Research Appraisals
Evidence-based critical appraisals of the latest medical research, systematically evaluated using Oxford CEBM methodology.
Showing 3 appraisals
International journal of nursing education scholarship
Effect of concept mapping on critical thinking skills in nursing students: a systematic review with meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Critical thinking (CT) among nursing students is crucial for delivering high-quality nursing care to patients. Concept mapping (CM) is one of the evidence-based pedagogies that helps to improve CT in individuals. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the impact of concept mapping on CT abilities, academic achievement, and clinical skills in nursing students. METHODS: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to identify published articles on the effect of CM on CT in nursing students, written in English and published from 2011 to 2024. The articles were sourced from SCOPUS, Web of Science (WoS), ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and PubMed databases. To ensure a comprehensive and relevant search, the following MeSH terms were used: "Effectiveness" OR "Impact," AND "Concept Mapping," AND "CT," AND "Nursing Student," AND "RCT" OR "Randomized Controlled Trials" OR "Quasi-Experimental." This study used the Cochrane Collaboration's Risk of Bias (RoB) tool and Standardized Mean Difference (SMD) for outcome measurement, with results analyzed using RevMan Web. RESULTS: This study analyzed 14 RCTs and quasi-experimental studies involving 1,747 participants (E=870, C=877). The meta-analysis found that concept mapping enhanced nursing students' CT skills (MD=4.86, 95 % CI [2.16 to 7.56], p=0.0004), academic achievements (MD=3.38, 95 % CI [0.76 to 5.99], p=0.01), and performance in clinical practice (MD=5.94, 95 % CI [3.22 to 8.65], p<0.0001) when compared to routine instructional methods. CONCLUSIONS: CM provides valuable insights into enhancing CT and clinical skills in nursing students, eventually preparing them to become excellent nursing professionals in the healthcare system.
26 July 2026
Read appraisal →BMJ open
Pedagogical strategies for enhancing critical thinking in nursing students using large language models: a mixed-methods systematic review protocol.
INTRODUCTION: Large language models (LLMs) are rapidly normalising in nursing education. However, evidence regarding their impact on critical thinking-a cornerstone of safe clinical practice-remains inconsistent. Current syntheses have largely focused on student satisfaction and general utility, leaving the specific instructional mechanisms that cultivate this competency unexplored. This mixed-methods systematic review aims to identify effective pedagogical strategies for fostering critical thinking, providing evidence-based guidance to safeguard clinical competency in an artificial intelligence-integrated workforce. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This review will follow a convergent segregated mixed-methods design in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology. A systematic search will be conducted across CINAHL, ERIC, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Scopus supplemented by grey literature sources (ProQuest Dissertations, MedRxiv). The search will be limited to English-language studies published from January 2023 to June 2026. Eligible studies will include undergraduate nursing students exposed to structured LLM-based pedagogical interventions. Methodological quality will be appraised using design-specific JBI Critical Appraisal Checklists. Outcomes will be classified using a modified Kirkpatrick framework to distinguish objective competence from subjective confidence. Quantitative data will be synthesised narratively following Synthesis Without Meta-analysis guidelines, and qualitative data thematically. Streams will be integrated using a Joint Display Analysis to generate meta-inferences on effective instructional design. Finally, confidence in the cumulative evidence will be assessed using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) and GRADE-Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative research. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: As a systematic review of existing literature, this study does not require ethical approval. Findings will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication, conference presentations and a visual guide for educators.
11 July 2026
Read appraisal →Language, speech, and hearing services in schools
Enhancing Clinical Practice Through Research: Tools for School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists
PURPOSE: Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in the school setting need to efficiently locate, evaluate, and utilize research evidence in their clinical practice. This tutorial provides resources focused on the foundational aspects of evidence-based practice (EBP) and its application for SLPs to implement research into clinical practice. METHOD: This tutorial (a) reviews study design and discusses clinical questions best suited to each; (b) provides key tips for extracting information from main sections of research articles; (c) discusses the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) as a clinical and research tool, including actionable steps and examples for using AI in EBP; and (d) provides detailed strategies to increase interaction with research beyond reading articles. RESULTS: School-based SLPs can utilize the information and strategies provided to increase their confidence in evaluating research literature, applying information, and incorporating resources from research articles into their clinical practice. CONCLUSIONS: This tutorial equips school-based SLPs with actionable steps and concrete tools to increase ease and efficiency of applying research evidence into clinical practice. It provides guidance on different study designs, practical strategies to review research articles, and a case study demonstrating these strategies as well as discusses the potential use of AI to support clinicians in generating clinical questions and the steps of the EBP process. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.31652170.
4 July 2026
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