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Top Nursing Literature Review Examples for UK-Based Researchers

When it comes to conducting research in the field of nursing, a well-crafted literature review is the cornerstone of your academic journey. As a UK-based researcher, you understand the importance of aligning your work with the latest healthcare policies, guidelines, and research priorities. To help you on your path to excellence, we’ve compiled a curated selection of top nursing literature review examples that will not only inspire you but also provide practical insights into creating your own stellar literature review .

Table of Contents

The Crucial Role of a Nursing Literature Review

Before we delve into the world of nursing literature review examples, let’s take a moment to appreciate the pivotal role this section plays in your research:

• Knowledge Synthesis: A nursing literature review is your opportunity to synthesize existing research and knowledge related to your topic. It allows you to identify key themes, trends, and gaps in the literature.
• Evidence-Based Practice: Nursing is a field where evidence-based practice is paramount. Your literature review provides the foundation for making informed decisions in clinical practice, policy development, and research design.
• Critical Analysis: It demonstrates your critical thinking and analytical skills. A well-crafted literature review showcases your ability to assess the quality and relevance of research articles.
• Contextualization: Your literature review places your research within the broader context of the field, allowing readers to understand the significance of your work.

Given the significance of the nursing literature review , it’s essential to have access to high-quality examples that can guide you in creating a literature review that stands out.

Nursing Literature Review Example: A Source of Inspiration

Nursing literature review examples serve as beacons of inspiration for researchers at all levels. Here’s why they are so valuable:

• Structural Guidance: Examples provide insight into how to structure your literature review effectively. You can see how to introduce, organize, and conclude various sections.
• Writing Style: By studying examples, you can get a sense of the appropriate academic writing style, tone, and language for your literature review .
• Citation and Referencing: Examples demonstrate how to properly cite and reference sources, which is crucial for maintaining academic integrity.
• Research Focus: Examining examples specific to nursing allows you to understand the key areas of research and the current state of knowledge in the field.

Now, let’s explore where you can find these invaluable examples.

1. University Libraries and Databases

University libraries and academic databases are excellent starting points. Most universities provide access to digital dissertations, theses, and research papers through their library websites. Academic databases such as PubMed and CINAHL also host a vast collection of nursing literature reviews. You can search for literature reviews related to your specific nursing topic and access them online.

2. Online Academic Repositories

Numerous online platforms specialize in hosting academic research, including nursing literature reviews. Websites like ResearchGate and JSTOR offer a wealth of resources. These platforms often provide downloadable PDFs of research papers, dissertations, and theses.

3. Nursing Journals

Academic nursing journals frequently publish literature reviews as part of research articles. Journals like the “Journal of Advanced Nursing” and the “Journal of Nursing Scholarship” feature high-quality literature reviews. You can access these articles online and download them for reference.

4. Nursing Schools and Departments

Check the websites of nursing schools and departments at renowned universities. They often showcase exemplary student work, including literature reviews. These examples are typically curated to showcase exceptional research.

5. Online Academic Writing Services

Another valuable source of nursing literature review examples is online academic writing services like ours. These services often maintain a repository of sample papers and dissertations that students and researchers can access for reference. These examples are typically well-crafted and can serve as a guide for your own work.

Example of a Nursing Literature Review PDF: Tailored to Your Field

If you’re pursuing a nursing degree or conducting research in nursing, you may require literature review examples specific to your field. Here’s where to find an example of a nursing literature review PDF:

• University Nursing Departments: Nursing departments of universities often showcase the work of their students on their websites. These examples are tailored to nursing topics and can provide valuable insights.
• Nursing Conferences and Seminars: Nursing conferences and seminars often feature presentations and research papers with literature reviews. You may find relevant literature review examples presented at these events.

Nursing Research Organizations: Organizations like the American Nurses Association (ANA) or the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in the UK may publish research papers and literature reviews on their websites.

Literature Review Examples Nursing: How to Make the Most of Them

Now that you know where to find nursing literature review examples, it’s crucial to understand how to make the most of these resources:

• Analyze Structure: Pay close attention to the structure of the literature review . Observe how it begins with an introduction, progresses with literature synthesis, and concludes with a summary.
• Study Citation Style: Examine how sources are cited and referenced. Ensure that you understand the citation style used (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago) and follow it consistently in your own work.
• Identify Key Themes: Look for the identification of key themes, theories, or gaps in the literature. Understanding how these elements are woven into the narrative can guide your own literature review .

Adapt to Your Research: While examples provide valuable guidance, remember to adapt them to your specific research question and context. Your literature review should reflect your unique research focus.

Conclusion: Elevating Your Nursing Research

In your journey to contribute to the field of nursing research, access to high-quality nursing literature review examples is a powerful asset. They offer guidance, structure, and inspiration to create a literature review that makes an impact. Whether you’re a student, a seasoned researcher, or a clinician seeking to integrate evidence-based practice, these resources can help you excel.

Nursing literature review examples provide a roadmap for your research journey. They help you navigate the complexities of academic writing, ensure the credibility of your sources, and demonstrate the relevance of your research. Embrace these examples as valuable tools on your path to excellence.

Remember that while examples are invaluable, your own research and unique contribution to the nursing literature are what truly matter. Use these examples as guides, build upon them, and embark on your journey to elevate nursing research in the UK and beyond. Your dedication and commitment will shape the future of healthcare and make a lasting impact in the field of nursing.

