List three examples of plagiarism and discuss how plagiarizing as a student affects the integrity of a baccalaureate degree, the public perception of the nursing profession, and evidence-based practice. Describe two things you will do to ensure academic integrity in your work. Please read below for more information. Introduction Academic nursing research is crucial to providing quality nursing care because it gives the foundation for evidence-based practice (EBP) that is often the catalyst for changes that impact patient outcomes. Learning to navigate databases to acquire sound evidence is the foundation for writing academic prose that illustrates the learner’s grasp of concepts. It is equally essential for RN-BSN students to learn to format academic writing properly, as well as understand how to avoid plagiarism and its repercussions. In addition, learning how to write without plagiarizing upholds the principle of trustworthiness that is a central element to the professionalism of nursing. Understanding academic research, literature review , scholarly writing, academic integrity, and academic dishonesty are the framework for a baccalaureate education, which also contribute to the professionalism of nursing. Additionally, learning to research relevant nursing topics forms critical-thinking skills necessary to provide excellent patient care. Case Study Julia, a 52-year-old nurse, returned to school for the first time in 30 years to get her bachelor’s degree at the prompting of her employer. Unfamiliar with writing papers, she had difficulty settling into the academic world. With the help of the university librarian and an online academic writing tutorial, she finished her first three online courses. Because she did not know how to find applicable articles or how to format her papers properly, she barely passed her first course. After completing the third course, the school contacted her to discuss one of her papers. After investigation, the university determined that Julia’s paper was largely plagiarized. An incident report was filed, placing Julia on academic probation. Devastated, Julia admitted that she was not certain what plagiarism truly was, but she certainly had no intention of doing anything dishonest. Julia said that many of her colleagues have spoken about getting papers and advice online and did not see the harm in it or consider it cheating. After thorough counsel from the faculty, Julia learned that the repercussions of such behavior go far past failing courses. She began to understand that plagiarism has a stark impact on the nursing profession and that dishonesty in academia can lead to dishonesty as a professional nurse. Such behavior jeopardizes patient care and can threaten the nursing license that she worked so hard to earn. Julia committed herself to learning how to avoid plagiarism and finding guidance on constructing strong academic papers for the rest of her baccalaureate education to help her uphold and model .

1. List three examples of plagiarism and discuss how plagiarizing
as a student affects the integrity of a baccalaureate degree, the
public perception of the nursing profession, and evidence-based
practice. Describe two things you will do to ensure academic
integrity in your work.
Please read below for more information.
Introduction
Academic
nursing research
is crucial to providing quality nursing care because it gives the
foundation for
evidence-based practice (EBP)
that is often the catalyst for changes that impact patient
outcomes. Learning to navigate databases to acquire sound
evidence is the foundation for writing academic prose that
illustrates the learner’s grasp of concepts. It is equally essential
for RN-BSN students to learn to format academic writing
properly, as well as understand how to avoid plagiarism and its
repercussions. In addition, learning how to write without
plagiarizing upholds the principle of trustworthiness that is a
central element to the professionalism of nursing.
Understanding academic research,
literature review
, scholarly writing, academic integrity, and academic dishonesty
are the framework for a baccalaureate education, which also
contribute to the professionalism of nursing. Additionally,
learning to research relevant nursing topics forms critical-
thinking skills necessary to provide excellent patient care.
Case Study
Julia, a 52-year-old nurse, returned to school for the first time
in 30 years to get her bachelor’s degree at the prompting of her

2. employer. Unfamiliar with writing papers, she had difficulty
settling into the academic world. With the help of the university
librarian and an online academic writing tutorial, she finished
her first three online courses. Because she did not know how to
find applicable articles or how to format her papers properly,
she barely passed her first course. After completing the third
course, the school contacted her to discuss one of her papers.
After investigation, the university determined that Julia’s paper
was largely plagiarized. An incident report was filed, placing
Julia on academic probation. Devastated, Julia admitted that she
was not certain what plagiarism truly was, but she certainly had
no intention of doing anything dishonest. Julia said that many of
her colleagues have spoken about getting papers and advice
online and did not see the harm in it or consider it cheating.
After thorough counsel from the faculty, Julia learned that the
repercussions of such behavior go far past failing courses. She
began to understand that plagiarism has a stark impact on the
nursing profession and that dishonesty in academia can lead to
dishonesty as a professional nurse. Such behavior jeopardizes
patient care and can threaten the nursing license that she
worked so hard to earn. Julia committed herself to learning how
to avoid plagiarism and finding guidance on constructing strong
academic papers for the rest of her baccalaureate education to
help her uphold and model the principles key to the nursing
profession.
Academic Writing
Academic writing is the analysis of material and the ability to
express understanding in an eloquent and informative way while
properly acknowledging sources (Hunker, Gazza, &
Shellenbarger, 2014). Nonacademic writing does not use
scholarly sources to substantiate claims made within the writing

