Skip to Main Content
Today's Hours

The Clinical Inquiry Process Resource Guide

The goal of this guide is to provide nurses a resource to understand and carryout the steps of performing an evidence-based practice (EBP) project.

Where do questions come from?

 

Sources of Potential Clinical Questions

When it comes to clinical inquiry, the question is the key, as it provides the initiative or project with direction, helps to tell the story, and will ultimately bring focus to your searches. There is not just one source for questions; a question can arise from many different places in the healthcare environment. Below is a diagram listing some of those sources for questions.  Keep in mind when it comes to questions that it does not have to come from a single source but could come from a combination of sources.

 

Sources:

  • Hospital or Unit Goals: 

    These goals are established because they address areas or issues identified by the organization. This could be due to metrics/benchmarks not being met or through other means.

    Aligning any clinical question with these goals/priorities is advisable, as it enhances the likelihood of obtaining buy-in from other stakeholders and securing resource support.         

      

 VCU Health FY 2023: Quality, Safety and Service Priorities 

Old Goals - Need to Change 

  •  
  • Improving Throughput / Length of Stay
    • Capacity Management
  • Reducing Admissions / Care Transitions 
  • Reducing Hospital-Acquired Conditions 
    • CAUTI, CLASI, C.Diff. , MRSA, Accidental Falls
  • Improving Patient Experience / Service Excellence 
  • Increasing Access to Care  - Ambulatory, Transforming Practice 
  • Safety:  Reducing Harm and Mortality 
    • Includes:  Sepsis Care, Mortality Review Process, Handoffs and Reducing Harm Events
  • Team Member Engagement 
  • Nursing Quality Indicators and Other Hospital Data Sources

The quality of healthcare and nursing care is determined through metrics that enable organizations to benchmark or compare themselves with others. If the data indicates that certain aspects of patient care or the organization are not meeting identified benchmarks, it is a clear indication that action needs to be taken. These are the areas where benchmarks are not being met.

If you are unsure about the indicators of nursing quality, they are listed below:

 
Your comprehensive guide to the press ganey national database of Nursing Quality Indicators (Ndnqi). (2023, January 12). https://info.pressganey.com/press-ganey-blog-healthcare-experience-insights/your-comprehensive-guide-to-the-press-ganey-national-database-of-nursing-quality-indicators-ndnqi
  • Events on the Unit

Has there been a situation in your unit related to patient care that was not as safe as needed? Alternatively, are you observing any other issues in the work environment that make it less than ideal?

  • What are you stressed out about or makes your job more difficult?

Is there anything on the unit that is making patient care more challenging or increasing stress? 

  • Observation of processes on the unit - Do you see any variations in practice?

Is everyone on your unit, as well as on other units, following the same procedures with the same patient populations or groups? If not, the variations in practice present an opportunity for some form of clinical inquiry, grounded in evidence.

  • Safety Intelligence (SI) Trends (Formally known as PSN's)

While conducting chart reviews, are you noticing any recurring issues related to patient care?

  • Professional Literature 

Are you discovering any new, evidence-based interventions in the literature that could help address an issue you are currently facing on your unit?

 

It may be easier to discuss these questions as part of a group to facilitate ideas. Can bring to your unit's shared governance committee or discuss it during unit staff meetings.  

 

References

OHSU Clinical Inquiry Council. (2015). Oregon health & science university - evidence-based practice toolkit for nursing. Retrieved from http://libguides.ohsu.edu/ebptoolkit