#1
Levels of evidence are used to differentiate between credible and unreliable research resources. A “levels of evidence pyramid” is a way to visualize different types of research studies and how strong their findings are (Walden University, n.d.). The strongest evidence, like systematic reviews and meta-analyses, sits at the top, while the weaker stuff, like expert opinions and case reports, is at the bottom. Basically, this pyramid shows that the best and most reliable evidence is at the peak, and the less reliable evidence is at the base.
The article I selected was “The Correlation Between Effort–Reward Imbalance at Work and the Risk of Burnout Among Nursing Staff Working in an Emergency Department—A Pilot Study”, by Braun et al., 2024. The study interviewed 35 nurses in an emergency department and concluded that 41% of those interviewed were at risk for developing burnout syndrome. This article showcases primary research because the publishers conducted the original experiment. I would classify this article as a level 3, on the evidence pyramid, as it is quasi-experimental and observational.
#2
Chosen Article: Relation between Nurses- Patients Ratio and Nursing Outcomes at Intensive Care Units.
- Explain whether the selected article is original/primary or secondary research.
The article I chose is primary research. The article is the original study and is reported by the researchers who conducted the study. The journal authors conducted a survey on nursing staff at two different hospitals (Intensive Care Units at Tanta University Main and Emergency Hospitals-in Egypt) and then reported their findings.
- State the level of evidence for the research article you selected.
Level 5: Uncontrolled cohort studies and synthesis of qualitative and descriptive studies. The journal article states that a “descriptive correlation design was used”.
- Discuss the importance of the levels of evidence and explain whether or not the article you selected is a good choice for the use of research, and why?
The levels of evidence in research are important for determining the reliability and validity of findings, guiding clinical decision-making, and ensuring that nursing practices are based on the highest quality of evidence. The article I selected is not an ideal choice for research because it is Level 5 evidence, which is lower on the reliability scale, and its findings are limited as the study was conducted in only two hospitals in Egypt, reducing its generalizability.