What you can read next

Unlocking the Power of the Literature Review: A Guide for Dissertation Success

CASP Tool vs. Other Literature Review Assessment Methods: Pros and Cons

The Role of a Literature Review in Academic Research: A Closer Look

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How to undertake a literature search

Introduction.

Undertaking a literature search can be a daunting prospect. By breaking the exercise down into smaller steps, you can make the process more manageable. The following ten steps will help you complete the task from identifying key concepts to choosing databases for your search and saving your results and search strategy. It discusses each of the steps in a little more detail with examples and suggestions of where to get help.

There are ten steps to undertaking a literature search which we'll take you through below:

🎬 - Indicates a video is available with more information.

Please click on the boxes below to get a bit more detail on each step.

First, write out your title and check that you understand all the terms. Look up the meaning of any you don’t understand. An online dictionary or medical encyclopaedia may help with this.

If your search is for a dissertation, you may need to choose your own research question. In this case, you will need to consider whether there is likely to be enough research on your topic. Alternatively, if your topic is too broad, you could be overwhelmed by the number of references.

One way of checking how much is written on your topic is to use Library Search. Most libraries offer a Library Search or discovery tool. It provides a quick search across all the library’s holdings. You can also limit your search by date or type of document. If you just need a few references to help you write an essay, Library Search may be helpful. It also gives quick access to full text items.

Next, you need to identify your key concepts. One way to do this is to look at your title and identify the most important words. Ignore words that tell you what to do with the information you find eg evaluate, assess, compare, as these are not generally used as search terms. In the example below, key concepts have been highlighted:

Evaluate the effectiveness of a mindfulness intervention on the health-related quality of life of rheumatoid arthritis patients

Another way to do this is to break down your title using the PEO framework:

P = Population    E = Exposure    O = Outcome 

This works well where there is no comparison between two types of treatment or intervention.

In our example:

P = rheumatoid arthritis patients

E = mindfulness

O =  health related quality of life

Other question formats are available such as PICO or SPIDER

Tip: Not all search topics will include every element of PICO – some include fewer items.

Once you have identified the key concepts, it’s important to think of any other terms or phrases that might have a very similar meaning. Including such synonyms will make your search as thorough as possible. For example, if your topic is looking for articles on Staff attitudes , you might also use the terms:

• Staff perceptions 
• Staff opinions
• Stereotyping
• Labelling 

If the database you are using has a list of subject heading s , this may help you to find the most appropriate term for your subject. Some databases provide definitions for terms used in the database and may suggest related terms.

A comprehensive search will usually include both subject headings from databases and terms that you have thought of yourself.

Tip: Often your search term will be a phrase instead of a single word. To carry out phrase searches, use double quotes, for example “problem drinking”.

Once you have chosen your search terms, you need to think about the best databases for your topic. The databases you choose will depend on the search question and the libraries you have access to.

Tip: It’s well worth taking a few minutes to get to know the databases available on the Library webpages and what they cover.

The next step is to combine your search terms in such a way that you only retrieve the more relevant references for your search question. In order to do this you need to build a search strategy . This involves using Boolean operators such as AND , OR and NOT .

AND narrows the results of the search by ensuring that all the search terms are present in the results. 

OR broadens the results of the search by ensuring that any of the search terms are present in the results.

NOT limits the results by rejecting a particular search term. Be careful with NOT because it will exclude any results containing that search term regardless of whether other parts of the article might have been of interest.

OR will broaden your number of results while AND will produce fewer results.

Try using this  Search-plan-worksheet   to break your topic down into concepts. These can then be linked together when you run the search. You can also add synonyms within each concept box. The yellow limits box is a prompt to think about any limits you want to apply when searching. This leads us to Step 6.

Tip: Most databases will allow you to use a truncation sign (*) or wildcard (?) to pick up various different endings to words or alternative spellings.

For example:  alcohol* would pick up alcohol, alcoholic, alcoholism, etc

Sm?th would find Smith and Smyth

The next step is to think about any other restrictions you want to make to your results.

Common limiters found on databases include:

• Peer reviewed articles
• Research articles
• Age group (adult, child, older person)
• Document type

Not all databases allow all of the limiters above.

When writing a dissertation, primary research articles are normally required. Where the database allows you, try limiting to research articles only.

Non-research materials can also be useful as an overview of your topic; for example a literature review can give an analysis of what has already been written on a topic.

The video below includes a demonstration of how limits can be applied using the CINAHL database as an example:

CINAHL - advanced

Once you have identified all your search terms and any limits you want to apply, you are ready to run your search on the databases you have chosen. 

Once you have some search results, you can look through them and start to select those that look relevant to your literature search. It is likely you will reject some because they are not quite what you wanted but there will be others that can be marked for further attention.

The title of an article on its own may not tell you very much; read the abstract quite carefully to see if the article is relevant or not.

Tip: You can show more details for each record by clicking on the article title. On some databases, there may be an abstract for the article which you can open. 

If you find you are either generating more results than you can possibly look at or too few results to write about, be prepared to adjust your search terms and the way they are combined.

