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Integrated Care for Older People: Methodological Issues in Conducting a Systematic Literature Review
Author(s) -
Reed Jan,
Childs Sue,
Cook Glenda,
Hall Amanda,
McCormack Brendan
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
worldviews on evidence‐based nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.052
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1741-6787
pISSN - 1545-102X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1741-6787.2007.00085.x
Subject(s) - terminology , systematic review , variety (cybernetics) , process (computing) , field (mathematics) , management science , knowledge management , engineering ethics , psychology , computer science , medline , political science , engineering , philosophy , linguistics , mathematics , artificial intelligence , pure mathematics , law , operating system
Systematic reviews are a useful approach for nurses to take in exploring issues important to their practice, and in this article the process of conducting a systematic literature review on integrated care for older people is described. The review was conducted as one strand of a research project aiming to inform the development of locality‐based integrated care for older people in Northern Ireland, a development driven by observations of user needs. Methodology: Systematic literature review methodology is summarized and critiqued. The process of undertaking the review in this study is described with a focus on the first stage of identifying literature, and the challenges that this presents in a review which draws on multiple bodies of work. Results: Producing a systematic literature review in integrated care is a complex undertaking, comprising a variety of different sectors, organizations, care settings, professionals, and other users, with their own bodies of knowledge; the need for an inclusive approach; the need to search a wide range of databases; nonspecific terminology; and the inappropriateness of study design hierarchies as selection criteria. Conclusions: While such a literature review might provide a basis for research and practice, the ability of the review team to call upon a wide range of skills, experience, and knowledge across the information management field and the care system is crucial.