Critical Evaluation of the Study of Jeffries - Article Example

There is a need for the study because according to Jeffries et al. (2011), advanced practice nursing (APN) students and providers are deficient in cardiovascular assessment skills, including auscultation (p. 316). The study will improve nursing practice in terms of cardiovascular assessment and will add to the body of nursing knowledge regarding cardiovascular assessment curriculum for advanced practice nurses.

The study utilized the one-group pre-to-post-intervention design, the SPSS for statistical analysis, and content validity of the instrument via a group of six APN experts from Miami Simulation Group (Jeffries et al., 2011, 316-319). Samples consisted of 36 participants from four institutions. The research plans decisions are justified adequately and explained in detail and the design used is appropriate for observing the effect of educational intervention (both the independent learner review and the instructor-led sessions) before the treatment. The SPSS tool was a good statistical tool; however, the small sample size might be one of the weaknesses of this research because findings cannot be generalized until a larger sample size is used. In addition, the determination of content validity via expert review may lead to biases due to possible high-fidelity simulations of a faculty member.

Discussion of the problem examined the effect of a simulation-based curriculum and a deliberately grounded practice curriculum in terms of cardiovascular assessment, particularly auscultation. The study found that both of the strategies were effective but the deliberate practice model increased skills in cardiovascular bedside assessment, diagnostic reasoning, and acquisition and mastery of important clinical skills in cardiovascular assessment and auscultation (Jeffries et al., 2011, 321). Discussion of the problem in the study was supported by literature and statistics as evidence.

The literature is comprehensive and integrated into each section of the study. Although numerous pieces of literature have not been published within the last five years, the majority of the kinds of literature have been published during 2002-2009. Benchmark publications included the deliberate practice Harvey curriculum which substantiated the need for cardiovascular knowledge and skills among advanced practice nurses. The majority of the sources were primary but lacks organization and a section for model/theory.

As stated earlier, the study application needs a follow-up study with a larger sample size because the small number of participants limits the generalizability of findings. Implications to nursing included an emphasis on the use of the deliberate practice model and a simulation-based curriculum in the future and the development of a non-threatening, interactive, and self-paced learning environment to acquire mastery of cardiovascular assessment and diagnostic reasoning skills among advanced practice nurses.