature.

A literature review attempts to answer the following:

• What is known about the subject?
• What is the chronology of knowledge about my subject?
• Are there any gaps in the literature?
• Is there a consensus/debate on issues?
• Create a clear research question/statement
• Define the scope of the review include limitations (i.e. gender, age, location, nationality...)
• Search existing literature including classic works on your topic and grey literature
• Evaluate results and the evidence (Avoid discounting information that contradicts your research)
• Track and organize references
• How to conduct an effective literature search.
• Social Work Literature Review Guidelines (OWL Purdue Online Writing Lab)

What is PICO?

The PICO model can help you formulate a good clinical question. Sometimes it's referred to as PICO-T, containing an optional 5th factor. 

Search Example

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What is a Literature Review?

Key questions for a literature review, examples of literature reviews, useful links, evidence matrix for literature reviews.

• Annotated Bibliographies

The Scholarly Conversation

A literature review provides an overview of previous research on a topic that critically evaluates, classifies, and compares what has already been published on a particular topic. It allows the author to synthesize and place into context the research and scholarly literature relevant to the topic. It helps map the different approaches to a given question and reveals patterns. It forms the foundation for the author’s subsequent research and justifies the significance of the new investigation.

A literature review can be a short introductory section of a research article or a report or policy paper that focuses on recent research. Or, in the case of dissertations, theses, and review articles, it can be an extensive review of all relevant research.

• The format is usually a bibliographic essay; sources are briefly cited within the body of the essay, with full bibliographic citations at the end.
• The introduction should define the topic and set the context for the literature review. It will include the author's perspective or point of view on the topic, how they have defined the scope of the topic (including what's not included), and how the review will be organized. It can point out overall trends, conflicts in methodology or conclusions, and gaps in the research.
• In the body of the review, the author should organize the research into major topics and subtopics. These groupings may be by subject, (e.g., globalization of clothing manufacturing), type of research (e.g., case studies), methodology (e.g., qualitative), genre, chronology, or other common characteristics. Within these groups, the author can then discuss the merits of each article and analyze and compare the importance of each article to similar ones.
• The conclusion will summarize the main findings, make clear how this review of the literature supports (or not) the research to follow, and may point the direction for further research.
• The list of references will include full citations for all of the items mentioned in the literature review.

A literature review should try to answer questions such as

• Who are the key researchers on this topic?
• What has been the focus of the research efforts so far and what is the current status?
• How have certain studies built on prior studies? Where are the connections? Are there new interpretations of the research?
• Have there been any controversies or debate about the research? Is there consensus? Are there any contradictions?
• Which areas have been identified as needing further research? Have any pathways been suggested?
• How will your topic uniquely contribute to this body of knowledge?
• Which methodologies have researchers used and which appear to be the most productive?
• What sources of information or data were identified that might be useful to you?
• How does your particular topic fit into the larger context of what has already been done?
• How has the research that has already been done help frame your current investigation ?

Example of a literature review at the beginning of an article: Forbes, C. C., Blanchard, C. M., Mummery, W. K., & Courneya, K. S. (2015, March). Prevalence and correlates of strength exercise among breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer survivors . Oncology Nursing Forum, 42(2), 118+. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.sonoma.idm.oclc.org/ps/i.do?p=HRCA&sw=w&u=sonomacsu&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CA422059606&asid=27e45873fddc413ac1bebbc129f7649c Example of a comprehensive review of the literature: Wilson, J. L. (2016). An exploration of bullying behaviours in nursing: a review of the literature.   British Journal Of Nursing ,  25 (6), 303-306. For additional examples, see:

Galvan, J., Galvan, M., & ProQuest. (2017). Writing literature reviews: A guide for students of the social and behavioral sciences (Seventh ed.). [Electronic book]

Pan, M., & Lopez, M. (2008). Preparing literature reviews: Qualitative and quantitative approaches (3rd ed.). Glendale, CA: Pyrczak Pub. [ Q180.55.E9 P36 2008]

• Write a Literature Review (UCSC)
• Literature Reviews (Purdue)
• Literature Reviews: overview (UNC)
• Review of Literature (UW-Madison)

The  Evidence Matrix  can help you  organize your research  before writing your lit review.  Use it to  identify patterns  and commonalities in the articles you have found--similar methodologies ?  common  theoretical frameworks ? It helps you make sure that all your major concepts covered. It also helps you see how your research fits into the context  of the overall topic.

• Evidence Matrix Special thanks to Dr. Cindy Stearns, SSU Sociology Dept, for permission to use this Matrix as an example.
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Lit Reviews

Key questions.

A literature review should try to answer questions such as:

1. Who are the key researchers on this topic?

2. What has been the focus of the research efforts so far and what is the current status?

3. How have certain studies built on prior studies? Where are the connections? Are there new interpretations of the research?

4. Have there been any controversies or debate about the research? Is there consensus? Are there any contradictions?

5. Which areas have been identified as needing further research ? Have any pathways been suggested?

6. How will your topic uniquely contribute to this body of knowledge?

7. Which methodologies have researchers used and which appear to be the most productive?

8. What sources of information or data were identified that might be useful to you?

9. How does your particular topic fit into the larger context of what has already been done?

10. How has the research that has already been done help frame your current investigation?

What is a literature review?

The Scholarly Conversation:

A literature review provides an overview of previous research on a topic that critically evaluates, classifies, and compares what has already been published on a particular topic . It allows the author to synthesize and place into context the research and scholarly literature relevant to the topic. It forms the foundation for the author’s subsequent research and justifies the significance of the new investigation.

A literature review can be a short introductory section of a research article, report or policy paper that focuses on recent research, or, in the case of dissertations, theses, and review articles, it can be an extensive review of all relevant research.

• The format is usually a bibliographic essay; sources are briefly cited within the body of the essay, with full bibliographic citations at the end.
• The introduction should define the topic and set the context for the literature review. It will include the author's perspective or point of view on the topic, how they have defined the scope of the topic (including what's not included), and how the review will be organized. It can point out overall trends, conflicts in methodology or conclusions, and gaps in the research.
• In the body of the review , the author should organize the research into major topics and subtopics. These groupings may be by subject, (e.g., globalization of clothing manufacturing), type of research (e.g., case studies), methodology (e.g., qualitative), genre, chronology, or other common characteristics. Within these groups the author can then discuss the merits of each article and provide analysis and comparison of the importance of each article to similar ones.
• The conclusion will summarize the main findings, make clear how this review of the literature supports (or not) the research to follow, and may point the direction for further research.
• The list of references will include full citations for all of the items mentioned in the lit review.

Example of lit review at the beginning of an article: Williams, S., & Williams, L. (2005, May). Space invaders: The negotiation of teenage boundaries through the mobile phone . Sociological Review , 53(2), 314-331. Retrieved June 20, 2007, from SocIndex Full Text database (17131600): http://web.ebscohost.com Example of a comprehensive review of the literature: Jackson, J. E., & Warren, K. B. (2005). Indigenous movements in Latin America, 1992-2004: Controversies, ironies, new directions . Annual Review of Anthropology , 34, 549-573. Retrieved June 20, 2007, from Annual Reviews database: http://www.annualreviews.org/ For additional examples, see: Galvan, J. L. (2009). Writing literature reviews: A guide for students of the social and behaviorial sciences . (4th. ed.). Glendale, CA: Pyrczak Publishing. [Reserve Desk H62.G359 2009]

Pan, M.L.. (2004). Preparing literature reviews: Qualitative and quantitative approaches. Glendale, CA: Pyrczak Publishing. [ Q180.55.E9 P36 2004 ]

• Nursing Literature Review Example 1
• Nursing Literature Review Example 2

A big "thank you" to Sonoma State Libraries for sharing this information from their LibGuide !

How to Write a Literature Review (UCSC)

Review of Literature (UW-Madison)

Literature Reviews: overview (UNC)

Literature Review - a THOROUGH guide from Atlanta University Center (Thanks, Brad Ost!)

Evidence matrix for lit reviews

The Evidence Matrix can help you organize your research before writing your lit review.  Use it to identify patterns and commonalities in the articles you have found--similar methodologies ?  common theoretical frameworks ? It helps you make sure that all your major concepts covered. It also helps you see how your research fits into the context of the overall topic.

Useful definitions

A Literature Review  is a scholarly analysis of a body of research about a specific issue or topic. (See Lit Review tab for more info.)

A Meta-Analysis is a statistical technique for combining the findings from independent studies to assess the clinical effectiveness of healthcare interventions.

A Random Control Trial (RCT) is an experiment that delivers an intervention or treatment; subjects are randomly assigned to control and experimental groups, so it is the strongest design to support cause and effect relationships.

A Systematic Review is a comprehensive, unbiased review of multiple research studies that tries to identify, appraise, select and synthesize all high quality research evidence relevant to that research question.

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Literature review overview video, what is a literature review, how to complete a literature review, how to write a literature review.