3. and is written at a more informal level that is easy for any
reader to understand. Basics of academic writing, such as style,
formatting, spelling, grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary, are
often considered common knowledge. These concepts are also
worth reviewing if they have faded from memory. In order to
feel more prepared to tackle writing assignments with
confidence, students often state the need for frequent review of
such topics, particularly in the area of applying style and
formatting according to the APA Style Manual (O’Brien,
Marken, & Bennett Petrey, 2016). In fact, O’Brien, Marken, and
Bennett Petrey (2016) discovered that the incorporation of mini
studies on basics of writing throughout the length of a course
led to improved writing and improved overall student perception
related to writing assignments. This echoes the significance of
exposure to the fundamentals of
scholarly writing
to set up students for success early in the academic process.
A well-written, scholarly paper requires more than basic
structure; it also needs an educated description of the topic that
reflects the student’s critical thinking and comprehension
(Borglin, 2012). Such comprehension is a stepping stone to
formulating an evidence-based argument to support clinical
reasoning in nursing practice and advocate for changes. Another
key to this process is the students’ ability to evaluate relevant
articles to support and substantiate the claims within their
writing. Locating relevant articles is not sufficient; students
must also be able to examine and fully understand the articles’
purpose and how it supports their writing (Hunker et. al., 2014).
Blended together, these components contribute to the
development of scholarly writing that is expected of students
attaining a baccalaureate degree.
Tools for Success

4. The proper use of online
databases
is crucial to obtaining relevant data that can be used to support
the students’ work. Grand Canyon University (GCU) has an
online library system that allows for ease of access to such
databases, including CINAHL and Ovid. The GCU Student
Success Center contains a wealth of knowledge, providing
detailed step-by-step processes instructing students on how to
conduct effective database searches. Locating credible articles
is crucial to substantiating claims made within pieces of
academic writing. Information literacy can be defined as the
learner’s ability to search for, access, and evaluate
peer-reviewed articles
(Brettle & Raynor, 2013). Peer-reviewed articles are research
studies that have been evaluated by experts in the field prior to
publication.
Becoming information literate is a crucial skill for students to
master early on to lay a framework for success throughout the
baccalaureate program. Throughout the program, students will
be challenged to expand their knowledge and expertise by
investigating new research and demonstrating their
understanding of key concepts through scholarly academic
writing and elaboration of ideas in discussion forums. When the
basics, such as information literacy, are learned early, the
process of academic writing becomes seamless and achievable.
Not only is this helpful throughout the program, but it also
contributes to the nurse’s ability to understand EBP and its
impact on patient care. By learning how to evaluate articles for
relevance and credibility, baccalaureate students will have the
opportunity to understand EBP changes they see in their daily
work during and after their baccalaureate experience.
Searching Databases

5. All nursing databases can be found in the “Find Journal
Articles” and “Find Databases by Subject” section of the library
under “Nursing & Health Sciences.” CINAHL Complete,
PubMed, OVID Nursing Essentials, Cochrane Library, Nursing
and Allied Health Collection, and ProQuest Nursing & Allied
Health Source are recommended nursing databases; of these
databases, CINAHL is the most widely recommended. The
strategy when conducting research is to first identify the main
concepts or keywords in the topic. Enter each concept in a
separate search box. Then, add synonyms where possible to
retrieve more search results. There are three Boolean operators
that are used when searching in most library databases: AND,
OR, and NOT. AND is used between each search box to connect
different concepts. When using AND in a search, it will return
results that use all keywords. OR is used to add synonyms, or
similar keywords, to the search. Using OR in a search will
return results that use at least one of the keywords provided.
NOT is used to exclude keywords. Using NOT in a search will
exclude the keyword provided from the results. When searching
databases, using the truncation symbol (*), commonly referred
to as an asterisk, can also be helpful in narrowing down search
results. Truncation is used to include all possible endings on the
end of the root word. For example, complian* will return results
with the keywords compliance and compliant. Nurs* will return
results that use the keywords nurse, nursing, nurses.
Scholarly writing requires students to support their research
with current evidence published in reputable sources. When
searching a database, students should click on the box limiting
the search to only peer-reviewed journals. Students can limit
search results to specific ranges of publication years as well.
Typically, it is best practice to use articles that are no more

