Step 0: Cultivate a spirit of inquiry – choosing a topic

Our group chose our topic based on a mutual interest on wanting to gain more information on ventilator associated pneumonia. When communicating with each other, we all universally agreed on the topic so there was no adversity.

Step 1: Ask the burning clinical question in PICOT format

When working on our PICOT question, we went through many variations of our questions. Each of us created our own and then worked as a team by taking the best pieces of each question and combining it. We then revised our combined PICOT question as a group in order to get our final product. Some people had disagreements on what part should be included and which part shouldn’t but by using different teamwork strategies we were able to conclude on a final question.

Step 2: Search for and collect the most relevant evidence – finding articles

The team decided the best way to finding articles resulted in each member researching 2 articles for the paper. Between the four of us we were able to accumulate seven articles and placed them all in a google doc in order to make sure no one was researching the same article. This helped us avoid conflict in the sense of people finding the incorrect number of articles.

Step 3: Critically appraise the evidence – Part I (rapid critical appraisal)

The team was given a narrowed article group following submission of the seven articles. After submission, the team was given four articles which each of us selected. We reviewed and learned the ins and outs of each of our respective articles. This made discussing the articles so much easier for the team because each member was an “expert” in their article. This also led to a more fluent writing process since everyone could then learn about each article and the main points of them together.

Step 3: Critically appraise the evidence – Part II (evidence table & annotated bib)

When working on the annotated bibliography and evidence table we took the same approach to split it up per article. This made placing the information in the table easier and more accurate. When we all finished completing the table and annotated bib, we reviewed them as a group to look for grammar and to see if it made sense. By working together, we did not have much conflict because everyone took their critiques respectfully. This encouraged group members to provide more feedback which attributed to complete sections.

Step 3: Critically appraise the evidence – Part III (synthesis – writing the paper)

Writing the paper was the most difficult aspect of our group work. We started by each working on different parts of the paper and dividing it that way. We started with writing sections of our articles and then worked on synthesizing our sections together. We then all cooperatively worked on the introduction and conclusion. We had the most disagreements during this section of the paper because many times we would be reading it over and one person would really like how a part was done but then another group member disliked it. It turned into a lot of debates on what is better, what is worse, what we can keep and what we can get rid of. However, we were able to debate out our differences and completed the a high quality paper.

Throughout the process, I learned that using teamwork is pivotal in any work of nursing. We were able to bounce ideas off of each other or build each other up when one member needed help. It was seamless to create the project due to my group’s generosity in helping each other and ability to work so well as a team. In healthcare, we work as a team to provide the best care for our patients. It takes good communication, ability to take critiques, and essential knowledge to perform well as a unit. Working with this team taught me the importance of those skills and I will carry them forward into my nursing career. Evidence-based practice is the key to furthering healthcare and the ability to improve current policies through teamwork and development is essential for any nurse.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dntwpzP2iCw_wAl817uXruh8CtAXoEqP/view?usp=sharing