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Researching Instruction will cover: 

Discussion about what is a literature review and how to complete a literature review. 

Use of Smart Search and Google Scholar

A literature review is an account of what has been published on a topic by accredited scholars and researchers. Occasionally you will be asked to write one as a separate assignment (sometimes in the form of an annotated bibliography —see the bottom of the next page), but more often it is part of the introduction to an essay, research report, or thesis. In writing the literature review, your purpose is to convey to your reader what knowledge and ideas have been established on a topic, and what their strengths and weaknesses are.

From  Taylor, D. (n/a). The Literature Review: A Few Tips On Conducting It. University of Toronto, Health Sciences Writing Centre. 

• The Literature Review: A Few Tips On Conducting It Writing Advice from the University of Toronto, Canada.
• Record Title: Writing & Research. Writing a Literature Review. Neill, C. (2017). Writing & Research. Writing a Literature Review. Radiation Therapist, 26(1), 89–91.

There are several steps in developing a literature review.  These include:

• Define your paper’s goal
• Literature review will match paper’s goal
• Review articles related to your paper’s topic
• Articles are written by scholars
• Identify top scholars in the field about your topic
• Include most pertinent publications by those scholars
• Summarize articles you identified
• Provide the importance of the article as it relates to your thesis/project statement
• Establish its relevance to the discussion
• What where the earliest ideas on the?
• How did grow and evolve in the academic conversation?
• As you write you will include author and date
• Create comprehensive citation for each article
• Follow APA format
• Literature Reviews From Purdue OWL
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• Joanna Smith 1 ,
• Helen Noble 2
• 1 School of Healthcare, University of Leeds , Leeds , UK
• 2 School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queens's University Belfast , Belfast , UK
• Correspondence to Dr Joanna Smith , School of Healthcare, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK; j.e.smith1{at}leeds.ac.uk

https://doi.org/10.1136/eb-2015-102252

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Implementing evidence into practice requires nurses to identify, critically appraise and synthesise research. This may require a comprehensive literature review: this article aims to outline the approaches and stages required and provides a working example of a published review.

Are there different approaches to undertaking a literature review?

What stages are required to undertake a literature review.

The rationale for the review should be established; consider why the review is important and relevant to patient care/safety or service delivery. For example, Noble et al 's 4 review sought to understand and make recommendations for practice and research in relation to dialysis refusal and withdrawal in patients with end-stage renal disease, an area of care previously poorly described. If appropriate, highlight relevant policies and theoretical perspectives that might guide the review. Once the key issues related to the topic, including the challenges encountered in clinical practice, have been identified formulate a clear question, and/or develop an aim and specific objectives. The type of review undertaken is influenced by the purpose of the review and resources available. However, the stages or methods used to undertake a review are similar across approaches and include:

Formulating clear inclusion and exclusion criteria, for example, patient groups, ages, conditions/treatments, sources of evidence/research designs;

Justifying data bases and years searched, and whether strategies including hand searching of journals, conference proceedings and research not indexed in data bases (grey literature) will be undertaken;

Developing search terms, the PICU (P: patient, problem or population; I: intervention; C: comparison; O: outcome) framework is a useful guide when developing search terms;

Developing search skills (eg, understanding Boolean Operators, in particular the use of AND/OR) and knowledge of how data bases index topics (eg, MeSH headings). Working with a librarian experienced in undertaking health searches is invaluable when developing a search.

Once studies are selected, the quality of the research/evidence requires evaluation. Using a quality appraisal tool, such as the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) tools, 5 results in a structured approach to assessing the rigour of studies being reviewed. 3 Approaches to data synthesis for quantitative studies may include a meta-analysis (statistical analysis of data from multiple studies of similar designs that have addressed the same question), or findings can be reported descriptively. 6 Methods applicable for synthesising qualitative studies include meta-ethnography (themes and concepts from different studies are explored and brought together using approaches similar to qualitative data analysis methods), narrative summary, thematic analysis and content analysis. 7 Table 1 outlines the stages undertaken for a published review that summarised research about parents’ experiences of living with a child with a long-term condition. 8

• View inline

An example of rapid evidence assessment review

In summary, the type of literature review depends on the review purpose. For the novice reviewer undertaking a review can be a daunting and complex process; by following the stages outlined and being systematic a robust review is achievable. The importance of literature reviews should not be underestimated—they help summarise and make sense of an increasingly vast body of research promoting best evidence-based practice.

• ↵ Centre for Reviews and Dissemination . Guidance for undertaking reviews in health care . 3rd edn . York : CRD, York University , 2009 .
• ↵ Canadian Best Practices Portal. http://cbpp-pcpe.phac-aspc.gc.ca/interventions/selected-systematic-review-sites / ( accessed 7.8.2015 ).
• Bridges J , et al
• ↵ Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP). http://www.casp-uk.net / ( accessed 7.8.2015 ).
• Dixon-Woods M ,
• Shaw R , et al
• Agarwal S ,
• Jones D , et al
• Cheater F ,

Twitter Follow Joanna Smith at @josmith175

Competing interests None declared.

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What is a Literature Review?

The Scholarly Conversation

A literature review provides an overview of previous research on a topic  that critically evaluates, classifies, and compares what has already been published on a particular topic. It allows the author to synthesize and place into context the research and scholarly literature relevant to the topic. It helps  map the different approaches to a given question and reveals  patterns.  It  forms the foundation for the author’s subsequent research and justifies the significance of the new investigation.

A literature review can be a short introductory section of a research article or a report or policy paper that focuses on recent research. Or, in the case of dissertations, theses, and review articles, it can be an extensive review of all relevant research.

• The  format  is usually a bibliographic essay; sources are briefly cited within the body of the essay, with full bibliographic citations at the end.
• The  introduction  should define the topic and set the context for the literature review. It will include the author's perspective or point of view on the topic, how they have defined the scope of the topic (including what's not included), and how the review will be organized. It can point out overall trends, conflicts in methodology or conclusions, and gaps in the research.
• In the  body of the review , the author should organize the research into major topics and subtopics. These groupings may be by subject, (e.g., globalization of clothing manufacturing), type of research (e.g., case studies), methodology (e.g., qualitative), genre, chronology, or other common characteristics. Within these groups, the author can then discuss the merits of each article and analyze and compare the importance of each article to similar ones.
• The  conclusion  will summarize the main findings, make clear how this review of the literature supports (or not) the research to follow, and may point the direction for further research.
• The  list of references  will include full citations for all of the items mentioned in the literature review.

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Conducting integrative reviews: a guide for novice nursing researchers

Shannon dhollande.

Lecturer, School of Nursing, Midwifery & Social Sciences, CQ University Brisbane, Australia

Annabel Taylor

Professor, School of Nursing, Midwifery & Social Sciences, CQ University Brisbane, Australia

Silke Meyer

Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, Monash University, Australia

Emergency Consultant, Emergency Department, Caboolture Hospital, Australia

Integrative reviews within healthcare promote a holistic understanding of the research topic. Structure and a comprehensive approach within reviews are important to ensure the reliability in their findings.

This paper aims to provide a framework for novice nursing researchers undertaking integrative reviews.

Established methods to form a research question, search literature, extract data, critically appraise extracted data and analyse review findings are discussed and exemplified using the authors’ own review as a comprehensive and reliable approach for the novice nursing researcher undertaking an integrative literature review.

Providing a comprehensive audit trail that details how an integrative literature review has been conducted increases and ensures the results are reproducible. The use of established tools to structure the various components of an integrative review increases robustness and readers’ confidence in the review findings.

Implications for practice

Novice nursing researchers may increase the reliability of their results by employing a framework to guide them through the process of conducting an integrative review.

A literature review is a critical analysis of published research literature based on a specified topic ( Pluye et al., 2016 ). Literature reviews identify literature then examine its strengths and weaknesses to determine gaps in knowledge ( Pluye et al. 2016 ). Literature reviews are an integral aspect of research projects; indeed, many reviews constitute a publication in themselves ( Snyder, 2019 ). There are various types of literature reviews based largely on the type of literature sourced ( Cronin et al. 2008 ). These include systematic literature reviews, traditional, narrative and integrative literature reviews ( Snyder, 2019 ). Aveyard and Bradbury-Jones (2019) found more than 35 commonly used terms to describe literature reviews. Within healthcare, systematic literature reviews initially gained traction and widespread support because of their reproducibility and focus on arriving at evidence-based conclusions that could influence practice and policy development ( Boell and Cecez-Kecmanovic, 2015 ). Yet, it became apparent that healthcare-related treatment options needed to review broader spectrums of research for treatment options to be considered comprehensive, holistic and patient orientated ( Boell and Cecez-Kecmanovic, 2015 ). Stern et al. (2014) suggest that despite the focus in healthcare on quantitative research not all pertinent questions surrounding the provision of care can be answered from this approach. To devise solutions to multidimensional problems, all forms of trustworthy evidence need to be considered ( Stern et al. 2014 ).

