The literature review is a fundamental part of any research, as it highlights already existing knowledge on the studied topic. Baker et al. (2015) analyzed sources related to the state of delirium and the ability of nurses to determine it. For example, Voyer et al. (2008) discuss the assessment of signs and symptoms that are least noticeable for identifying the condition (as cited in Baker et al., 2015). The study was conducted in long-term care settings using interview methods and questionnaires (Voyer et al., 2008, as cited in Baker et al., 2015). It confirms Baker et al. (2015) assumptions that nurses usually poorly recognize the state of delirium.
Other sources mentioned in the literature review also support the authors’ hypotheses in their responses to research questions. They proved that nurses’ knowledge levels about delirium and its risk factors are insufficient, and the problem requires intervention.
The literature review is also crucial because it helps to detect knowledge gaps and provides an understanding of the direction in which the subsequent study of the problem should be developed. The topic described by Baker et al. (2015), as noted by the authors, is under-covered in the literature. For this reason, when reading the source review section, an interesting aspect was the observation of which sides of the issue had already been explored. For example, many papers focus on interventions, that is, disease prevention or management, but little on staff’s ability to identify it (Baker et al., 2015). Based on this, I consider it essential to critically evaluate the existing knowledge base for a strong literature review. Such a strategy would help to eliminate unnecessary sources and identify gaps in knowledge about the topic.
References
Baker, N. D., Taggart, H. M., Nivens, A., & Tillman, P. (2015). Delirium: why are nurses confused? MEDSURG nursing, 24(1), 15-22.
Voyer, R, Richard, S., Doucet, L., Danjou, C., & Carmichael, P. H. (2008). Detection of delirium by nurses among long-term care residents with dementia. BMC Nursing, 7(4), 1-14. Web.