Sample Answer for NURS 8310 Week 8 Meta-Analyses 

Meta-analysis is a rigorous study design in epidemiology that systematically evaluates prior research findings to draw comprehensive conclusions (Ferreira et al., 2022). This research is grounded in rigorous, controlled clinical trials, allowing for more accurate assessments of treatment effectiveness and the impact of risk factors on disease. The Cochrane Collaboration has significantly contributed to the field by developing literature search protocols and new analytic and diagnostic methods (Vera, 2020). Meta-analyses have the potential to enhance precision, provide answers to questions, resolve controversies, and generate fresh hypotheses. This paper analyzes a meta-analysis article and explores the implications of this research design for nursing practice.

Selected Article

Lake, E. T., Sanders, J., Duan, R., Riman, K. A., Schoenauer, K. M., & Chen, Y. (2019). A Meta-Analysis of the associations between hospital nurse work environment and four sets of outcomes. Medical Care, 57(5), 353–361. https://doi.org/10.1097/mlr.0000000000001109

A meta-analysis was carried out by Lake et al. (2019) to evaluate the relationship between the work environment for nurses and their jobs and health outcomes. The researchers examined a subset of 17 articles from a larger pool of 308 articles published until September 2018. The primary areas of interest were patient outcomes, patient satisfaction, safety and quality ratings, and nurse job outcomes. The results showed that all outcome categories and the work environment had substantial and statistically significant connections. Better work environments were associated with lower odds of poor patient outcomes, inadequate safety or quality ratings, and adverse nurse outcomes. Conversely, they were associated with an increased likelihood of patient satisfaction. The study found that it is crucial to prioritize the nurse work environment to enhance healthcare quality, safety, and the well-being of patients and clinicians.

Meta-Analysis Research

For a systematic review to exist, a meta-analysis must be performed as a statistical summary of its findings (Ng, 2020). It is typically performed once the review has been finalized, and a well-executed systematic review is essential for conducting a meta-analysis. All studies included in the meta-analysis must have consistent population, intervention, and comparison criteria. Additionally, the assessed measure or outcome should be measured uniformly and at consistent time intervals. The meta-analysis can maintain its validity and reliability by adhering to rigorous standards.

In their meta-analysis, Lake et al. (2019) utilized the PES-NWI to locate empirical studies about nurse practice environment scales. The researchers thoroughly searched electronic databases, such as PubMed and CINAHL, to identify relevant studies that utilized the PES-NWI. The studies were carefully reviewed to ensure they utilized PES-NWI data. Additionally, the strength and quality of the evidence were assessed using the Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-based Practice Rating Scale.

Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria

The inclusion and exclusion criteria Lake et al. (2019) set were clearly defined. The study removed any duplicate entries and carefully examined the use of data from the PES-NWI composite. The main factor considered was using the PES-NWI data separately to forecast hospital health or job results. The specification of the independent variable was required from the PES-NWI composite, while the article needed to present odds ratios (ORs) or beta coefficients with SEs or confidence intervals (CIs) derived from a regression model. To be eligible for inclusion, it was necessary to have at least three observations for each variable to carry out a meta-analysis. The evidence’s strength and quality were evaluated using the Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-based Practice Rating Scale. The final selection included all nonoverlapping samples for each variable, requiring a minimum of 3 observations to estimate a model.

I support the research approach taken by Lake et al. (2019) as they utilized the PES-NWI and the Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-based Practice Rating Scale to assess pertinent articles and gather data thoroughly. The study analyzed the adjusted odds of various outcomes, including patient satisfaction, work results for nurses, outcomes based on patient health records, and evaluations of quality and safety. In 16 papers, the PES-NWI was categorized as a variable, while one study treated it as a standardized continuous variable. The study also provided additional pertinent details such as the country where the data was collected, the size of the sample, the year when the nurse survey data was generated, and the var