Integrative reviews assimilate research data from various research designs to reach conclusions that are comprehensive and reliable ( Soares et al. 2014 ). For example, an integrative review considers both qualitative and quantitative research to reach its conclusions. This approach promotes the development of a comprehensive understanding of the topic from a synthesis of all forms of available evidence ( Russell, 2005 ; Torraco, 2005 ). The strengths of an integrative review include its capacity to analyse research literature, evaluate the quality of the evidence, identify knowledge gaps, amalgamate research from various research designs, generate research questions and develop theoretical frameworks ( Russell, 2005 ). Aveyard and Bradbury-Jones (2019) suggested that integrative reviews exhibit similar characteristics to systematic reviews and may therefore be regarded as rigorous.

Integrative reviews value both qualitative and quantitative research which are built upon differing epistemological paradigms. Both types of research are vital in developing the evidence base that guides healthcare provision ( Leppäkoski and Paavilainen, 2012 ). Therefore, integrative reviews may influence policy development as their conclusions have considered a broad range of appropriate literature ( Whittemore and Knafl, 2005 ). An integrative approach to evidence synthesis allows healthcare professionals to make better use of all available evidence and apply it to the clinical practice environment ( Souza et al. 2010 ). For example, Aveyard and Bradbury-Jones (2019) found in excess of 12 different types of reviews employed to guide healthcare practice. The healthcare profession requires both quantitative and qualitative forms of research to establish the robust evidence base that enables the provision of evidence-based patient-orientated healthcare.

Integrative reviews require a specific set of skills to identify and synthesise literature ( Boell and Cecez-Kecmanovic, 2010 ). There remains a paucity of literature that provides explicit guidance to novice nursing researchers on how to conduct an integrative review and importantly how to ensure the results and conclusions are both comprehensive and reliable. Furthermore, novice nursing researchers may receive little formal training to develop the skills required to generate a comprehensive integrative review ( Boote and Beile, 2005 ). Aveyard and Bradbury-Jones (2019) also emphasised the limited literature providing guidance surrounding integrative reviews. Therefore, novice nursing researchers need to rely on published guidance to assist them. In this regard this paper, using an integrative review conducted by the authors as a case study, aims to provide a framework for novice nursing researchers conducting integrative reviews.

Developing the framework

In conducting integrative reviews, the novice nursing researcher may need to employ a framework to ensure the findings are comprehensive and reliable ( Boell and Cecez-Kecmanovic, 2010 ; Snyder, 2019 ). A framework to guide novice nursing researchers in conducting integrative reviews has been adapted by the authors and will now be described and delineated. This framework used various published literature to guide its creation, namely works by Aveyard and Bradbury-Jones (2019) , Nelson (2014), Stern et al. (2014) , Whittemore and Knafl (2005) , Pluye et al. (2009) , Moher et al., (2009) and Attride-Stirling, (2001) . The suggested framework involves seven steps ( Figure 1 ).

Integrative review framework ( Cooke et al. 2012 ; Riva et al. 2012 ).

Step 1: Write the review question

The review question acts as a foundation for an integrative study ( Riva et al. 2012 ). Yet, a review question may be difficult to articulate for the novice nursing researcher as it needs to consider multiple factors specifically, the population or sample, the interventions or area under investigation, the research design and outcomes and any benefit to the treatment ( Riva et al. 2012 ). A well-written review question aids the researcher to develop their research protocol/design and is of vital importance when writing an integrative review.

To articulate a review question there are numerous tools available to the novice nursing researcher to employ. These tools include variations on the PICOTs template (PICOT, PICO, PIO), and the Spider template. The PICOTs template is an established tool for structuring a research question. Yet, the SPIDER template has gained acceptance despite the need for further research to determine its applicability to multiple research contexts ( Cooke et al., 2012 ). Templates are recommended to aid the novice nursing researcher in effectively delineating and deconstructing the various elements within their review question. Delineation aids the researcher to refine the question and produce more targeted results within a literature search. In the case study, the review question was to: identify, evaluate and synthesise current knowledge and healthcare approaches to women presenting due to intimate partner violence (IPV) within emergency departments (ED). This review objective is delineated in the review question templates shown in Table 1 .

Comparison of elements involved with a PICOTS and SPIDER review question.

( Cooke et al. 2012 ; Riva et al. 2012 ).

Step 2: Determine the search strategy

In determining a search strategy, it is important for the novice nursing researcher to consider the databases employed, the search terms, the Boolean operators, the use of truncation and the use of subject headings. Furthermore, Nelson (2014) suggests that a detailed description of the search strategy should be included within integrative reviews to ensure readers are able to reproduce the results.

The databases employed within a search strategy need to consider the research aim and the scope of information contained within the database. Many databases vary in their coverage of specific journals and associated literature, such as conference proceedings ( Boell and Cecez-Kecmanovic, 2010 ). Therefore, the novice nursing researcher should consult several databases when conducting their searches. For example, search strategies within the healthcare field may utilise databases such as Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Healthcare Literature (CINAHL), Cochrane Library, Science Direct, ProQuest, Web of Science, Scopus and PsychInfo ( Cronin et al. 2008 ). These databases among others are largely considered appropriate repositories of reliable data that novice researchers may utilise when researching within healthcare. The date in which the searches are undertaken should be within the search strategy as searches undertaken after this date may generate increased results in line with the publication of further studies.

Utilising an established template to generate a research question allows for the delineation of key elements within the question as seen above. These key elements may assist the novice nursing researcher in determining the search terms they employ. Furthermore, keywords on published papers may provide the novice nursing researcher with alternative search terms, synonyms and introduce the researcher to key terminology employed within their field ( Boell and Cecez-Kecmanovic, 2010 ). For example, within the case study undertaken the search terms included among others: ‘domestic violence’, ‘domestic abuse’, ‘intimate partner violence and/or abuse’. To refine the search to the correct healthcare environment the terms ‘emergency department’ and/or ‘emergency room’ were employed. To link search terms, the researcher should consider their use of Boolean operators ‘And’ ‘Or’ and ‘Not’ and their use of truncation ( Cronin et al. 2008 ). Truncation is the shortening of words which in literature searches may increase the number of search results. Medical subject headings (MeSH) or general subject headings should be employed where appropriate and within this case study the headings included ‘nursing’, ‘domestic violence’ and ‘intimate partner violence’.

Inclusion and exclusion criteria allow the novice nursing researcher to reduce and refine the search parameters and locate the specific data they seek. Appropriate use of inclusion and exclusion criteria permits relevant data to be sourced as wider searches can produce a large amount of disparate data, whereas a search that is too narrow may result in the omission of significant findings ( Boell and Cecez-Kecmanovic, 2010 ). The novice nursing researcher needs to be aware that generating a large volume of search results may not necessarily result in relevant data being identified. Within integrative reviews there is potential for a large volume of data to be sourced and therefore time and resources required to complete the review need to be considered ( Heyvaert et al. 2017 ). The analysis and refining of a large volume of data can become a labour-intensive exercise for the novice nursing researcher ( Boell and Cecez-Kecmanovic, 2010 ).

Stern et al. (2014) suggest various elements that should be considered within inclusion/exclusion criteria:

• the type of studies included;
• the topic under exploration;
• the outcomes;
• publication language;
• the time period; and
• the methods employed.

The use of limiters or exclusion criteria are an effective method to manage the amount of time it takes to undertake searches and limit the volume of research generated. Yet, exclusion criteria may introduce biases in the search results and should therefore be used with caution and to produce specific outcomes by the novice nursing researcher ( Hammerstrøm et al. 2017 ).

Whittemore and Knafl (2005) suggest that randomised controlled trials, prospective and retrospective cohort studies, case control studies, cross sectional studies, systematic reviews and meta-analyses should all be included within the search strategy. Therefore, there are no biases based on the type of publication sourced ( Hammerstrøm et al. 2017 ).

There should be no restriction on the sample size within the studies recognising that qualitative studies generally have smaller sample sizes, and to capture the breadth of research available. There was no restriction on the date of publication within the case study as quality literature was limited. Scoping widely is an important strategy within integrative reviews to produce comprehensive results. A manual citation search of the reference list of all sourced papers was also undertaken by a member of the research team.

Literature may be excluded if those papers were published in a language foreign to the researcher with no accepted translation available. Though limiting papers based on translation availability may introduce some bias, this does ensure the review remains free from translational errors and cultural misinterpretations. In the case study, research conducted in developing countries with a markedly different healthcare service and significant resource limitations were excluded due to their lack of generalisability and clinical relevance; though this may have introduced a degree of location bias ( Nelson, 2014 ).

A peer review of the search strategy by an individual who specialises in research data searches such as a research librarian may be a viable method in which the novice healthcare researcher can ensure the search strategy is appropriate and able to generate the required data. One such tool that a novice nurse may employ is the Peer Review of the Search Strategy (PRESS) checklist. A peer review of the caste study was undertaken by a research librarian. All recommendations were incorporated into the search strategy which included removing a full text limiter, and changes to the Boolean and proximity operators.

