title: Meta-analysis as a tool for evidence-based practice: an example using the Rice meta-analysis of smoking cessation interventions.
abstract: Enhanced quality of patient care and the prevention of errors are emphasized greatly in today's health care settings. Nurses are now held accountable for the care they provide and, as a result, nurses are responsible for incorporating solid scientific evidence into their practice. Published meta-analyses represent one source of such evidence. Meta-analyses offer statistical summarizations of all studies conducted about a particular phenomenon and more objective evaluation of the research often results. This article examines seven basic processes for evaluating meta-analyses and determining the value of their results for use in nursing practice.
authors.affiliation: The Cleveland Clinic Foundation Health System, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA. leonare@ccf.org
authors.forename: Elizabeth E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Leonard
authors.forename: Christine A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Wynd
mesh_terms: D003625:Data Collection; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D019300:Medical Errors / Q000517:prevention & control; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015399:Nursing Research / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012107:Research Design; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data