6. than 5 years old; however students should check with their
instructors to learn of any course specific requirements in terms
of acceptable publication years.
Common Research Topic Examples
Topic: Hand hygiene compliance to reduce the rate of
infection1st Search Field: hand wash*2nd Search Field: AND
compliant*3rd Search Field: AND infectionAnother way to
search for this topic could include the following terms and
operators:1st Search Field: hand hygiene2nd Search Field: AND
adherence3rd Search Field: AND infection
Topic: Preventing diabetes through patient education
1st Search Field: diabet*2nd Search Field: AND prevent* OR
reduc*3rd Search Field: AND educat*
Topic: Nurse shift reports to increase patient safety
1st Search Field: nurs*2nd Search Field: AND shift report* OR
handoff OR hand off OR bedside report*3rd Search Field: AND
safe*
Review of the Abstract
After searching, the student can begin looking through the
results to select which articles are most relevant to their topic
of interest. Reading the subject line of each article is not
enough to understand whether the article has the type of
material the student may need. This is when reviewing the
abstract comes in handy. The abstract gives a brief overview
regarding the article’s content and design. In this way, students
can get a basic understanding of whether this article is a good
fit to support their topic.
Figure 1.1

7. Abstract Example
Writing and Editing
Once the appropriate articles are found, they must be read and
reviewed for topics and facts that can be used to support the
paper’s main points. Finding just the right words to express
ideas on a given topic can be difficult, particularly when unsure
about how to best explain challenging concepts, properly cite
sources, or correctly format the information according to APA
style (O’Brien, Marken, & Bennett Petrey 2016). The greatest
guidance possible for a student is to use every resource offered
to help make the writing process easier. GCU’s Writing Center
offers resources for students preparing to write an academic
paper, including a step-by-step overview of writing academic
papers, and example papers for reference. Learning to write
scholarly papers enables students to demonstrate their
understanding of concepts while growing in their ability to
communicate effectively. Students concerned about the amount
of writing required in a baccalaureate program can rest assured
that most students acclimate to the challenge and are eventually
able to write excellent academic prose.
Frequently reviewing and editing content helps students ensure
that they are developing readable content that conveys the
information as intended. Tools such as Microsoft Word’s
grammar and spell check can help students to catch typos and
grammatical errors; however, repeatedly reading and reviewing
the content will ensure errors are located and fixed before
submission. Reviewing the content also ensures that topics and
paragraphs flow and transition from one to the next. Peer review
is also an excellent way of fine-tuning completed work and

8. eliciting ideas that can make for a more well-developed paper.
The expertise of knowledgeable peers can give students a new
perspective on the topic, broadening their understanding and
helping to add depth to their prose (Doncliff, 2016).
Example of a Well Written Paragraph
The evidence regarding the effectiveness of clinical education
models for undergraduate nursing programs is notably limited
due to a lack of high quality studies and a lack of important
student learning outcome measures. This systematic review
found limited evidence that the clinical facilitator model is
preferable to the preceptor model based on students’ preference
and learning outcomes. It is evident that CEU model provided
greater engagement and an enhanced learning environment
compared with a standard facilitation model. However, this
finding should be applied with caution due to the quality of the
included studies. There is clearly a need for well-planned high
quality studies to examine the effectiveness of different clinical
placement models to provide best evidence-based practice in
nursing education. (Jayasekara et al., 2018)
Formatting
Formatting documents according to the APA manual is crucial
for students. APA is a writing style developed as a best practice
for academic papers and is commonly required for use when
writing papers in collegiate programs (Purdue Online Writing
Lab, n.d.). Students should use the GCU library resources and
GCU’s APA Style Guide, located on the Student Success
Center. The APA manual includes information on how to format
elements of a paper, such as headings, spacing, and
indentations, as well as how to correctly
reference