After the search strategy has been implemented the researcher removes duplicate results and screened the retrieved publications based on their titles and abstracts. A second screening was then undertaken based on the full text of retrieved publications to remove papers that were irrelevant to the research question. Full text copies should then be obtained for critical appraisal employing validated methods.

Step 3: Critical appraisal of search results

The papers identified within the search strategy should undergo a critical appraisal to determine if they are appropriate and of sufficient quality to be included within the review. This should be conducted or reviewed by a second member of the research team, which occurred within this case study. Any discrepancies were discussed until consensus was achieved. A critical appraisal allows the novice healthcare researcher to appraise the relevance and trustworthiness of a study and, therefore, determine its applicability to their research (CASP, 2013). There are several established tools a novice nurse can employ in which to structure their critical appraisal. These include the Scoring System for Mixed-Methods Research and Mixed Studies Reviews developed by Pluye et al. (2009) and the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP, 2018) Checklists.

The review undertaken by the authors employed the scoring system for mixed-methods research and mixed-studies reviews developed by Pluye et al. (2009) . This scoring system was specifically designed for reviews employing studies from various research designs and therefore was utilised with ease ( Table 2 ).

The scoring system for mixed-methods research and mixed-studies reviews ( Pluye et al. 2009 ).

Using the CASP checklist aids the novice nursing researcher to examine the methodology of identified papers to establish validity. This critical appraisal tool contains 10 items. These items are yes or no questions that assist the researcher to determine (a) if the results of the paper are valid, (b) what the results are and (c) if it is relevant in the context of their study. For example, the checklist asks the researcher to consider the presence of a clear statement surrounding the aims of the research, and to consider why and how the research is important in regard to their topic (CASP, 2013). This checklist supports the nurse researcher to assess the validity, results and significance of research, and therefore appropriately decide on its inclusion within the review ( Krainovich-Miller et al., 2009 ).

Step 4: Summarise the search results

A summary of the results generated by literature searches is important to exemplify how comprehensive the literature is or conversely to identify if there are gaps in research. This summary should include the number of, and type of papers included within the review post limiters, screening and critical appraisal of search results. For example, within the review detailed throughout this paper the search strategy resulted in the inclusion of 25 qualitative and six quantitative papers ( Bakon et al. 2019 ). Many papers provide a summary of their search results visually in a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) flow diagram ( Boell and Cecez-Kecmanovic, 2015 ). PRISMA is a method of reporting that enables readers to assess the robustness of the results ( Leclercq et al. 2019 ; Moher et al. 2009 ). PRISMA promotes the transparency of the search process by delineating various items within the search process ( Leclercq et al. 2019 ; Moher et al. 2009 ). Researchers may decide how rigorously they follow this process yet should provide a rationale for any deviations ( Leclercq et al. 2019 ; Moher et al, 2009 ). Figure 2 is an example of the PRISMA flow diagram as it was applied within the case study.

Example PRISMA flow diagram ( Bakon et al. 2019 ; Moher et al. 2009 ).

Step 5: Data extraction and reduction

Data can be extracted from the critically appraised papers identified through the search strategy employing extraction tables. Within the case study data were clearly delineated, as suggested by Boell and Cecez-Kecmanovic (2010) , into extraction or comparison tables ( Table 3 ). These tables specify the authors, the date of publication, year of publication, site where the research was conducted and the key findings. Setting out the data into tables facilitates the comparison of these variables and aids the researcher to determine the appropriateness of the papers’ inclusion or exclusion within the review ( Whittemore and Knafl, 2005 ).

Example of a data extraction table.

Step 6: Analysis

Thematic analysis is widely used in integrative research ( Attride-Stirling, 2001 ). In this section we will discuss the benefits of employing a structured approach to thematic analysis including the formation of a thematic network. A thematic network is a visual diagram or depiction of the themes displaying their interconnectivity. Thematic analysis with the development of a thematic network is a way of identifying themes at various levels and depicting the observed relationships and organisation of these themes ( Attride-Stirling, 2001 ). There are numerous methods and tools available in which to conduct a thematic analysis that may be of use to the novice healthcare researcher conducting an integrative review. The approach used in a thematic analysis is important though a cursory glance at many literature reviews will reveal that many authors do not delineate the methods they employ. This includes the thematic analysis approach suggested by Thomas and Harden (2008) and the approach to thematic networking suggested by Attride-Stirling (2001) .

Thomas and Harden (2008) espouse a three-step approach to thematic analysis which includes: (a) coding, (b) organisation of codes into descriptive themes, and (c) the amalgamation of descriptive themes into analytical themes. The benefit of this approach lies in its simplicity and the ease with which a novice nurse researcher can apply the required steps. In contrast, the benefit of the approach suggested by Attride-Stirling (2001) lies in its ability to move beyond analysis and generate a visual thematic network which facilitates a critical interpretation and synthesis of the data.

Thematic networks typically depict three levels: basic themes, organising themes and global themes ( Attride-Stirling, 2001 ). The thematic network can then be developed. A thematic network is a visual depiction that appears graphically as a web like design ( Attride-Stirling, 2001 ). Thematic networks emphasise the relationships and interconnectivity of the network. It is an illustrative tool that facilitates interpretation of the data ( Attride-Stirling, 2001 ).

The benefits of employing a thematic analysis and networking within integrative reviews is the flexibility inherent within the approach, which allows the novice nursing researcher to provide a comprehensive accounting of the data ( Nowell et al. 2017 ). Thematic analysis is also an easily grasped form of data analysis that is useful for exploring various perspectives on specific topics and highlighting knowledge gaps ( Nowell et al. 2017 ). Thematic analysis and networking is also useful as a method to summarise large or diversified data sets to produce insightful conclusions ( Attride-Stirling, 2001 ; Nowell et al. 2017 ). The ability to assimilate data from various seemingly disparate perspectives may be challenging for the novice nursing researcher conducting an integrative review yet this integration of data by thematic analysis and networking was is integral.

To ensure the trustworthiness of results, novice nursing researchers need to clearly articulate each stage within the chosen method of data analysis ( Attride-Stirling, 2001 ; Nowell et al. 2017 ). The method employed in data analysis needs to be precise and exhaustively delineated ( Attride-Stirling, 2001 ; Nowell et al. 2017 ). Attride-Stirling (2001) suggests six steps within her methods of thematic analysis and networking. These steps include:

• code material;
• identify themes;
• construct thematic network;
• describe and explore the thematic network;
• summarise thematic network findings; and
• interpret patterns to identify implications.

In employing the approach suggested by Attride-Stirling (2001) within the case study the coding of specific findings within the data permitted the development of various themes ( Table 4 ). Inclusion of both quantitative and qualitative findings within the themes facilitated integration of the data which identified patterns and generated insights into the current care provided to IPV victims within ED.

Coding and theme formation.

Step 7: Conclusions and implications

A conclusion is important to remind the reader why the research topic is important. The researcher can then follow advice by Higginbottom (2015) who suggests that in drawing and writing research conclusions the researcher has an opportunity to explain the significance of the findings. The researcher may also need to explain these conclusions in light of the study limitations and parameters. Higginbottom (2015) emphasises that a conclusion is not a summary or reiteration of the results but a section which details the broader implications of the research and translates this knowledge into a format that is of use to the reader. The implications of the review findings for healthcare practice, for healthcare education and research should be considered.

Employing this structured and comprehensive framework within the case study the authors were able to determine that there remains a marked barrier in the provision of healthcare within the ED to women presenting with IPV-related injury. By employing an integrative approach multiple forms of literature were reviewed, and a considerable gap was identified. Therefore, further research may need to focus on the developing a structured healthcare protocol to aid ED clinicians to meet the needs of this vulnerable patient population.

Integrative reviews can be conducted with success when they follow a structured approach. This paper proposes a framework that novice nursing researchers can employ. Applying our stepped framework within an integrative review will strengthen the robustness of the study and facilitate its translation into policy and practice. This framework was employed by the authors to identify, evaluate and synthesise current knowledge and approaches of health professionals surrounding the care provision of women presenting due to IPV within emergency departments. The recommendations from the case study are currently being translated and implemented into the practice environment.

Key points for policy, practice and/or research

• Integrative literature reviews are required within nursing to consider elements of care provision from a holistic perspective.
• There is currently limited literature providing explicit guidance on how to undertake an integrative literature review.
• Clear delineation of the integrative literature review process demonstrates how the knowledge base was understood, organised and analysed.
• Nurse researchers may utilise this guidance to ensure the reliability of their integrative review.

Shannon Dhollande is a Lecturer, registered nurse and researcher. Her research explores the provision of emergency care to vulnerable populations.

Annabel Taylor is a Professorial Research Fellow at CQ University who with her background in social work explores methods of addressing gendered violence such as domestic violence.

Silke Meyer is an Associate Professor in Criminology and the Deputy Director of the Gender and Family Violence Prevention Centre at Monash University.