If you get too many results you could try: •limiting to just the most recent material •adding another term or concept and linking it using “AND” •limiting to a particular country or geographical area such as UK

If you get too few results, you might try: •expanding your date range •removing any geographical limits you have applied  •removing the least important term or concept

Tip: Be prepared to try other databases and keep searching until you feel confident you have found enough relevant material.

Once you have selected some articles that look relevant for your piece of work, you will need to save them so that your hard work is not wasted.

At the same time, you will want to save your search strategy . This is a record of the terms you searched, how you combined them, any limits you applied and how many results you found.

You will also need to choose a way to save your results. One way is to email the results to yourself and this can be done from all the databases .

Another way is to export your results to reference management software such as Zotero, RefWorks, EndNote or Mendeley. This software allows you to collect, organise and cite research. It is suitable for managing references over a long period of time. 

The RCN Library and Museum provides help with using Zotero . 

Tip: Keep a record of all the databases you use as you carry out your search. It is also a good idea to note where you found any references you subsequently use for your dissertation.

The final step is to obtain the full text of the articles identified in your search which you believe may be useful for your assignment. If you are lucky, many of these will be available electronically and you may just be able to follow a link to the full text.

Alternatively you can copy and paste your article title into the Library search box  and if it is available as full text, a hyperlink will be shown which will link you to the document.

If you are studying elsewhere and have access to a university or hospital library, they may subscribe to different journals to the RCN Library so it is worth exploring what they can offer. If your library does not have either an electronic copy or a physical copy, you may need to request the article by interlibrary loan .

Tip: It is also worth using Google or other browsers to check for the article title you require. Sometimes the article has been made freely available on the internet by the authors.

Boolean operators – words (AND, OR and NOT) which can be used to combine search terms in order to widen or limit the search results.

Database – this is an online collection of citations to journal articles which have been indexed to make retrieval easier. Some databases which also provide full text access to the articles.

Limits – these are options within a database which allow search results to be broken down further. Common limits are year(s) of publication, document type and language. MEDLINE and CINAHL allow age limits too.

Search Strategy – the list of search terms and limits used to retrieve relevant articles from a database in order to answer a search question.

Subject headings – terms that have been assigned to describe a concept that may have many alternative keywords. All these alternative keywords or terms are brought together under the umbrella of this single term. Most health-related databases use subject headings.

Additional information

If after following these steps, you still can’t find what you are looking for, remember that there is always help available at your library. The RCN Library and Museum offers a range of help materials via our Literature searching and training pages . These include: • Databases guides in electronic and printed formats • Video tutorials on how to search the databases • 1-1 training sessions pre-bookable via the RCN website face to face or via zoom

A reading list is also available on dissertation and essay support which provides suggestions for key resources, books and journal articles which may help. Click on the link below to access this list:

Dissertation and essay support reading list

Here are other resources you may also find helpful. You will find links to each resource below too:

• Aveyard H (2019) Doing a literature review in health and social care: a practical guide . 4th edn. London: Open University Press.
• Bettany-Satlikov J (2016) How to do a systematic literature review in nursing: a step-by-step guide . 2nd edn. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
• Coughlan M and Cronin P (2016) Doing a literature review in nursing, health and social care . 2nd edn. Los Angeles: Sage.
• De Brún C, Pearce-Smith N, Heneghan C, Perera R and Badenoch D (2014) Searching skills toolkit: finding the evidence . 2nd edn. Chichester: Wiley Blackwell / BMJ Books.
• Hewitt-Taylor J (2017) The essential guide to doing a health and social care literature review . London: Routledge. 

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Doing a Literature Review in Nursing, Health and Social Care

• Michael Coughlan - Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
• Patricia Cronin - Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
• Description

A clear and practical guide to completing a literature review in nursing and healthcare studies.

Providing students with straightforward guidance on how to successfully carry out a literature review as part of a research project or dissertation, this book uses examples and activities to demonstrate how to complete each step correctly, from start to finish, and highlights how to avoid common mistakes.

The third edition includes:

• Expert advice on selecting and researching a topic
• A chapter outlining the different types of literature review
• Increased focus on Critical Appraisal Tools and how to use them effectively
• New real-world examples presenting best practice
• Instructions on writing up and presenting the final piece of work

Perfect for any nursing or healthcare student new to literature reviews and for anyone who needs a refresher in this important topic.

Praise for the previous edition:

'This book is an excellent resource for practitioners wishing to develop their knowledge and understanding of reviewing literature and the processes involved. It uses uncomplicated language to signpost the reader effortlessly through key aspects of research processes. Practitioners will find this an invaluable companion for navigating through evidence to identify quality literature applicable to health and social care practice.' 

'Students often struggle with writing an effective literature review and this invaluable guide will help to allay their concerns. Key terms are clearly explained, and the inclusion of learning outcomes is a helpful feature for students and lecturers alike.  The examples are also very helpful, particularly for less confident students.  This is an accessible yet authoritative guide which I can thoroughly recommend.' 

'A must have - this book provides useful information and guidance to students and professionals alike. It guides the reader through various research methods in a theoretical and pragmatic manner.' 

' It's a very readable, concise, and accessible introduction to undertaking a literature review in the field of healthcare. The book’s layout has a logical format which really helped me to think methodically about my research question. An excellent reference for undergraduates who are about to undertake their first literature review.' 

'This book is an essential resource for students. Clearly written and excellently structured, with helpful study tools throughout, it takes the reader step by step through the literature review process in an easy, informative and accessible manner. This text gives students the skills they need to successfully complete their own review.' 