9. , cite, and paraphrase sources of information. Omitting
citations
and poorly
paraphrasing
sources happens frequently and often leads to unintentional
plagiarism
. Plagiarism is a growing concern in education and has high
incident rates in nursing education (Smedley, Crawford, &
Cloete, 2015). Though colleges are using plagiarism prevention
platforms, such as Turnitin, to check students’ work for
plagiarized material, plagiarism remains a significant issue.
Academic Honesty
The issue of
integrity
is central to the world of nursing. Nurses are looked to as
esteemed members of health care and society. Nurses are trusted
to provide holistic and professional care to members of the
community who are at their most vulnerable. In fact, according
to an annual Gallup survey (2016) that looks at public trust in
professionals, nurses have been ranked Number 1 as the most
trusted profession for 15 years in a row (Norman, 2016).
Integrity and honesty are crucial elements in upholding that
reputation (Glasper, 2016). These defining characteristics are
built during the education process. With that in mind, it
becomes clear that
academic integrity
is the pathway to professional integrity as a nurse (Glasper,
2016).
It is essential to understand and recognize
academic dishonesty

10. because academic behaviors lay the framework for upholding
professionalism
as a bedside nurse. Lack of integrity and dishonesty has been
shown to lead to poor decision making at the bedside, which
leads to poor patient outcomes and decreased patient
satisfaction (Morgan & Hart, 2013). In fact, studies have found
a direct correlation between not upholding academic integrity
and dismissing professional policy in the workplace (LaDuke,
2013). This link cannot be overlooked, as it directly correlates
to attributes required and expected of professional nurses.
Additionally, it supports the thought that
ethical
behaviors are learned early on and affect behavior at the
bedside, directly impacting patient care and outcomes (Coffey,
Zitzelsberger, & Anyinam, 2014). For instance, if students see
no fault in committing plagiarism throughout their educational
journey, they may see no fault in falsely documenting
assessment data or details of a patient interaction. The
repercussions of omitting sensitive assessment data within the
patient chart could lead to a complication going unnoticed that
could ultimately lead to harmful complications for the patient.
Going back to the case study at the beginning of the chapter, it
had been many years since Julia was in school. She was working
full time as a bedside nurse and going to school, all of which
added stress and pressure to her personal and professional life.
This could also be a determining factor for why plagiarism
occurred. Typically, in cases of plagiarism, the student is
extraordinarily remorseful and fully committed to rectifying the
situation. Despite these alarming statistics and inquiries,
providing resources to students to help avoid this dilemma
becomes the correct focus.

11. Patient with Acute Kidney Injury
At the end of the shift, a nurse was working to complete patient
charts, including one patient’s hourly urine output. The nursing
assistant emptied the patient’s Foley catheter but did not record
the number or tell the nurse what she projected the urine output
to be. The nurse is tired after a long shift, so she decides to
make up a number so she can finish charting and get home. She
lies and documents the total urine output for the shift as 500cc.
The physician making rounds notes the output and sees no issue.
When the nurse returned to work the following night, the patient
is being placed on hemodialysis. The nurse from the previous
shift told her the patient’s urine output was critically low, only
5–8cc per hour all day, and the patient’s blood urea nitrogen
(BUN) and creatinine levels continued to rise despite best
efforts to aggressively rehydrate him.
The situation could have had a much different outcome if the
nurse had taken it upon herself to document the appropriate
assessment findings accurately instead of lying. Though
seemingly rare, such circumstances may occur more often than
realized. These outcomes lead to a lack of trust from the public
and diminished perception of the nurses’ professionalism.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the use of another’s words or ideas without clear
identification of the source (Price, 2014). Plagiarism can occur
intentionally and unintentionally. Intentional plagiarism
involves a person who knowingly copied the work of another
individual and purposefully omitted credit to the original author
to take credit for the ideas. Unintentional plagiarism usually
involves ignorance and poor writing, paraphrasing, and