Mark Scott is an Emergency Medical Consultant with a track record in advancing emergency healthcare through implementation of evidence-based healthcare.

Declaration of conflicting interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Ethics: Due to the nature of this article this article did not require ethical approval.

Funding: The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Shannon Dhollande https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3181-7606

Silke Meyer https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3964-042X

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Master Your Nursing Literature Review & Strive for Excellence

Need help with your nursing literature review, don't struggle with your nursing literature review anymore.

You're not alone if you're struggling with your nursing literature reviews. Many nursing students find it very challenging to take the time and effort to craft high-scoring nursing literature reviews amidst the tough schedule that nursing students have.

Because of that, getting some help with your nursing literature review is certainly not a bad idea. Getting some professional help to create high-scoring nursing literature reviews can not only boost your academic grades but also help free up time that you can spend studying for the infamously difficult nursing final exams.

Why is Nursing Literature Review Important?

Are nursing literature reviews really that big of a deal that you should be getting professional help? Yes, they are.

A nursing literature review is a tool that lecturers use to see your ability to demonstrate knowledge on a key and relevant area of study in nursing. In a nursing literature review, you will be asked to identify gaps in existing literature review, which eventually lays foundation for the proposed research topic to be studied.

In addition to being important for research, nursing literature reviews are also valuable for clinical practice. By staying up-to-date on the latest research, nurses can ensure they provide their patients with the best possible care. Nursing literature reviews can also help you as a nurse in the future to develop new and innovative ways of delivering care.

An example of the above scenario can be an instance where you, as a nurse, may be interested in developing a new educational program for patients with diabetes. To help you, you may be able to review literature on effective diabetes education programs to help you design a program that is evidence-based and likely to be effective.

To sum it up, nursing literature reviews are important not just for the academic progress of nursing students but also for the advancement of nursing practice and the improvement of patient care for you as a nurse in the future.

What is a Nursing Literature Review?

Now that we have established why a nursing literature review is so important let's now discuss what exactly is a nursing literature review.

Is it just like a normal essay but emphasized on a nursing topic? Not really.

Many students make a mistake in misunderstanding a literature review as merely a summary of the sources that they have found on the topic under research.

But that's not all that a literature review in nursing is about.

It is a critical analysis and evaluation of existing research, which shows how it relates to your research question and hypothesis. Hence, what a well-written literature review shows is how the writer has been able to integrate and synthesize the information from different sources. Furthermore, it highlights how the literature review writer has identified the gaps and limitations in the current knowledge surrounding the field of study.

There are several different types of nursing literature reviews, including:

• ● Systematic reviews: These reviews identify, appraise, and synthesize all the relevant research on a particular topic.
• ● Metasyntheses: These reviews synthesize the findings of qualitative studies.
• ● Integrative reviews: These reviews synthesize the findings of quantitative and qualitative studies.
• ● Narrative reviews: These reviews provide a comprehensive overview of the literature on a particular topic, but they do not use a systematic approach

Main Parts of a Nursing Literature Review

A nursing literature review can be organized in different ways depending on the topic and the level of discipline required by the lecturer. However, there are some common elements that each nursing literature review should include, which are:

a) Clear introduction

This is the first section that a lecturer will read entering into a nursing literature review and is, therefore, very crucial to lay a strong and coherent foundation for the study to follow. The introduction section should first introduce the topic, and then it can go on to define your research question and hypothesis.

Moreover, the introduction should also explain the main scope and focus of the literature review, alongside stating the main objectives and arguments that will be addressed in the nursing literature review.

b) Clear research question and

The research question and hypothesis are usually part of the introduction section of a literature review. For that reason, it needs its own part because it is so important to a literature study.

Therefore, a clear and well-defined research question will help ensure that the literature review is focused and relevant. In contrast, a well-supported hypothesis will help to guide the review to identify the most important and relevant findings surrounding the topic.

c) Clear research methodology

After sorting out the introduction and the research question of the study, the next step is to discuss the methodology used to support the study and come up with the eventual findings. The section on research methods should also assess the reliability of the references employed in the investigation. This enhances the trustworthiness and transparency of the review in nursing.

d) Comprehensive body

In simpler terms, the body is the engine of a nursing literature review. This section will be responsible for organizing the findings from all the sources according to their similarities and differences, as well as their relevance and importance to the research question and/or hypothesis curated by the writer.

It is important for the body part of a literature review to point out the main strengths, flaws, and points of view of each source used. The section should also compare and contrast all the sources used in the literature review to show how they agree or disagree with each other.

e) Effective conclusion

Many students do not pay much attention and effort in the conclusion section of a literature review. Still, it is very important to have a nursing literature review to end the review on a good note, as it may leave a lasting impact on the readers and the lecturer. It is, hence, a key part of any literature review, let alone a nursing literature review.

Start by stating clearly what your research topic is. Think about the specific aspect in your nursing field you want to explore and move on to the next step which is to conduct a comprehensive literature search.

Structure of a Nursing Literature Review

Introduction.

Your introduction must establish the significance of the topic. Your introduction should provide answers to the following:

• ● Why you’re writing a review, and why your specific topic is important.
• ● The scope of the review. By this, we’re referring to aspects of the topic that you will discuss.
• ● An outline of research done in that area.

Go ahead and conclude with a thesis statement. There are 2 ways to go about this.

• ● In a standalone literature review, your thesis statement will sum up and give a review of the current state of this field of research.
• ● If this literature review is part of a thesis, your purpose statement should include how your review findings will influence the research on the topic on which you’re about to embark.

Here in the body, you summarize the current state of knowledge in the field. Each body paragraph will deal with a different theme that is relevant to your specific topic. Take note of the major themes or trends and findings that the researchers agree or disagree on.

The body can include the following:

• ● Background
• ● Methodologies
• ● Previous studies on the topic
• ● Arguments and disagreements on specific areas
• ● Critical questions being asked
• ● A sum up of the conclusions being drawn.

Your conclusion should be a sum of:

• ● The main agreements and disagreements in the literature
• ● Any gaps that need to be filed
• ● Your take on the topic.

How to Write a Nursing Literature Review

To write a good nursing literature review, the 4 steps below can be undertaken:

Step 1- Define your research question

This is the main focus of the literature review, which guides the search for sources and their analysis. The research question should be clear, specific, and relevant to allow the reader to understand what the subsequent study will be about clearly.

Step 2- Conduct a literature search

The next step is to find and select the relevant sources for the research question. Writers can use various databases, journals, and other sources to find the most recent and credible research on their chosen topic. Keywords can be selected by the writer to effectively find the most relevant and suitable journal articles and studies that can be included in the literature review.

Step 3- Evaluate and select the sources

After conducting the literature search, the next step is to assess the quality and relevance of the researched sources. Based on the accuracy and relevance of the sources, alongside whether or not they are peer-reviewed, the sources should be selected to be a part of the final literature review.

Step 4- Write the literature review

After carefully planning the literature review in the first three steps, the fourth and final step is to draft the literature review in adherence with the main parts of a literature review discussed in the previous section.

Example of Nursing Literature Reviews

You can check out the following samples of what an actual Nursing Literature Review should look like:

• ● Breastfeeding initiation and support: A literature review of what women value and the impact of early discharge.
• ● The documentation practice of perioperative nurses: A literature review.

Seek Expert Help for Your Nursing Literature Review

The goal of a nursing literature review is for you to collate evidence on a specific topic and give context to your research paper.

A well-done literature review will help you gain much deeper insight into your field and also help you build your own unique perspective on the topic.

Your Nursing Literature Review Questions Answered: A Comprehensive FAQ

Why do i have to write a nursing literature review.

Writing a nursing literature review will help you understand what’s already known in the nursing field.

How Do I Choose a Topic?

Think about what you find interesting the most in nursing and write about it.

Where Do I Find Sources?

You can use websites like PubMed to find articles and studies.

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Writing a Literature Review

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A literature review is a document or section of a document that collects key sources on a topic and discusses those sources in conversation with each other (also called synthesis ). The lit review is an important genre in many disciplines, not just literature (i.e., the study of works of literature such as novels and plays). When we say “literature review” or refer to “the literature,” we are talking about the research ( scholarship ) in a given field. You will often see the terms “the research,” “the scholarship,” and “the literature” used mostly interchangeably.

Where, when, and why would I write a lit review?

There are a number of different situations where you might write a literature review, each with slightly different expectations; different disciplines, too, have field-specific expectations for what a literature review is and does. For instance, in the humanities, authors might include more overt argumentation and interpretation of source material in their literature reviews, whereas in the sciences, authors are more likely to report study designs and results in their literature reviews; these differences reflect these disciplines’ purposes and conventions in scholarship. You should always look at examples from your own discipline and talk to professors or mentors in your field to be sure you understand your discipline’s conventions, for literature reviews as well as for any other genre.

