There are two methods used in the evaluation of evidence in nursing, which include systematic reviews and meta-analyses. A Systematic review is an advanced summary of research on a particular research question that systematically selects, identifies, evaluates, and produces quality research evidence that is related to the research question ( Haidich, 2010). Systematics reviews are written by experts who go through all the existing data to provide the required findings, thus, providing an exhausted summary of collected works relevant to the question. As such, systematic reviews originate from the biomedical field, hence, forms the basis of decision making in evidence-based treatment and evidence-based behavioral practice. However, the broad nature of a systematic review differentiates from the traditional reviews which usually examines a minor of research evidence and presents it from a single author’s perspectives. Similarly, systematic reviews contain some level of meta-analysis.
Meta-analyses, on the other hand, refer to the statistical methods of combining data derived from a systematic review. Meta-analysis produces conclusions that are statistically stronger than the analysis of a single study because of the increased numbers of subjects and greater diversity among subjects (Haidich, 2010). Consequently, meta-analysis is also conducted to assess the strength of evidence present on disease and treatment. The results of a meta-analysis can improve the precision of estimates of effect, settle controversies arising from conflicting studies, answering of questions that are not posted by individual studies and generating new a hypothesis ( Northcentral University Library, 2018). As such, meta-analysis is common in the biomedical and social sciences, however, some people contest that the validity in arguing that combining data from different studies produce misleading results. Subsequently, meta-analysis aims at defining whether an effect exists and whether the effect is preferable to obtain a summary estimate of the effect. Lam & Kennedy (2010) depict that the use of standardized individual-level information helps in avoiding problems encountered in meta-analysis and researchers who are aware of the conduct these studies provide and obtain additional benefits by carefully maintaining original databases and making them available for future use.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
References
Haidich, A. B. (2010). Meta-analysis in medical research. Hippokratia , 14 (Suppl 1), 29.
Lam, R. W., & Kennedy, S. H. (2010). Using Meta-analysis to Evaluate Evidence: Practical Tips and Traps. Focus , 8 (1), 151-158.
Northcentral University Library. (2018, October 1). Research Process: Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analysis . Retrieved from https://ncu.libguides.com/researchprocess/systematicreviews