'The updating of the chapters will be exceptionally helpful given the rapid changes in online availability of resources and open-access literature.'  

Excellent resource. Useful for any stage of studying

Excellent text for masters and doctoral level students

An excellent primer to help the level 7 students write their systemised review for the assignment.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the practical process of literature review in healthcare. It contains all details required to conduct a review by students.

This is an excellent clear and concise book on undertaking literature reviews being particularly good at demystifying jargon. It is timely given the move to student dissertations being primarily literature reviews in the current Covid pandemic. However nearly all the examples are drawn from nursing and health making the text less useful for social care and social work. A little disappointing given the title. SW students are likely to gravitate to texts where their subject is more prominent for a primary text.

Accessible, informative, step to step guide

This is a really helpful, accessible text for students and academic staff alike.

A really good addition to the repertoire of skills and techniques for understanding the essential process of literature reviewing.

Preview this book

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What is a literature review?

Choosing a topic, developing your search strategy, carrying out your search, saving and documenting your search, formulating a research question, critical appraisal tools.

• Go to LibrarySearch This link opens in a new window

So you have been asked to complete a literature review, but what is a literature review?

A literature review is a piece of research which aims to address a specific research question. It is a comprehensive summary and analysis of existing literature. The literature itself should be the main topic of discussion in your review. You want the results and themes to speak for themselves to avoid any bias.

The first step is to decide on a topic. Here are some elements to consider when deciding upon a topic:

• Choose a topic which you are interested in, you will be looking at a lot of research surrounding that area so you want to ensure it is something that interests you. 
• Draw on your own experiences, think about your placement or your workplace.
• Think about why the topic is worth investigating.  

Once you have decided on a topic, it is a good practice to carry out an initial scoping search.

This requires you to do a quick search using  LibrarySearch  or  Google Scholar  to ensure that there is research on your topic. This is a preliminary step to your search to check what literature is available before deciding on your question. 

The research question framework elements can also be used as keywords.

• Think about who the population/ sample group. Are you looking for a particular age group, ethnicity, cultural background, gender, health issue etc.
• What is the intervention/issue you want to know more about? This could be a particular type of medication, education, therapeutic technique etc. 
• Do you have a particular context in mind? This could relate to a community setting, hospital, ward etc. 

It is important to remember that databases will only ever search for the exact term you put in, so don't panic if you are not getting the results you hoped for. Think about alternative words that could be used for each keyword to build upon your search. 

Build your search by thinking about about synonyms, specialist language, spellings, acronyms, abbreviations for each keyword that you have.

Inclusion & Exclusion Criteria

Your inclusion and exclusion criteria is also an important step in the literature review process. It allows you to be transparent in how you have  ended up with your final articles. 

Your inclusion/exclusion criteria is completely dependent on your chosen topic. Use your inclusion and exclusion criteria to select your articles, it is important not to cherry pick but to have a reason as to why you have selected that particular article. 

• Search Planning Template Use this template to plan your search strategy.

Once you have thought about your keywords and alternative keywords, it is time to think about how to combine them to form your search strategy. Boolean operators instruct the database how your terms should interact with one another. 

Boolean Operators

• OR can be used to combine your keywords and alternative terms. For example "Social Media OR Twitter". When using OR we are informing the database to bring articles continuing either of those terms as they are both relevant so we don't mind which appears in our article. 
• AND can be used to combine two or more concepts. For example "Social Media AND Anxiety". When using AND we are informing the database that we need both of the terms in our article in order for it to be relevant.
• Truncation can be used when there are multiple possible word endings. For example Nurs* will find Nurse, Nurses and Nursing. 
• Double quotation marks can be used to allow for phrase searching. This means that if you have two or more words that belong together as a phrase the database will search for that exact phrase rather than words separately.  For example "Social Media"

Don't forget the more ORs you use the broader your search becomes, the more ANDs you use the narrower your search becomes. 

One of the databases you will be using is EBSCOHost Research Databases. This is a platform which searches through multiple databases so allows for a comprehensive search. The short video below covers how to access and use EBSCO. 

A reference management software will save you a lot of time especially when you are looking at lots of different articles. 

We provide support for EndNote and Mendeley. The video below covers how to install and use Mendeley. 

Consider using a research question framework. A framework will ensure that your question is specific and answerable.

There are different frameworks available depending on what type of research you are interested in.

Population - Who is the question focussed on? This could relate to staff, patients, an age group, an ethnicity etc.

Intervention - What is the question focussed on? This could be a certain type of medication, therapeutic technique etc. 

Comparison/Context - This may be with our without the intervention or it may be concerned with the context for example where is the setting of your question? The hospital, ward, community etc?

Outcome - What do you hope to accomplish or improve etc.

Sample - as this is qualitative research sample is preferred over patient so that it is not generalised. 

Phenomenon of Interest - reasons for behaviour, attitudes, beliefs and decisions.

Design - the form of research used. 

Evaluation - the outcomes.

Research type -qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods.  

All frameworks help you to be specific, but don't worry if your question doesn't fit exactly into a framework. 

There are many critical appraisal tools or books you can use to assess the credibility of a research paper but these are a few we would recommend in the library. Your tutor may be able to advise you of others or some that are more suitable for your topic.

Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP)

CASP is a well-known critical appraisal website that has checklists for a wide variety of study types. You will see it frequently used by practitioners.

Understanding Health Research

This is a brand-new, interactive resource that guides you through appraising a research paper, highlighting key areas you should consider when appraising evidence.

Greenhalgh, T. (2014) How to read a paper: The basics of evidence-based medicine . 5 th edn. Chichester: Wiley

Greenhalgh’s book is a classic in critical appraisal. Whilst you don’t need to read this book cover-to-cover, it can be useful to refer to its specific chapters on how to assess different types of research papers. We have copies available in the library!

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Nursing Literature Review Topics and Examples

Nursing Literature Review Topics and Example– 49 Effective Topic Ideas to Get Your Creative Juices Flowing! Are you a medical student brainstorming for his final literature review nursing topics? Have you run out of ideas? Then let us inspire you again! Nursing is one of the professions that need a lot of research and investigation to […]

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Nursing Literature Review Topics and Example– 49 Effective Topic Ideas to Get Your Creative Juices Flowing!

Are you a medical student brainstorming for his final literature review nursing topics, have you run out of ideas then let us inspire you again.

Nursing is one of the professions that need a lot of research and investigation to make sure that the experiments are updated. This profession mostly requires that the studies be current and qualitative which can discuss in detail the factors that influence a particular disease and its behaviors.

This is the only way an ailment can research its cure. This is the reason why it is so important for researchers to find the right nursing literature review topics example for them.

A nursing literature review can cater to the behavioral aspect of the ailment or the physical one but it is important to get a good mentorship in nursing a literature review so that you may choose the right theme for your study.

Below mentioned are some nursing literature review Topics examples that will help you select the right topic for your study.

Keep in mind that just because you are studying nursing does not mean that your nursing literature review topics must strictly be related to the field. It can range from hospital management to the cure of an ailment.

• Pain management in critically ill patients
• Clinical outcomes of evidence-based practice in nursing
• Impact of sleep deprivation on nurses and patient care
• The effectiveness of telehealth in nursing practice
• The role of the nurse in end-of-life care
• Ethical considerations in nursing research
• The impact of mindfulness on stress reduction in nurses
• The importance of cultural competence in nursing practice
• The impact of technology on nursing education and practice
• The role of the nurse in preventing healthcare-associated infections
• The effects of workplace violence on nurses
• The impact of nurse-to-patient ratios on patient outcomes
• The effects of sleep deprivation and fatigue on medical errors in nursing
• The impact of burnout on job satisfaction and turnover in nurses
• The impact of organizational culture on nurse satisfaction and retention
• The use of simulation in nursing education
• The effects of shift work on the physical and mental health of nurses
• The impact of leadership styles on nurse engagement and job satisfaction
• The use of telemedicine in rural healthcare
• The role of the nurse in promoting healthy lifestyles and preventing chronic diseases
• Major risks in the clinical management of patients with cancer
• Management problems faced in the care of elderly patients
• Knowledge management in clinical practice and use of evidence
• Disease management with the use of evidence-based medicine
• Leadership and ethics in evidence-based nursing practice
• Evidence-based guidelines in promoting quality healthcare
• Evidence-based practice as a theoretical and practical approach. nursing interventions
• Evaluating the impact of health-promoting interventions on public health in the UK
• AIDS and its social impact: A study in public health
• Exercise habits and their relation with the epidemiological patterns of cardiovascular risks
• Improving pregnancy outcomes and care with the help of midwives
• The role of community nursing in improving the quality of life of the elderly
• Health promotion through community nursing practice
• The collaborative roles of GPs, nurses, social workers, and policymakers in a community nursing center
• The growing problem of alcoholism and binge drinking among teenagers is an issue in public health
• The focus on public health policies in the UK as delineated by the Department of Health
• The policies and approaches of the World Health Organization in understanding child development
• Effectiveness and efficiency of the National Health Service in providing services to the elderly
• Factors in research, development, and strategic policies toward healthcare

Another great idea to come up with a research topic for you is to search the Internet for a current illness that has not been studied as frequently. Then take that up as your topic and conduct a study on the same. This will ensure that your nursing research is current and significant.

Click here to get customized nursing literature review topics brief on your specific requirements

Check out our other related posts for nursing dissertation topics and critical care nursing research topics .

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Public Health Nursing

• How to run your search

Selected titles to help you write a literature review

What is a literature review, systematic literature searching, your search strategy, search strategy elements, tools to help you focus your topic.

• Using One Search
• Specialist Resources for Public Health Nursing
• Evaluating Health Sources
• Keeping track of your sources
• Writing and Referencing

Scribbr (2020) How to write a literature review: 3 minute step-by-step guide.   Available at: https://youtu.be/zIYC6zG265E (Accessed: 29 June 2021).

A literature review is a formal search and discussion of the literature published on a topic.  Such reviews have different purposes, some providing an overview as a learning exercise.  Most literature reviews are related to research activity, focus on scholarly and research publications and how this evidence relates to a specific research question or hypothesis.

Machi and McEvoy (2016, p.23) consider the review process as a critical thinking activity:

• Select a topic (Recognize and define a problem);
• Develop tools of argumentation (Create a process for solving the problem);
• Search the literature (Collect and compile information);
• Survey the literature (Discover the evidence and build the argument);
• Critique the literature (Draw conclusions);
• Write the thesis (Communicate and evaluate the conclusions).