A literature review can be a part of a research paper or scholarly article, usually falling after the introduction and before the research methods sections. In these cases, the lit review just needs to cover scholarship that is important to the issue you are writing about; sometimes it will also cover key sources that informed your research methodology.

Lit reviews can also be standalone pieces, either as assignments in a class or as publications. In a class, a lit review may be assigned to help students familiarize themselves with a topic and with scholarship in their field, get an idea of the other researchers working on the topic they’re interested in, find gaps in existing research in order to propose new projects, and/or develop a theoretical framework and methodology for later research. As a publication, a lit review usually is meant to help make other scholars’ lives easier by collecting and summarizing, synthesizing, and analyzing existing research on a topic. This can be especially helpful for students or scholars getting into a new research area, or for directing an entire community of scholars toward questions that have not yet been answered.

What are the parts of a lit review?

Most lit reviews use a basic introduction-body-conclusion structure; if your lit review is part of a larger paper, the introduction and conclusion pieces may be just a few sentences while you focus most of your attention on the body. If your lit review is a standalone piece, the introduction and conclusion take up more space and give you a place to discuss your goals, research methods, and conclusions separately from where you discuss the literature itself.

Introduction:

• An introductory paragraph that explains what your working topic and thesis is
• A forecast of key topics or texts that will appear in the review
• Potentially, a description of how you found sources and how you analyzed them for inclusion and discussion in the review (more often found in published, standalone literature reviews than in lit review sections in an article or research paper)
• Summarize and synthesize: Give an overview of the main points of each source and combine them into a coherent whole
• Analyze and interpret: Don’t just paraphrase other researchers – add your own interpretations where possible, discussing the significance of findings in relation to the literature as a whole
• Critically Evaluate: Mention the strengths and weaknesses of your sources
• Write in well-structured paragraphs: Use transition words and topic sentence to draw connections, comparisons, and contrasts.

Conclusion:

• Summarize the key findings you have taken from the literature and emphasize their significance
• Connect it back to your primary research question

How should I organize my lit review?

Lit reviews can take many different organizational patterns depending on what you are trying to accomplish with the review. Here are some examples:

• Chronological : The simplest approach is to trace the development of the topic over time, which helps familiarize the audience with the topic (for instance if you are introducing something that is not commonly known in your field). If you choose this strategy, be careful to avoid simply listing and summarizing sources in order. Try to analyze the patterns, turning points, and key debates that have shaped the direction of the field. Give your interpretation of how and why certain developments occurred (as mentioned previously, this may not be appropriate in your discipline — check with a teacher or mentor if you’re unsure).
• Thematic : If you have found some recurring central themes that you will continue working with throughout your piece, you can organize your literature review into subsections that address different aspects of the topic. For example, if you are reviewing literature about women and religion, key themes can include the role of women in churches and the religious attitude towards women.
• Qualitative versus quantitative research
• Empirical versus theoretical scholarship
• Divide the research by sociological, historical, or cultural sources
• Theoretical : In many humanities articles, the literature review is the foundation for the theoretical framework. You can use it to discuss various theories, models, and definitions of key concepts. You can argue for the relevance of a specific theoretical approach or combine various theorical concepts to create a framework for your research.

What are some strategies or tips I can use while writing my lit review?

Any lit review is only as good as the research it discusses; make sure your sources are well-chosen and your research is thorough. Don’t be afraid to do more research if you discover a new thread as you’re writing. More info on the research process is available in our "Conducting Research" resources .

As you’re doing your research, create an annotated bibliography ( see our page on the this type of document ). Much of the information used in an annotated bibliography can be used also in a literature review, so you’ll be not only partially drafting your lit review as you research, but also developing your sense of the larger conversation going on among scholars, professionals, and any other stakeholders in your topic.

Usually you will need to synthesize research rather than just summarizing it. This means drawing connections between sources to create a picture of the scholarly conversation on a topic over time. Many student writers struggle to synthesize because they feel they don’t have anything to add to the scholars they are citing; here are some strategies to help you:

• It often helps to remember that the point of these kinds of syntheses is to show your readers how you understand your research, to help them read the rest of your paper.
• Writing teachers often say synthesis is like hosting a dinner party: imagine all your sources are together in a room, discussing your topic. What are they saying to each other?
• Look at the in-text citations in each paragraph. Are you citing just one source for each paragraph? This usually indicates summary only. When you have multiple sources cited in a paragraph, you are more likely to be synthesizing them (not always, but often
• Read more about synthesis here.

The most interesting literature reviews are often written as arguments (again, as mentioned at the beginning of the page, this is discipline-specific and doesn’t work for all situations). Often, the literature review is where you can establish your research as filling a particular gap or as relevant in a particular way. You have some chance to do this in your introduction in an article, but the literature review section gives a more extended opportunity to establish the conversation in the way you would like your readers to see it. You can choose the intellectual lineage you would like to be part of and whose definitions matter most to your thinking (mostly humanities-specific, but this goes for sciences as well). In addressing these points, you argue for your place in the conversation, which tends to make the lit review more compelling than a simple reporting of other sources.

Evidence-Based Nursing Practice: A Literature Review

Introduction.

This review of literature attempts to examine various aspects of evidence-based nursing practice in nursing. It further attempts to describe the importance of literature materials in nursing practice. In addition, it attempts to describe the standards needs in evidence-based care in nursing. Within the last few decades, evidence-based nursing has become an important application in clinical practice. The availability of a large volume of information about the best methods for improving patient outcomes has increased the need to use the existing knowledge in practice. This new application has attempted to base practice on knowledge gained in class as well as additional information learned from published materials.

Review of literature

What is EBNP?

Evident-based nursing is the process of developing and identifying concrete research outcome and applying them to improve the nursing practices. These findings are important in alleviating the quality of services to the patients. This program aims at ensuring patients receive the best most reliable care. The main objective of Evidence-Based Nursing is to offer the best services to the patients in terms of cost, handling and attention. Being a patient oriented program it was established based on collected and analyzed data of patients. Patients’ moderation and favorites are good examples of existing evidence. This is applied in raising the likelihood of making the right clinical judgment. For the process to succeed, knowledgeable personnel qualified to carry out the research is needed at the workplace. This research must be accurately and precisely carried out in order to realize reliable result, which can aid in continues improvement.

Emergence of EBNP

Over the last two decades, a massive volume of literature has emerged to elaborate various aspects of evidence based nursing practice (EBNP). Various researchers and institutions have attempted to determine the worthiness of EBNP in various settings, conditions, countries and regions. The primary aim is to determine the impact and applicability of EBNP. In addition, a study by Melnyk and Fineout-Overhold (2005) has shown that the nursing practice in various parts of the world has experienced a growing focus on quality improvement, with a clear shift from the traditional intuition-based paradigms to a relatively modernized and effective evidence-based nursing practice. According to Einzenberg (2010), EBNP is used on the modern context to refer to the application of the best evidence in nursing, clinical field and medical research to make decisions through integration of clinical expertise using recent findings and taking into consideration the preferences as well as values of patients and the expected outcomes. Several fields such as medicine, mental health, nursing and health research have experienced a profound impact of the movement towards evidence-based practice.

The process of EBNP

According to Eizenberg (2010), EBNP has five major stages or phases. First, it involves formulation of questions that will yield the most suitable or best answer. Secondly, it involves information gathering through a systematic search of evidence from literature and/or clinical guidelines in various fields. Thirdly, it involves performance of critical evaluation of the evidence from the sources and determining its validity, feasibility as well as relevance to the practice in question. The fourth major aspect of the task is to integrate research evidence at the clinical level. In addition, values and preferences attached to patients are integrated to the clinical work. Finally, it involves an in-depth assessment of the outcomes obtained from treatments.

Importance of EBNP

A study by Melnyke and Fineout-Overhold (2005) attempted to describe the importance of EBNP to the patients. In particular, the research found that EBNP is potentially beneficial to more than one party. For instance, the study found that nurses, patients and healthcare systems benefitted significantly. Studies have shown that EBNP is beneficial to patients because it enhances their ability to access and obtain information about the most effective methods for treating or managing their conditions. On the other hand, EBNP was found to be effective in improving healthcare system through facilitation of confident decision making as well as advancement of cost-effectiveness. In this way, healthcare systems benefit a lot from the methods. A study by Youngblut and Brooten (2008) also found that nurses benefit from EBNP in that it helps in facilitating informed and evidence-based decision-making processes in a clinical setting. In addition, additional studies have shown that nurses use EBNP to keep updated with the modern dynamics of research, knowledge and technological advancements (Hutchinson & Johnston, 2006).

Limiting factors

However, a number of studies have shown that nurses prefer to be informed by their workmates rather than seeking evidence from research. This is a major drawback to EBNP because most nurses find it difficult or are unwilling to look for information from the internet, journals or other databases. According to Milner, Estabrooks and Myrick (2006), most nurses say that they like relying on the information they learn during their education as well as through experience. In fact, additional studies have shown that few nurses tend to look for information from library services. In addition, other studies have shown that even when information is obtained from libraries, databases or other peer-reviewed sources; it is rarely applied in a systematic manner. Therefore, these aspects tend to reduce the applicability of EBNP in modern clinical fields.

