Guidelines for the State of the Science Paper
Purpose: To identify, and analyze a challenge, dilemma, or controversy in clinical practice from the perspective of
advanced nursing practice.
This paper should be in APA format and should be 10 pages of text, excluding title page, references, and appendices. The
group will turn in a draft and a final paper with faculty suggested revisions and the group will present their paper in a
15 minute PowerPoint presentation format. Each group topic must be faculty approved ahead of time (see course calendar
for due date).
Possible Examples of a clinical challenge, controversy or dilemma in advanced nursing practice:
Antibiotic resistance/ overuse in pediatrics for otitis media
Using PSA tests and prostate cancer
Relationship of immunizations and autism
Combined use of mood stabilizers and SSRIs in Bipolar disorder
Problems with measuring patient satisfaction as a representation of quality of care
Relationship of advanced practice nursing practice barriers and patient access to care
Use of Subutex versus Methadone in substance dependence in pregnancy
Treating asymptomatic bacteriuria
Appropriate opiate use in chronic pain
Elective C-sections
Palliative sedation in nurse anesthesia
State of the Science Paper Grading Rubric
Description Points Score
Introduction • Describe the problem, and the specific clinical challenge, dilemma or controversy
• Justify the importance of the problem including relevant citations and discuss why there are management challenges or
controversy surrounding the problem
• Discuss the significance of the problem in terms of cost and suffering and why this problem is significant to advanced
nursing practice
• Discuss and authoritative organization (such as WHO, ANA, USPTF, American Cancer Society, etc.) that have issued formal
statements or opinions on the problem.
• Summarize key concepts under investigations 10%
Background/Literature
Review • Provide details of the specific clinical challenge, dilemma, or controversy including nature, scope, history,
and the context within which the problem exits
• Discuss any relevant epidemiologic, ethical, pathophysiologic, social and clinical contexts within which the issue
exists necessary to understand the problem
• Present relevant literature from an exhaustive search of databases. Studies should NOT be presented one by one but
presented by comparing and contrasting and grouped shared concepts.
• Discuss why clinical recommendations and/or protocols are needed
• Summarize major points 30%
Management Strategies • Present the range of potential clinical and/or research interventions to address the clinical
problem 10%
Recommendations and Summaries • Using your critical evaluation of available evidence take and substantiate a position on
recommending a specific approach to the problem or outline a developed protocol
• Discuss recommendations relative to the original challenge, dilemma or controversy in the clinical practice. 25%
Potential Theoretical Approach to the problem • Identify an appropriate theory through which to research the clinical
problem.
• Provide support as to why your selected theory is an appropriate lens through which to view the problem.
• Support of applicability may include but is not limited to the use of the theory in other research related to your
clinical problem, conceptual congruency of the theory with concepts associated with your clinical problem, and or
underlying philosophic underpinnings. 10%
Journal identification • Identify at least 2 peer reviewed journals that would be likely to publish papers on your
clinical research problem.
• Substantiate your 2 choices. 5%
References/ APA • List all references cited in the paper in APA format.
• The majority of references should be current peer reviewed literature and include any older hallmark studies that may
apply.
• APA must be used throughout the paper. 10%
Total Score
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