Machi, L.A. and McEvoy, B.T. (2016) The literature review: six steps to success.  London; Corwin.

Leite, D., Padilha, M., and Cecatti, J. G. (2019) 'Approaching literature review for academic purposes: The Literature Review Checklist',  Clinics (Sao Paulo, Brazil) ,  74 , e1403.  https://doi.org/10.6061/clinics/2019/e1403

• Systematic literature searching You might be an undergraduate who wants to improve the quality of their searches, a postgraduate deciding on a dissertation topic, or a PhD student conducting a systematic literature review as part of your thesis. Or, you might be a member of staff conducting systematic search as part of your academic work, grant application, or Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) programme. This guide is your practical companion, offering insights and strategies to navigate the intricacies of systematic searching work.

Literature reviews are often conducted as an introduction to a research project.  However, they can also be used to gain an overview of the publications or research or evidence available as an introduction to a topic.

For the latter, you will be expected to develop a systematic search strategy to identify and locate the most relevant material (Aveyard, 2019).  This means including, as part of your text, the keywords and resources used for your review and the decisions made regarding your selection of materials. 

Aveyard, H. (2019) Doing a literature review in health and social care: a practical guide.4th edn. London: Open University Press, McGraw-Hill Education.

Your search strategy incorporates all the decisions made while selecting items for your literature review.

Themes and keywords

• What are the separate elements of your topic/search? 
• Which are the principal key words or search terms for each element? 
• Are there obvious alternative search terms that should be included?  For example, 'international' could also be described as 'global' or 'worldwide'.

Your initial searches on the topic will help you ascertain relevant search terms.

• Which types of material are you including in your review?  This can be restricted to research articles or encompass policy papers, textbooks, reports, conference presentations, blogs and more.
• Which bibliographic resources are most relevant to your topic, and the types of material identified above?  Options include bibliographic databases and Google Scholar (journal and research papers); the library's OneSearch (books, exemplars and more), Google or other general search engines (policy papers, blogs ...).See Specialist Resources for links to CINAHL and other bibliographic services. 

Additional selection criteria

• Does a specific date range for publication apply? 
• Are you only interested in a specific scenario or environment?
• Are you focusing on a specific population?

Please remember:

• Your decision making will be influenced, in part, by the restricted nature of your assignment and related timescale.
• You will be accessing and reading multiple items for each assignment.  Some of these will be relevant throughout our programme, or in other contexts. See the Keeping Track of your Sources page on this guide for advice on noting details methodically.

There are several tools available to help researchers formulate a robust research question or hypothesis.  These may be helpful in refining your topic and developing a search strategy for your assignments.

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• Last Updated: May 17, 2024 1:29 PM
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Nursing: How to Write a Literature Review

• Traditional or Narrative Literature Review

Getting started

1. start with your research question, 2. search the literature, 3. read & evaluate, 4. finalize results, 5. write & revise, brainfuse online tutoring and writing review.

• RESEARCH HELP

The best way to approach your literature review is to break it down into steps.  Remember, research is an iterative process, not a linear one.  You will revisit steps and revise along the way.  Get started with the handout, information, and tips from various university Writing Centers below that provides an excellent overview.  Then move on to the specific steps recommended on this page.

• UNC- Chapel Hill Writing Center Literature Review Handout, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
• University of Wisconsin-Madison Writing Center Learn how to write a review of literature, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
• University of Toronto-- Writing Advice The Literature Review: A few tips on conducting it, from the University of Toronto.
• Begin with a topic.
• Understand the topic. 
• Familiarize yourself with the terminology.  Note what words are being used and keep track of these for use as database search keywords. 
• See what research has been done on this topic before you commit to the topic.  Review articles can be helpful to understand what research has been done .
• Develop your research question.  (see handout below)
• How comprehensive should it be? 
• Is it for a course assignment or a dissertation? 
• How many years should it cover?
• Developing a good nursing research question Handout. Reviews PICO method and provides search tips.

Your next step is to construct a search strategy and then locate & retrieve articles.

•  There are often 2-4 key concepts in a research question.
• Search for primary sources (original research articles.)
• These are based on the key concepts in your research question.
• Remember to consider synonyms and related terms.
• Which databases to search?
• What limiters should be applied (peer-reviewed, publication date, geographic location, etc.)?

Review articles (secondary sources)

Use to identify literature on your topic, the way you would use a bibliography.  Then locate and retrieve the original studies discussed in the review article. Review articles are considered secondary sources.

• Once you have some relevant articles, review reference lists to see if there are any useful articles.
• Which articles were written later and have cited some of your useful articles?  Are these, in turn, articles that will be useful to you? 
• Keep track of what terms you used and what databases you searched. 
• Use database tools such as save search history in EBSCO to help.
• Keep track of the citations for the articles you will be using in your literature review. 
• Use RefWorks or another method of tracking this information. 
• Database Search Strategy Worksheet Handout. How to construct a search.
• TUTORIAL: How to do a search based on your research question This is a self-paced, interactive tutorial that reviews how to construct and perform a database search in CINAHL.

The next step is to read, review, and understand the articles.