Requirements for effective EBNP

In the conventional EBNP, qualified nurses are required to apply research evidence in their operations, especially when making decision that affect their services to patients. Judgments that are made in a professional manner and must be based on the evidence obtained in the research. Nurses need to be fully involved in the problem identification, research findings and development of a collective action

Dedication and commitment to improve patient care is clearly defined by the American Association of Nurse and Anesthetists (AANA). In past few years, the public has raised concern over the state of health care services and safety. This calls for better services. In addition, it is accelerated by economic challenges and the demand by the American Institute of Medicine to have evidence-based nursing in practice. The board of directors insisted that registered nurses must practice evident-based nursing codes. In an effort to enforce evidence-based nursing, the board of directors formulated, and later in 2007, approved an objective. This happened when Wanda Wilson, the president of the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), required the committee members at the American Association of Nurse and Anesthetists (AANA) to develop a policy to govern evidence- based practices. Through this, the board of directors and the president of Association of Nurse and Anesthetists ensured availability of evidence particularly when creating documents that are related in practice. Obtaining solution to important issues became easy because EBNP provides channels for analyzing and extracting solutions for arising problems. Apart from the sudden growth realized in nurse anesthesia care, solid efforts by the Association of Nurse and Anesthetists on evidence-based nursing have caused a reduction in the volume of individual bias and improvement in patient care quality.

Applying evidence-based literature to project eliminates trial and error methods in our health care centers. Research has provided information from where treatment modalities can be picked. This is in relation to the patient’s favorite and history shown by the records. Different individuals portray varying responses to interventions.

This calls for understanding, dedication and strong commitment from all members of the concerned organization. Goals and objectives need to be clear to all members before the commencement of the project. A meeting to discuss and explain the importance of the entire process should be conducted. Participation training is the best method of training to take practitioners through in order to improve their competency to face the challenges. They need to understand how frame questions are framed and the best methods of gathering information from patients. This must facilitate the process of achieving the expected outcome. By the end of the training process, practitioners should be in a position to access resources, collect data and interpolate in a way that it can be useful to the organization

Data bases sources of information need to be identified for application. This includes libraries such as internet sources, medical and scientific sources. Software programs can also be used as a source of information. Application of evidence-based literature to a project requires formulation of good procedures and working manuals. These are rules and guidelines, which will aid implementation of the evident-based program. The procedures can be made available as hardcopies, electronic and modified software programs. Procedures of implementing this process might vary depending on the healthcare system and the targeted education field. In applying evidence based nursing care, instructions must be followed. Review of the gathered data, application of the necessary field practices from journals and policies.

Analysis of the evidence-based literature incorporates research evidence in relation to the fact that patient’s values and expertise in clinical issues. In order to achieve success in evidence-based practice, it is important to gather considerable information. To achieve the best effectiveness, the principle attempts to assess, ask, acquire and apply needs. In the Analysis of the literature, the evaluator needs to determine the achievement of the previously set goals and objectives. This aids in evaluating the outcome of the process. Patients who were taken through evidence-based program can be a good source of information. Therefore, questionnaires made to extract information from patients can bear great advantages in measuring the effectiveness of the process. The obtained data should be evaluated against standard objectives. The result indicates the effectiveness of patient care and management practice. For easy interpolation, the result can then be tabulated into a chart, tables or graphs.

The analyzing process has proven to support the evidence-based program. The analysis outcome communicates to the practitioners and management of the effectiveness of their operations and points out areas that need improvement. Although cognitive application is important, nursing process bears great merit over the standard medical approach. The dedication and commitment of nurses to work as a team with the patients rather than the aspect of working on them is the reason behind the phenomenon. Nursing process is based on understanding the patient and making consequent critical decisions. In this process, patients’ assessment, identification of their condition and evaluation is achieved. Existing literature formed the basis of my proposal. The available literature acted as my starting point from where I developed my project.

Eizenberg, M. M. (2010). Implementation of evidence-based nursing: Nurses personal and professional factors? Journal of advanced nursing, 67 (1), 33-42.

Hutchinson, A. M., & Johnston, L. (2006). Beyond the BARRIERS Scale: commonly reported barriers to research use. Journal of nursing administration 36 (40), 189-199.

Melnyk, B. M., & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2011). Evidence-based practice in nursing & healthcare: A guide to best practice . New York: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Milner, M., Estabrooks, C. A., & Myrick, F. (2006). Research utilization and clinical nurse educators: a systematic review. Journal of evaluation in clinical practice , 12 (6), 639-655.

Youngblut, J. M., & Brooten, D. (2008). Evidence-based nursing practice: Why is it important? AACN clinical issues, 12 (4), 468-476.

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Nursing Literature Review Topics And Examples

Nursing is one of the careers that call for significant and up-to-date research. This profession primarily necessitates qualitative, up-to-date research that discusses in depth the aspects influencing the behavior of a particular disease. Research is the only method by which experts can find a cure for an ailment. Researchers and students, therefore, must find the appropriate nursing literature review topics.

A nursing literature review can focus on the behavioral or physical part of the condition. It is crucial to have a competent mentor in nursing literature reviews to select the correct topic for your research.

Here you’ll find some nursing literature review topics to help you narrow down your search.

Top Tips for doing your literature review

Choose a fascinating topic.

Choosing fascinating topics for a literature review in nursing might sound quite obvious but it helps make a massive difference in keeping you motivated and interested in writing your literature review. In the nursing area you are interested in, select a specific question that you will seek to answer.

Choose a topic other people will be interested to learn about. This way, you will research and refrain from other irrelevant questions and form an appealing and intriguing question you can provide answers to.

Be selective

Do not just pick any piece of literature out there related to your nursing literature review topic. Not every data available, although related to your case, is relevant. Only select more information pertinent to your selected literature review on nursing topics.

9/10 nursing literature review questions can be answered by conducting simple research. If the question is about evaluating a treatment approach, then the viable option should be quantitive research. Qualitative research could be more appropriate in cases where the question is quite explorative.

You always remember that understanding the type of literature you need to use is crucial in writing your literature review. It will be wise to discuss the details with your instructor. Carefully examine the type of literature that will be most useful to your literature review. Once you understand what you should look for exactly, you will be good to go.

Make the library your friend

Schedule frequent library sessions and learn more about the subject, particularly your chosen topics for literature review in nursing. Most institutions have sections for students’ thesis and dissertations, which should be easier to find.

Identify the publications you will research. You can visit the academic library website and skim through the different sections and discover the most relevant ones to the topics you are interested in.

At this point, you are almost ready to get started. You should now know where to source the relevant databases both online and in the library. The rule of thumb is to use offline and online research publications to write your nursing literature review paper. Sometimes, some key details might be missing in the online databases and vice versa.

Go through the abstracts of relevant articles that have been published before

Only review the relevant articles since this will save you time and energy in the long run. When going through the abstracts, note the articles you deem relevant. Remember to be conscientious about the kind of articles you take note of. Ditch any papers that are not relevant, no matter how well-written they might seem. The same goes for relevant articles. You must review them.

Have a list of the article you deem relevant to your nursing literature review topic. If you are an undergraduate, ten articles should be good to get you started. A higher number of articles will mean that you won’t get into many details of the articles, and fewer articles translate to inadequate research.

If you have no other choice, then you will need to improvise. You can refine the nursing paper topics to match the articles you have collected. When you have a long list of articles, you can always reduce the scope of your nursing literature review question. For example, you can limit your focus to only one country or even one state.

The next step is to assess the quality of the content of the articles you have. Sometimes a paper can be relevant to your nursing literature review topic or question, but it might be of poor quality. That is why you should employ a critical appraisal method that is unique to the research design of your paper. This could mean that you will have to use other essential appraisal methods if your literature review question requires you to access a wide variety of literature.

You can talk to your instructor. Using the critical appraisal method, you can see the limitations and strengths of the data you have collected and the level of influence each article has had on your final literature review paper.

Review all the articles together and list down the answers to your question

A pro tip is to create a chart of the main topics you come across as you read through the articles, the authors, and the strengths and weaknesses. You will then see what issues are recurrent in most of the articles.

By doing this, you will notice the clear picture and pattern in the literature, and you will be able to formulate an answer to your question quickly. That does not mean that the answer will always be perfect. You might need to make further adjustments.

Whatever final answer you come up with, make sure it is supported by the evidence collected. you should not have a solution that none of the facts you collected in the literature is answering

Community Nursing literature review Topics

Writing about community services is quite a tricky task. You might need help from an expert to help you nail your nursing literature review. Here are community nursing literature review topics.