12. referencing skills (de Souza, 2016). In general, cheating is seen
as common among college students, and many do not see it as
wrong (LaDuke, 2013).
Studies have shown that plagiarism, particularly among nursing
students, is a growing concern and has a host of repercussions
that do not solely affect the education process. Nursing is a
profession based on ethics, integrity, and trust; committing
plagiarism is a direct insult to such an esteemed profession.
Plagiarism can affect student performance and impact EBP
created to affect change in patient care (LaDuke, 2013). Such
behaviors are contrary to the Code of Ethics for Nurses, which
summarizes the importance of maintaining and modeling
exemplary behaviors such as honesty and integrity.
Table 1.1
Plagiarism Example
Source
Heinich, R., Molenda, M., Russell, J. D., & Smaldino, S. E.
(1999).
Instructional media and technologies for learning.
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Original Source Material
Constructivism is a movement that extends beyond the beliefs
of the cognitivist. It considers the engagement of student in
meaningful experiences as the essence of learning. The shift is
from passive transfer of information to active problem solving.
Constructivists emphasize that learners create their own
interpretations of the world of information.
Plagiarized Version

13. Constructivists do not hold views entirely opposed to those of
the cognitivists. The position of constructivists extends beyond
the beliefs of the cognitivist.
Reference
Heinich, R., Molenda, M., Russell, J. D., & Smaldino, S. E.
(1999).
Instructional media and technologies for learning.
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Correct Version
Constructivists do not hold views entirely opposed to those of
the cognitivists. The position of constructivists “extends beyond
the beliefs of the cognitivist” (Heinich, Molenda, Russell, &
Smaldino, 1999, p. 17).
Reference
Heinich, R., Molenda, M., Russell, J. D., & Smaldino, S. E.
(1999).
Instructional media and technologies for learning.
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Note
. Adapted from “How to Recognize Plagiarism” by Indiana
University Bloomington, School of Education, 2014. Copyright
2014 by the Indiana University Bloomington, School of
Education.
Why Do Nursing Students Plagiarize?
Studies have found that plagiarism among nursing students is
usually the result of their unfamiliarity with writing and the

14. pressure they feel to get work completed while balancing a full
plate of responsibilities (Morgan & Hart, 2013). Research has
discovered that up to “94% of nursing students have seen
another student cheat,” (LaDuke, 2013, p. 402). Other studies
have indicated a connection to online programs and the lack of
face-to-face interaction as a direct factor in upholding academic
integrity (Morgan & Hart, 2013). Also, the amount of work
expected within the nursing program is staggering; one study
indicated that, “in nursing, there is a higher proportion of essay
material required for students to produce than in other types of
healthcare courses,” (de Souza, 2016, p. 19). Most RN-BSN
students continue to work full time, attend classes, and balance
a full family/home life, which can lead to an elevated level of
anxiety that could then lead to unethical academic behavior
(Hidle, 2014). These elements all contribute to the rise of
unethical student behaviors in nursing education.
Paraphrasing
One of the most significant contributors to plagiarism is the
ineffective use of references and paraphrasing (Hunker, et al.,
2014).
Merriam Webster
defines paraphrasing as, “a restatement of a text, passage, or
work giving the meaning in another form” (Paraphrase, n.d.).
Paraphrasing is putting something found within a source into
one’s own words versus directly quoting the work. While the
use of paraphrasing may seem straightforward, it has become
apparent that its misuse can be a big contributor to plagiarism
(Rogerson & McCarthy, 2017).
Paraphrasing is a useful skill and can beautifully convey the
writer’s understanding of a topic; however, changing a few
words or using synonyms and expecting the result to be
considered paraphrasing is insufficient. Proper paraphrasing
involves synthesizing the given material and being able to

15. reiterate in a way that exemplifies its meaning as well as giving
credit to the original author with proper citation.
Summarization
is similar, requiring proper credit to the original work’s author
but may reflect a more basic overview of the material (Eberle,
2013).
Table 1.2
Poor vs. Correct Paraphrasing
Original Quote
“New tracks aside, the challenge is at the bare minimum to
bring light and air into this underground purgatory and, beyond
that, to create for millions of people a new space worthy of New
York, a civic hub in the spirit of the great demolished one, more
attuned to the city’s aspirations and democratic ideals”
(Kimmelman, 2012, para. 10).
Poor Paraphrase
Besides replacing the railroad tracks, the toughest part is to at
least bring air and light to Penn Station. Millions of people in
New York are deserving of a new civic hub, constructed in the
same essence of the one that was leveled so many years ago.
Moving forward with such a development ties in with the city’s
enthusiasm for beauty and architecture
Effective Paraphrase
One of the biggest issues facing Penn Station’s revitalization is
developing a brighter, airier space. It is an abysmal
“underground purgatory,” (Kimmelman, 2012, para. 10) and
with so many New Yorkers and tourists traveling in and out of
its doors every day, it should be reconstructed to better reflect

