Scholarly Writing Using Research-Nursing Paper Examples

Scholarly Writing

Scholarly writing involves engaging the topic and the body of literature, implying that credible, reliable, valid, and relevant sources support the author’s assertions. Scholarly writing is an integral part of the DNP program, and it is a step beyond critical thinking, essential to disciplinary learning and academic success. The DNP project calls for mastery of scholarly writing skills where the student will engage in research development or quality improvement initiatives to address a current patient practice problem (Scholarly Writing).

This paper differentiates quality improvement and research discusses the DNP project patient practice problem, discusses peer-reviewed and empirical sources and literature support for the proposed interventions, and analyzes the importance of peer-reviewed sources.

The Differences between Quality Improvement and Research

Quality improvement is systematic, data-driven activities developed and implemented to improve healthcare delivery in various healthcare settings. Consequently, quality improvement projects begin by identifying quality improvement opportunities, identifying interventions or solutions to improve quality. In addition, implementing the solutions, and monitoring results to determine whether additional changes are necessary (Faiman, 2021) (Scholarly Writing).

Quality improvement activities are the foundation of excellent clinical care. Furthermore, quality improvement initiatives are designed to enhance the likelihood of desired health outcomes and correspond with current knowledge. On the other hand, research is described as the systematic exploration or investigation that includes research problem development, searching, testing, and evaluation, developed to contribute to generalizable knowledge or inform clinical care (Faiman, 2021). The research adopts fixed protocol implementation to generate valid results, primarily focusing on generating new knowledge.

The DNP Project as Quality Improvement Initiative

The DNP project seeks to improve current practice to improve patient outcomes and enhance patient safety by addressing intimate partner violence identification. Intimate partner violence (IPV) is perceived as a healthcare problem that needs to be addressed immediately based on research findings that indicate its impact on individuals, families, community, and the healthcare system and the fact that the problem is often unrecognized, underreported, undercommented, underdiagnosed, and undertreated (Patra et al., 2018) (Scholarly Writing).

Addressing this issue effectively begins with improving IPV identification at healthcare facilities for early intervention and promotion of patient safety. IPV going unrecognized can be attributed to the quality of care or guidelines designed to inform healthcare practitioners on the issue, hence addressing the problem to increase early identification is perceived as a quality improvement initiative.

Additionally, there is current knowledge on the issue that will be utilized to inform quality improvement initiative development. In this case, the primary focus is not knowledge development but implementing initiatives to immediately improve healthcare delivery regarding IPV (Scholarly Writing).

Patient Practice Problem

The DNP project seeks to address the problem of intimate partner violence in the United States, which is currently a significant public health issue and is considered an infringement of fundamental human rights. IPV is a behavioral issue within intimate relationships and includes physical, psychological, financial, and sexual abuse or any controlling behavior (Mazza et al., 2021). IPV is a form of domestic violence limited to aggressive acts and behavior between intimate partners. It is categorized as a patient practice problem because it claims thousands of lives in the US and contributes to significant physical and mental health issues, broken relationships, and affected children (Scholarly Writing).

Statistics indicate that an intimate partner has sexually or physically abused one in three ever-partnered women. Of those abused, 42% report immediate physical injuries, and 13% sustain fatal injuries (Patra et al., 2018). Between 4% and 49% of women have suffered extreme physical violence, with 6% and 59% experiencing sexual abuse (Patra et al., 2018). IPV remain associated with cultural, religious, and traditional beliefs and mental health problems. In addition, substance and alcohol abuse, individual behaviors and attitudes like increased aggression and infidelity, and financial struggles (Patra et al., 2018).

Despite the well-recorded risk factors, impact on various institutions like individuals and families, and potential solutions, IPV remains a significant patient practice problem because it often remain unrecognized, underreported, undercommented, underdiagnosed, and undertreated. The problem remain well-researched, but existing research gaps need addressing to understand the issue well. However, this project will adopt current knowledge to inform initiatives to increase IPV victim identification (Scholarly Writing).