• Start by reviewing abstracts. 
• Make sure you are selecting primary sources (original research articles).
• Note any keywords authors report using when searching for prior studies.
• You will need to evaluate and critique them and write a synthesis related to your research question.
• Consider using a matrix to organize and compare and contrast the articles . 
• Which authors are conducting research in this area?  Search by author.  
• Are there certain authors’ whose work is cited in many of your articles?  Did they write an early, seminal article that is often cited?
• Searching is a cyclical process where you will run searches, review results, modify searches, run again, review again, etc. 
• Critique articles.  Keep or exclude based on whether they are relevant to your research question.
• When you have done a thorough search using several databases plus Google Scholar, using appropriate keywords or subject terms, plus author’s names, and you begin to find the same articles over and over.
• Remember to consider the scope of your project and the length of your paper.  A dissertation will have a more exhaustive literature review than an 8 page paper, for example.
• What are common findings among each group or where do they disagree? 
• Identify common themes. Identify controversial or problematic areas in the research. 
• Use your matrix to organize this.
• Once you have read and re-read your articles and organized your findings, you are ready to begin the process of writing the literature review.

2. Synthesize.  (see handout below)

• Include a synthesis of the articles you have chosen for your literature review.
• A literature review is NOT a list or a summary of what has been written on a particular topic. 
• It analyzes the articles in terms of how they relate to your research question. 
• While reading, look for similarities and differences (compare and contrast) among the articles.  You will create your synthesis from this.
• Synthesis Examples Handout. Sample excerpts that illustrate synthesis.

Regis Online students have access to Brainfuse. Brainfuse is an online tutoring service available through a link in Moodle. Meet with a tutor in a live session or submit your paper for review.

• Brainfuse Tutoring and Writing Assistance for Regis Online Students by Tricia Reinhart Last Updated Oct 26, 2023 81 views this year
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• Last Updated: Feb 21, 2024 12:05 PM
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This website is intended for healthcare professionals

• { $refs.search.focus(); })" aria-controls="searchpanel" :aria-expanded="open" class="hidden lg:inline-flex justify-end text-gray-800 hover:text-primary py-2 px-4 lg:px-0 items-center text-base font-medium"> Search

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Literature review.

Use of ankle–brachial pressure index to assess patient suitability for lower limb compression

The aim of this review is to critically review and analyse findings from contemporary literature to evaluate the effectiveness of the ABPI as a screening tool to assess patients' suitability for the...

The psychological impact of active surveillance in men with prostate cancer: implications for nursing care

The PRISMA flow diagram (Figure 1) illustrates the process used within this literature review to screen search results using the eligibility criteria (Moher et al, 2009). The search was carried out...

Factors influencing retention among hospital nurses: systematic review

The Preferred Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) checklist and flow diagram were used to design and report the review process (Moher et al, 2015) (Figure 1)..

Nursing considerations for supporting cancer patients with metastatic spinal cord compression: a literature review

The search used key words precisely focused to understand the impact and management of MSCC (Box 1). Contextually synonymous key words were included to extend the breadth of available literature....

Sexual function after stoma formation in women with colorectal cancer

‘Sexual health is a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity. Sexual health requires a...

Supporting patients with long-term catheterisation to reduce risk of catheter-associated urinary tract infection

The four themes identified within the selected articles were (Figure 2):.

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Literature Review

• Starting the literature review
• Sources and strategy
• Writing the review
• Examples of dissertations
• Helpful guides

Dissertation examples

Undergraduate dissertations are not available in the library. We are currently working on selecting and digitising a selection of USW undergraduate dissertations.

You will find our postgraduate dissertations in our research repository USW Pure.

Ask your supervisor if they have any good examples of past dissertations that you can have a look at.

• Bristol University
• Leeds University  
• Nottingham University  
• << Previous: Writing the review
• Next: Helpful guides >>
• Last Updated: May 1, 2024 3:13 PM
• URL: https://libguides.southwales.ac.uk/literaturereview

Health (Nursing, Medicine, Allied Health)

• Find Articles/Databases
• Reference Resources
• Evidence Summaries & Clinical Guidelines
• Drug Information
• Health Data & Statistics
• Patient/Consumer Facing Materials
• Images and Streaming Video
• Grey Literature
• Mobile Apps & "Point of Care" Tools
• Tests & Measures This link opens in a new window
• Citing Sources
• Selecting Databases
• Framing Research Questions
• Crafting a Search
• Narrowing / Filtering a Search
• Expanding a Search
• Cited Reference Searching
• Saving Searches
• Term Glossary
• Critical Appraisal Resources
• What are Literature Reviews?
• Conducting & Reporting Systematic Reviews
• Finding Systematic Reviews
• Tutorials & Tools for Literature Reviews
• Finding Full Text

What are Systematic Reviews? (3 minutes, 24 second YouTube Video)

Systematic Literature Reviews: Steps & Resources

These steps for conducting a systematic literature review are listed below . 

Also see subpages for more information about:

• The different types of literature reviews, including systematic reviews and other evidence synthesis methods
• Tools & Tutorials

Literature Review & Systematic Review Steps

• Develop a Focused Question
• Scope the Literature  (Initial Search)
• Refine & Expand the Search
• Limit the Results
• Download Citations
• Abstract & Analyze
• Create Flow Diagram
• Synthesize & Report Results

1. Develop a Focused   Question 

Consider the PICO Format: Population/Problem, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome

Focus on defining the Population or Problem and Intervention (don't narrow by Comparison or Outcome just yet!)