16. the endeavors and passions of the city.
Note
. Adapted from “An Example of an Effective Paraphrase” and
“An Example of a Poor Paraphrase” by EasyBib. Copyright
EasyBib.
Students should also take caution when searching the Internet
for tools or websites that may help develop paraphrasing
material. The explosion of technological advancements and ease
of access to these types of programs has made the opportunity
for cheating or plagiarizing more appealing to students
(Rogerson & McCarthy, 2017). Often these types of sources
lead to plagiarizing and high similarity scores when papers are
submitted to plagiarism prevention software such as Turnitin
(Price, 2014). The best practice is for students to comprehend
fully what scholarly writing involves and work to master the
skill of writing scholarly papers, including accurately
paraphrasing and avoiding plagiarism of material (Hunker et al.,
2014). Avoiding plagiarism begins with understanding what it
is, the consequences of the offense, and how it impacts the
nursing profession.
Online Learning Platforms
As
technology
continues to advance and shape the future, it is evident that
education will be affected along with it.
Online learning
has become commonplace, and its development continues to
grow exponentially as the demand for flexible higher education
choices continues to flourish. With that in mind, students must

17. be mindful of the risks that online education delivers. Access to
a large variety of sources through the Internet makes plagiarism
and unethical academic practices easier than ever before. While
acts of intentional plagiarism are less frequent, it is not
uncommon for students to attain work from each other and even
opt to purchase papers from sources providing such services.
While the thought is reprehensible to some, the prospect of
passing courses and getting through what may be considered an
obligatory degree may prompt these behaviors. These acts are
not only dishonest, but also a direct reflection of personal
morality and the overall integrity of the nursing profession
(Ganske, 2010).
Plagiarism Prevention Software
As universities acclimate to the growing trends seen in
education, there has been an influx of the use of plagiarism
prevention software, such as Turnitin. These programs aim to
reduce the incidences of plagiarism by comparing material
submitted to existing works to catch gross negligence before
students submit their assignments. While these types of
programs are helpful to avoid large errors, they are not to be
used in place of individual edits and review. These platforms
are notorious for their inability to identify basic synonym
replacements, as well as an inability to determine the use of an
online paraphrasing tool within the work, both of which can
constitute plagiarism (Rogerson & McCarthy, 2017). Students
should understand that there are limitations to technology and
review their work and have it peer reviewed for clarity and
errors that can be edited before final submission.
Nurses are members of a profession in which being an expert is
essential to providing thorough care (Glasper, 2016). Plagiarism
and/or inappropriate use of paraphrasing may indicate a lack of
understanding of the material, suggesting that the student may
not fully grasp the concepts presented (Eberle, 2013). This, in

18. turn, could lead to a population of nurses who may have
achieved a baccalaureate degree without fully appreciating or
applying the knowledge they worked so hard to attain. Also, the
inability to thoroughly evaluate and understand presented
concepts may lead to an inability to appreciate latest EBP and
its implications for nursing practice.
EBP: Implications for Nursing Practice
EBP uses the latest evidence to drive change to patient care
policies and procedures to optimize patient outcomes (Brower &
Nemec, 2017). A proper understanding of EBP and its influence
is critical for nurses to make decisions that fully impact patient
care; therefore, it is evident that scholarly writing influences
the nursing profession.
EBP is the driving force behind many practice revisions and
updates in nursing (Stevens, 2013). From the time nursing
students begin their education, the concept of EBP and its vital
necessity in nursing practice is reiterated time and again. EBP
drives nurses to increase their critical-thinking skills, observing
and processing information as they practice and brainstorming
ideas to make improvements. EBP takes nurses from being task-
oriented to being educated problem solvers who use the
scientific process to make relevant changes that impact their
patients’ care and outcomes (Brower & Nemec, 2017). A report
from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) (Olsen, Aisner, &
McGinnis, 2009) stated that, “by 2020, 90 percent of clinical
decisions will be supported by accurate, timely, and up-to-date
clinical information and will reflect the best available