Peer-reviewed and Empirical Sources and Research Databases

Peer-reviewed articles refer to sources scrutinized by other scholars and experts on the subject matter and those perceived as meeting the academic scientific quality. Consequently, peer-reviewed articles remain of high quality and have clinical significance because they have undergone thorough scrutiny and review. More so, by subject experts; hence useful in clinical research and informing quality improvement initiatives (Zimba & Gasparyan, 2021) (Scholarly Writing)

Empirical sources report on original research. Also referred to as primary sources, they contribute to new knowledge, reinforce current knowledge, and help produce a theory. Consequently, Empirical sources report on the actual experiment or observation and can adopt qualitative or quantitative methodologies. Consequently, I would search databases, including the GCU Library, Cochrane Library, PubMed, CINAHL, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and EMBASE. More so, for peer-reviewed articles addressing my DNP project topic. Scholarly journals, academic books, case reports, systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials. In addition, cross-sectional studies remain preferrable sources for this DNP project.

Peer-Reviewed Research Article

Gierisch et al. (2017) explore intimate partner violence and review potential intervention approaches. The article acknowledges that IPV poses a major public health burden. Hence, impacting both men and women, with over 35.6% of women and 28.5% of men reporting to have experience IPV in the US. Consequently, with cases ranging from rape, physical violence, and stalking. Furthermore, the article identifies IPV consequences, including physical, social, and mental health issues. More so, like family dissolution, anxiety, PTSD, severe physical injuries, depression, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and death.

The DNP project proposes policy improvement to enhance screening for IPV victimization. Consequently, this article supports this intervention by exploring how IPV screening help accurately identify individuals. More so, those exposed to IPV, increase IPV victimization disclosure and early identification, and promote patient safety. Furthermore, the article proposes repeated and computerized IPV screening to increase the likelihood of identifying IPV victims (Scholarly Writing).

Importance of “Introduction to GCU Library: Topics and Assignments” in Finding Peer-Reviewed Sources

The GCU Library is a fundamental resource for academic purposes, containing resources. Consequently, that help locate sources, research, and broaden understanding of the DNP project topic. It helped me locate, evaluate, and organize information to develop a search strategy that helps find peer-reviewed articles. Using peer-reviewed is the foundation of scholarly writing. Specifically, peer-reviewed sources have high reliability, validity, and credibility because they have undergone rigorous reviews. Referencing and citing peer-reviewed articles makes the research proper with trusted scientific information (Scholarly Writing).

Conclusion

Scholarly writing is critical in completing the DNP project. It will enhance the current experience and critical thinking on the subject matter by providing an engagement between the topic and the body of literature to indicate that relevant sources support the topic. The DNP project addresses IPV identification in healthcare facilities to enhance healthcare delivery and promote patient safety among the victims. Adoption, Peer-reviewed articles remain vital as research evidence to support the quality improvement initiative (Scholarly Writing).  

References

Faiman B. (2021). Quality Improvement Projects and Clinical Research Studies. Journal of the advanced practitioner in oncology, 12(4), 360–361. https://doi.org/10.6004/jadpro.2021.12.4.1

Gierisch, J. M., Shapiro, A., Grant, N. N., King, H. A., McDuffie, J. R., & Williams, J. W. (2017). Intimate partner violence: Prevalence among US military veterans and active duty service members and a review of intervention approaches. Washington (DC): Department of Veterans Affairs (US).

Mazza, M., Marano, G., Del Castillo, A. G., Chieffo, D., Monti, L., Janiri, D., Moccia, L., & Sani, G. (2021). Intimate partner violence: A loop of abuse, depression, and victimization. World journal of psychiatry, 11(6), 215–221. https://doi.org/10.5498/wjp.v11.i6.215

Patra, P., Prakash, J., Patra, B., & Khanna, P. (2018). Intimate partner violence: Wounds are deeper. Indian journal of psychiatry, 60(4), 494–498. https://doi.org/10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_74_17

Zimba, O., & Gasparyan, A. Y. (2021). Peer review guidance: a primer for researchers. Reumatologia, 59(1), 3–8. https://doi.org/10.5114/reum.2021.102709