Research Abstract Usefulness in Clinical Decision-making

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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To better understand the extent to which family nurse practitioners (FNPs) might use research abstracts in shaping their clinical decision-making under simulated conditions. A secondary point is to examine if and how FNPs might use full-text manuscripts (associated with the abstracts) if made available to them.

Detailed Description
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The study will recruit the approximate 25 - 1st year and 25 - 2nd year family nurse practitioner students of the Graduate School of Nursing. After being presented an overview of the study and informed consent document, those electing to participate will draw a sealed envelope indicating whether they are assigned to group A (intervention group) or group B (control group). The participant will proceed to the associated room, be provided a brief clinical case (appropriate to their training), an iPad device with pre-loaded EBN-Search engine, and a questionnaire. The EBN-Search engine for the intervention group will include 9 research abstracts associated to the case. The EBN-Search for the control group will include both the research abstracts and full-text versions of the manuscripts. The participants will be provided 20 minutes to complete the questionnaire using the information available to them. The questionnaire will require the participant to indicate treatment plan, respond to questions regarding the usefulness of research abstracts, questions regarding the usefulness of full-text (control group only) and recommendations on improving EBN-Search.

Official Title
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Family Nurse Practitioner Perception of Journal Abstract Usefulness in Clinical Decision-making: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Conditions
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Clinical Decision-making

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Access to EBN-Search (without full-text manuscripts)


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Matriculated family nurse practitioner graduate students of USUHS 2010/2011 academic year Exclusion Criteria: None

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 21 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: EBN-Search (without full-text manuscripts)<br>In the intervention arm research subjects will be provided access to EBN-Search (a fictitious search engine) with nine abstracts relating to the clinical case but no full-text manuscripts. | Behavioral: Access to EBN-Search (without full-text manuscripts)<br>* Family nurse practitioner access to EBN-Search without availability of full-text manuscripts.<br>* Other names: Full-text manuscripts;|
| Active Comparator: EBN-Search (with full text manuscripts)<br>Research subjects will be exposed to 9 abstracts and corresponding full-text manuscripts related to the simulated clinical encounter. | Behavioral: Access to EBN-Search (without full-text manuscripts)<br>* Family nurse practitioner access to EBN-Search without availability of full-text manuscripts.<br>* Other names: Full-text manuscripts;|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Measure of perception of abstract usefulness in clinical decision-making | At conclusion of the simulated exercise subjects will complete a data collection instrument indicating their perception of abstract usefulness in their clinical decision-making. | Immediate post-experiment | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Use of full-text manuscripts when available in simulated clinical encounter | For those subjects with ready access to full-text manuscripts (n=25) during the simulated clinical encounter, we will measure how often they are accessed by the subjects. | During experiment | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Search engine, Clinical decision-making, Research abstracts, Full-text manuscripts, Family Nurse Practitioners