Abstract
PURPOSE
To develop a methodology for establishing an online (http://www.nlinks.org), peer-reviewed, annotated bibliography. Disturbed sleep patterns and sleep deprivation were the arbitrarily selected foci.
METHODS
Tasks included developing an annotated bibliographic form and collecting reviews, first from investigators and next from an online solicitation, and improving the annotated form as needed with the implementation of each of the following steps: (a) selecting MEDLINE and CINAHL search strategies for the years 1966–1982 and 1982–2001, respectively, (b) classifying an article's evidence base and its contribution to language development; (c) evaluating construct and content validity of the evidence base and the contribution to language development classifications, (d) determining interrater reliability in evaluating reviews, (e) publishing the results online, and (f) preparing for the deductive phase of the research and future research efforts.
FINDINGS
There was high interrater reliability within the contribution to language development scale but not within the evidence-based scale. This finding led to a discussion on the evidence base of nursing. Comparisons between evidence base of medicine and nursing were made. A three-tiered matrix was developed to allow for the cross-categorization of level of nursing evidence with diagnoses, defining characteristics, related factors, interventions or treatments, and outcomes. Access to literature within any one cell of the matrix required knowledge of filters used by MEDLINE and CINAHL and adapting these filters to capture subject headings consistent with language development subjects and terms.
CONCLUSIONS
Future searches are planned and the implications for nursing informatics, education, practice, and research have been articulated. The move toward evidence-based nursing is international in nature.
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