"What are the effects of the Pilates method for patients with low back pain?"

Tools & Additional Resources:

• PICO Question Help
• Stillwell, Susan B., DNP, RN, CNE; Fineout-Overholt, Ellen, PhD, RN, FNAP, FAAN; Melnyk, Bernadette Mazurek, PhD, RN, CPNP/PMHNP, FNAP, FAAN; Williamson, Kathleen M., PhD, RN Evidence-Based Practice, Step by Step: Asking the Clinical Question, AJN The American Journal of Nursing : March 2010 - Volume 110 - Issue 3 - p 58-61 doi: 10.1097/01.NAJ.0000368959.11129.79

2. Scope the Literature

A "scoping search" investigates the breadth and/or depth of the initial question or may identify a gap in the literature. 

Eligible studies may be located by searching in:

• Background sources (books, point-of-care tools)
• Article databases
• Trial registries
• Grey literature
• Cited references
• Reference lists

When searching, if possible, translate terms to controlled vocabulary of the database. Use text word searching when necessary.

Use Boolean operators to connect search terms:

• Combine separate concepts with AND  (resulting in a narrower search)
• Connecting synonyms with OR  (resulting in an expanded search)

Search:  pilates AND ("low back pain"  OR  backache )

Video Tutorials - Translating PICO Questions into Search Queries

• Translate Your PICO Into a Search in PubMed (YouTube, Carrie Price, 5:11) 
• Translate Your PICO Into a Search in CINAHL (YouTube, Carrie Price, 4:56)

3. Refine & Expand Your Search

Expand your search strategy with synonymous search terms harvested from:

• database thesauri
• reference lists
• relevant studies

Example: 

(pilates OR exercise movement techniques) AND ("low back pain" OR backache* OR sciatica OR lumbago OR spondylosis)

As you develop a final, reproducible strategy for each database, save your strategies in a:

• a personal database account (e.g., MyNCBI for PubMed)
• Log in with your NYU credentials
• Open and "Make a Copy" to create your own tracker for your literature search strategies

4. Limit Your Results

Use database filters to limit your results based on your defined inclusion/exclusion criteria.  In addition to relying on the databases' categorical filters, you may also need to manually screen results.  

• Limit to Article type, e.g.,:  "randomized controlled trial" OR multicenter study
• Limit by publication years, age groups, language, etc.

NOTE: Many databases allow you to filter to "Full Text Only".  This filter is  not recommended . It excludes articles if their full text is not available in that particular database (CINAHL, PubMed, etc), but if the article is relevant, it is important that you are able to read its title and abstract, regardless of 'full text' status. The full text is likely to be accessible through another source (a different database, or Interlibrary Loan).  

• Filters in PubMed
• CINAHL Advanced Searching Tutorial

5. Download Citations

Selected citations and/or entire sets of search results can be downloaded from the database into a citation management tool. If you are conducting a systematic review that will require reporting according to PRISMA standards, a citation manager can help you keep track of the number of articles that came from each database, as well as the number of duplicate records.

In Zotero, you can create a Collection for the combined results set, and sub-collections for the results from each database you search.  You can then use Zotero's 'Duplicate Items" function to find and merge duplicate records.

• Citation Managers - General Guide

6. Abstract and Analyze

• Migrate citations to data collection/extraction tool
• Screen Title/Abstracts for inclusion/exclusion
• Screen and appraise full text for relevance, methods, 
• Resolve disagreements by consensus

Covidence is a web-based tool that enables you to work with a team to screen titles/abstracts and full text for inclusion in your review, as well as extract data from the included studies.

• Covidence Support
• Critical Appraisal Tools
• Data Extraction Tools

7. Create Flow Diagram

The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) flow diagram is a visual representation of the flow of records through different phases of a systematic review.  It depicts the number of records identified, included and excluded.  It is best used in conjunction with the PRISMA checklist .

Example from: Stotz, S. A., McNealy, K., Begay, R. L., DeSanto, K., Manson, S. M., & Moore, K. R. (2021). Multi-level diabetes prevention and treatment interventions for Native people in the USA and Canada: A scoping review. Current Diabetes Reports, 2 (11), 46. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-021-01414-3

• PRISMA Flow Diagram Generator (ShinyApp.io, Haddaway et al. )
• PRISMA Diagram Templates  (Word and PDF)
• Make a copy of the file to fill out the template
• Image can be downloaded as PDF, PNG, JPG, or SVG
• Covidence generates a PRISMA diagram that is automatically updated as records move through the review phases

8. Synthesize & Report Results

There are a number of reporting guideline available to guide the synthesis and reporting of results in systematic literature reviews.

It is common to organize findings in a matrix, also known as a Table of Evidence (ToE).

• Reporting Guidelines for Systematic Reviews
• Download a sample template of a health sciences review matrix  (GoogleSheets)

Steps modified from: 

Cook, D. A., & West, C. P. (2012). Conducting systematic reviews in medical education: a stepwise approach.   Medical Education , 46 (10), 943–952.

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• Next: What are Literature Reviews? >>
• Last Updated: May 31, 2024 10:32 AM
• URL: https://guides.nyu.edu/health