19. evidence,” (p. 9). Following the IOM recommendations, most
facilities base their patient care protocols on EBP to render
optimal patient care outcomes. EBP is essential to nursing
practice and is at the forefront of improving patient care.
Quality Improvements and Patient Outcomes
EBP is the foundation on which quality improvements are made,
thus directly impacting patient outcomes. Experienced nurses
can see these changes regularly occurring in their daily practice.
EBP has the power not only to increase positive patient
outcomes, but it also gives nurses a voice and the ability to help
create sustainable changes in nursing. The ability to understand
EBP’s importance and how its integration impacts nursing is an
element of critical thinking that can be attained by learning to
construct scholarly papers and being able to glean and apply
knowledge presented throughout the baccalaureate program. The
correlation and impact of these elements and what they mean for
nursing cannot be overlooked. These skills are the foundation
for fully appreciating knowledge gained in higher education
(Stevens, 2013).
Application of Evidence in Nursing Practice
After evaluating evidence, it became apparent that making small
changes for ventilated patients decreased their overall rates of
acquiring pneumonia. A ventilator acquired pneumonia (VAP)
prevention protocol was created and implemented that included
small practice changes such as maintaining the patient’s head of
the bed at 30 degrees at all times, administering a chlorhexidine
mouthwash twice a day, and administering a peptic ulcer
prophylactic medication daily. These implementations led to a
remarkable decrease in the occurrence of VAP, thus markedly

20. improving patients’ overall outcomes (DeJuilio, Rivera, &
Huml, 2012).
Leadership
Leadership is a defining factor in nursing. Nurses assume the
responsibilities of a leader in day-to-day practice regardless of
formal role. Nurses lead by delegating tasks to other members
of the health care team, as well as managing their patients
overall care throughout a given shift. Effective leadership is
rooted in ethical behavior; therefore, the element of academic
integrity is a stepping stone to becoming an effective nurse
leader. Hallmarks of nursing, including honesty, integrity,
morality, and professionalism, are all traits of leaders as well.
Nurses also have the continued opportunity for growth and
career advancement into formal leadership roles such as nurse
managers and supervisors. It is essential that nurses consider
their ethical behavior and use it as a framework for their
developing career as a nurse (Morgan & Hart, 2013). Doing so
contributes to personal growth as well as the development of
professionalism in nursing.
Reflective Summary
Scholarly writing is not just another hurdle to get through
during the education process. Scholarly writing plays a
significant role in the learning process and the overall
comprehension of knowledge and has a direct effect on the
nursing profession. The development of necessary skills,
including formatting, are necessary to become a more proficient
writer and effective communicator. Essential in this process is
the understanding of plagiarism and cheating and its direct
impact on the professional integrity of the nursing profession.

21. Given the proper guidance and tools, students can overcome
these academic challenges and become effective writers who
succeed in advancing their professional goals.
Key Terms
Academic Dishonesty:
The use of unauthorized assistance to complete assignments or
deceive faculty and colleagues to pass a course or complete a
program of study.
Academic Integrity
: The upholding of moral and ethical values, such as honesty
and integrity, when completing assigned academic work.
Citation:
Method of attribution writers use to identify the source of
information being used in their own work.
Database:
A large collection of data organized especially for rapid search
and retrieval.
Ethical:
Concepts and beliefs regarding right, good, law-abiding,
honest, and respectable behaviors; regarding moral values.
Evidence-Based Practice (EBP):
The integration of clinical expertise, the most up-to-date
research, and patient’s preferences to formulate and implement
best practices for patient care.
Integrity:
The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles;
moral uprightness.

22. Literature Review:
Evaluative report of scholarly articles that support the primary
subject of the work being written.
Nursing Research:
A detailed systematic study of a problem in the field of
nursing. Nursing research is practice- or discipline-oriented and
is essential for the continued development of the scientific base
of professional nursing practice.
Online Learning:
Formalized teaching method using technological platforms to
deliver content to students.
Paraphrasing:
To express content written by another writer using different
words, especially to achieve greater clarity.
Peer-Reviewed Articles:
Research studies that have been evaluated by experts in the
field prior to publication.
Plagiarism:
The practice of taking someone else's work or ideas and
passing them off as one's own.
Professionalism:
The competence, skills, and exhibited behavior of a set of
trained workers (e.g., nurses, doctors, engineers).
References:
Crediting scholarly sources within written work and within the
reference section or bibliography of a scholarly paper.
Scholarly Writing:
The process of writing based on careful thought, research, and

23. applying learned concepts.
Summarize:
To give a brief statement of the main points of something.
Technology:
Methods, systems, and devices that are the result of scientific
knowledge being used for practical purposes.
References
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