• Patient Documentation Discussion
• Digital Healthcare Surveys Rehabilitation of Sexual Abuse Victims
• Innovative Methods
• Innovative Care Planning
• Immigration Aid
• Rural Population Healthcare Demands
• Scotland’s Culture
• Volunteer Nursing Work
• Stress Treatment

Top Nursing Literature Review Topics

• Impact of health promotion initiatives on public health Collaborative roles of nurses, policymakers, social workers, and primary care physicians
• How gardening therapy reduces anxiety in the elderly
• facets of healthcare development, strategy, and research strategies
• Teenage binge drinking and alcoholism are a growing problem.
• National Health Services’ efficiency and effectiveness in providing services to the elderly
• Family therapy’s effect on adolescents.
• Guidelines to improve healthcare quality
• Ethics and leadership demonstrated
• Evidence-based disease management
• Effective methods for working with a variety of patients with mental health difficulties
• Mental health issues related to substandard housing
• Management difficulties in the care of elderly patients
• Public health strategies in Great Britain
• Improving pregnancy and care outcomes
• Understanding food labels to prevent obesity and poor health
• Positive results of laughter therapy
• World Health Organization approaches and policies concerning child development
• Community nursing’s role in enhancing senior health
• Community nurse health promotion practice
• AIDS: Social repercussions
• Knowledge management employing evidence
• Spouses of people living with Alzheimer’s may experience psychological difficulties.
• epidemiological trends concerning cardiovascular hazards
• Can a patient and nurse bond aid in a patient’s recovery?
• Principal dangers in clinical management
• Hearing the hallucinations of schizophrenia patients
• Evidence-based practice as both a pragmatic and theoretical strategy
• repercussions of community service and elderly patient care
• Implications of music therapy on individuals with depression
• How to properly manage drunk patients
• Developing a welcoming atmosphere in the waiting room
• Influence of nursing on parents who refuse to vaccinate their children
• Improved nurse-patient connections. How essential are they?
• Patients who refuse care must be treated.
• The significance of mental health nursing to patient outcomes
• What can a nurse do to administer initial care?
• Aiding the elderly patients in their everyday activities and providing nursing care
• The influence of nursing practice on future nurses
• Nursing precautions against infectious diseases
• Nursing schools and the practical application of academic knowledge
• The nursing aspect of child care. Assisting youngsters to have no fear of physicians.
• The uniform colors of nurses and their utility in the hospital
• What nurses must know to improve their knowledge
• Assisting the person in need: The significance of triage nurses
• Why are male nurses necessary, and why are there more of them than ever before?
• How to approach patients with medical procedure phobias
• Application of practical expertise in nursing interventions
• The advancements in patient care and nursing approaches
• How can nurses make patients feel secure?
• How may a patient’s relationship with a nurse aid in their recovery?
• Recognize the signs of abuse promptly.
• Nursing role in the prevention of pressure ulcers in bedridden individuals
• Treatment of patients with mental disorders
• Nursing ethics and how to respect the preferences of the patient
• Recognizing potentially dangerous patients and what to do if you encounter one Doctor–nurse relationship enhancement strategies
• Reducing nurses’ working hours and the possible benefits of doing so
• Are nurses treated differently than other hospital employees?
• Nursing duties in various patient wards

Health Organizations’ nursing literature review topics

Here are a few good nursing literature review topics about health organizations

• Rural Conflicts in New Healthcare Developments
• Television Healthcare Advertising
• Inequality in Healthcare Delivery in the United Kingdom Training Remote-care Help
• Racism in Emergency Department
• Electronic Administration
• School Screening Methodologies
• Work Opportunity Availability
• Rehabilitation of Children in School Facilities

Elderly Personsnursing literature review Topics

• What characteristics enable a nurse to recognize an old patient who has been abused in the past?
• Are you in agreement that community-based social innovations have facilitated healthy aging?
• Is it permissible to conduct clinical studies on elderly patients?
• Home is the most pleasing environment for aging. How much do you concur?
• What is the required minimum level of education for nurses, and how may it be enhanced?
• Does mealtime help aid the elderly in monitoring their protein and vitamin intake?
• Should the families of geriatric patients be held accountable for progressing the patients’ treatment?
• What significant challenges do elderly patients face?
• Explain the aging trend and the concept of global health.
• How should the healthcare system be modified to guarantee that the elderly receive quality care?
• What are the most effective medical methods for managing stress and information surcharge?

Healthcare Management Nursing Literature Review Topics

• Challenges that may be encountered during the contracting process in health care.
• What legal concerns may non-native patients encounter?
• What are the primary tenets of marijuana management?
• How do you establish a private medical practice?
• Regarding medical decisions and apology legislation.
• Exists discrimination based on gender in the nursing profession?
• The advantages and disadvantages of Medicare.
• Principal provisions of the nursing uniform code.
• What is the cause of the shortage of males in the healthcare industry?
• Home healthcare services.

Geriatric Nursing Literature review Topics

• Malnutrition’s impact on the organ system.
• What effect does aging have on the immune system?
• How should sepsis be treated in critically unwell elderly patients?
• How can a lengthy hospital stay contribute to complications among critically ill patients?
• What are the causes and risks of depression in later life?
• How effective is a healthy diet at lowering the risk of osteoporosis?
• What role do registered nurses play in advance care planning?
• Several methods for preventing delirium in older individuals.
• The diagnosis and risk factors for urinary tract infections in older adults.
• Discuss essential care techniques for older individuals with hip fractures of fragility.
• What molecular mechanisms and preventative strategies exist against Alzheimer’s disease in adults?
• Can nutrition pose a dementia risk?
• How can elderly individuals maintain dental hygiene?
• Age-related effects on the cardiovascular system.
• Elderly dehydration: causes, symptoms, prevention, and therapy.
• The changes in the elderly’s nerve system and cognitive senses.
• Essential care strategies for older adults with alcohol use problems.
• What medical emergencies are faced by elderly cancer patients?
• Available treatments for heart failure in the elderly.

Pediatric Nursing literature review topics

• Leukemia Cells And Children’s Immune Systems
• How has the pandemic affected the mental health of children?
• Strategies To Reduce The Risk Of Blindness In Children Receiving Oxygen Therapy Using Pragmatic Language Patterns For Children With Autism
• Acute Leukemia in Children and Reducing Painful Treatment and Diagnosis
• Student And Youngsters Depression And Psychological Health Vulnerability
• Congenital Heart Disease In Children And Their Psychological Problems
• Enhancing Language Acquisition For Children With Developmental Disabilities
• Optimizing Childhood Cancer Treatment
• Childhood Obesity: An Issue of Public Health
• Ethical issues preventing nurses from providing care to younger patients

Quantitative Nursing literature review Topics

• Describe and assess nursing critical care.
• Methods for treating pressure ulcers in hip fracture patients.
• Present a critical evaluation of assisted suicide and the associated ethics.
• What roles do nurses have in teaching and encouraging self-care?
• Compare and contrast nursing facilities and home care.
• What are the most common causes of heart attacks?
• What are the hurdles involved in managing chronic diseases?
• Describe the benefits of a healthy diet.
• The most effective cardiovascular disease treatments.
• Discuss assisted suicide and its ethical implications.

Child Nursing Literature Review Topics

• What are the requirements of Pediatric Critical Care?
• Examine the leading causes of child mortality in the United Kingdom.
• Strategies for addressing childhood malnutrition
• Causes and treatment of Tourette syndrome in children.
• The optimal treatments for autistic people.
• How can children’s meningitis be prevented?
• Examine the development of newborn care.
• The pathogenesis and management of opportunistic fungal infections.
• Dietary Health and Childhood Obesity
• Adolescent Practices in Medicine.
• Discuss childhood Neuroblastoma and Metabolic Syndrome.
• Pediatric asthma and monitoring approach.
• Explain why youngsters are resistant to antibiotics.
• Antibiotic resistance in preschoolers.
• The impact of social media on children’s eating habits.

Nursing Careers literature review Topics

• Clinical guidelines and nursing principles
• Stress management training for night shift workers.
• Critical care nursing administration
• Training to make prudent medical decisions
• The clinical nurse functions
• Guidelines for primary gynecological education
• Diversity within the healthcare industry
• Between occupation and service to others
• The best method to force seniors to consume.
• The digital age and nursing’s future
• Exercise to guarantee no drug errors
• Nursing professionals
• Remote concerns about intensive care unit
• Superior nursing procedures
• What are the best leadership skills for nurses?
• Morality and homelessness treatment
• The nurse’s role in managing anxiety
• Works of nursing theorists

The Bottom Line

Nursing is a serious occupation, and you need to be as professional as possible. ​Nursing literature review ideas​ can be pretty challenging to come up with. Writing a nursing literature review is simple but not easy. It all begins by selecting appropriate nursing literature review topics and getting down to relevant and accurate research.

Choose ​nursing literature review topics​ that you are familiar with, as this will ensure that you will spend less time doing the research and more time writing. The tips and comprehensive list of nursing literature review topics should get you started. You can even modify them so that they fit you perfectly. Should you get stuck with writing your nursing literature review, do not fret. You can always get help from professional nursing literature review experts.

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