Ace the 2026 Clinical Nurse Leader Challenge – Elevate Your Expertise with Confidence!

Elizabeth's project on group shift reports exemplifies evidence-based practice. This type of research involves integrating clinical expertise with the best available external clinical evidence from systematic research. Evidence-based practice aims to improve patient outcomes by applying the findings of research to clinical decision-making. In this context, analyzing group shift reports is likely focused on gathering and evaluating data to inform nursing practices, enhance care delivery, and ensure that interventions are based on solid evidence.

In contrast, a randomized control trial is a rigorous methodology for demonstrating cause-and-effect relationships between interventions and outcomes, typically involving a controlled setting and a random assignment of subjects. A cohort study is observational, tracking a specific group over time to study outcomes related to exposure to certain variables. Ethnography, on the other hand, involves qualitative research focused on understanding cultural phenomena through up-close observation and interaction. These methodologies differ from evidence-based practice, which synthesizes findings and existing literature to apply practical solutions in clinical settings.