Evidence-Based Practice and Prescription Drug Study Analysis Report

This report provides a detailed analysis of research studies concerning the use of prescription drugs to enhance academic performance and the application of evidence-based practice (EBP) in healthcare. The assessment begins by evaluating the qualifications of the researchers and investigating potential conflicts of interest within the studies. It explores the research questions, design, and findings of two journal articles, focusing on the motivations behind drug use, the impact on students' lives, and the side effects. The studies employed qualitative research methods, collecting data through interviews and questionnaires to understand the experiences of students. The second part of the report examines the challenges of implementing EBP, including factors like education level, resource availability, and time constraints. It evaluates the alignment of the research findings with PICO questions, considering demographic factors and measurable outcomes. The report concludes by summarizing the key findings and discussing the implications of the research for healthcare professionals and students. The studies highlight the importance of understanding the complexities of drug use and the need for effective application of evidence-based practices in clinical settings.

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Introduction
This paper analyzes the scenario provided in the paper and investigates evidence
based practice. The paper analyzes the authenticity of the paper and the qualifications
of the author. The paper also analyzes and investigates the information presented in
the case studies to help determine how true or real it is so as to aid the student in
making a decision and conclusion concerning the smart drugs being used by the other
students (Houser & Oman, 2011). The paper uses the two journal articles to
investigate the use of prescription drugs to enhance academic performance among
University students (Bick, Graham & Sigma Theta Tau International, 2010).
The assessment analyzes the potential of there being a conflict of interest on the
person who is writing the article. This is important in helping to determine whether
the author was influenced by their personal interest while writing the article. The
paper identifies the strengths and weaknesses of each of the journals used in this
research study.
Judgment on the qualification of the researcher
The authors of the article are experienced and highly qualified. From the analysis of
the article written by Hildt, Lieb, Franke, the article has a good introduction of the
topic being researched and the objectives and aims of the study are clearly stated. The
authors of the paper are also highly qualified and experienced since the research
methods used are objective and specific and have helped the authors to collect and
analyze data on the subject appropriately. The article by Munro,Weyandat, Marracci
& Oster (2017) is also of high quality and the authors are experienced. The researcher
tries to conduct research on the subject by collecting data through various primary
data collection techniques such as questionnaires and interviews. The research is
timely and objective and the results from the study are able to give conclusions about
the subject matter being investigated.

B. Investigation of conflict of interest on the part of the author
An investigation of the article by Hildt, Lieb and Frank, (2014) indicates that there is
no conflict of interest on the part of any of the authors regarding the subject of the
stimulants increasing academic performance among University students. Both of the
writers are reputed academicians with valuable experience in this field of study and
there is no evidence to prove that there may have been any conflict of interest on the
part of any of the authors. This is the same case for the article by Munro, Weyandat,
Marraci and Oster (2017). An investigation of the journal paper reveals that there is
no conflict of interest between any of the authors concerning the study subject. All the
authors of the articles are professional and independent and the findings of the
research are based on the data collected by the authors and not their own opinions.
Research aims
A.
The research questions in the first article include:
Why do students and other people use stimulants in academic context?
What are the effects users’ experiences after using the drugs?
Does the use of stimulants in academic context provide an advantage to the students
using the stimulants?
How does the use of stimulants impact on the lives of students?
What are the side effects of the experience?
The following are the research questions for the second article:
Why do students and other people use prescription drugs for non-medical reasons?
Does the use of prescription stimulants improve academic performance of students?
What impact do the prescription stimulants have on the users` lives?
What side-effects do the stimulants have on the non-prescribed users?
B.

The study on the life context of pharmacological academic performance enhancement
among university students has been increasing among the population of university
students globally. The increase in the use of the drugs has been enhanced by the belief
that the drugs have a positive impact on the academic grades of the students. The
students have been convinced that the drugs do not have side effects on the users and
they do not have an addictive effect. This therefore makes it important to establish the
reasons that motivate the students to use this drugs and the effects that these drugs
have in their lives and if or not they help to improve academic performance among
the users.
3.Design
Both the journal articles used in this assessment used qualitative research method. The
studies were conducted using the qualitative research technique since the data
resulting from the study is descriptive in nature and therefore it is easy to make
comparisons with past data collected. The data for both studies was collected through
interviews and questionnaire. The research depended on primary sources of data
(Raines, 2008). The data analysis method used in the first study is the transcription of
the interviews by a person not involved in the interview procedure. The inductive
category development was used and the data was collected and categorized.
The methodology and methods used for both studies were appropriate for this study
since the study is descriptive in nature. This is important because, the nature of the
data collected and the questions asked in the research study requires descriptive
answers which cannot be put numerically (Raab& Craig, 2016). The methods used in
this study are significant since they have the researchers to collect and analyze the
right kind of data used to draw conclusions on this research.
The research for the first article used students as the participants for the study. The
researchers posted placards on public bulletin boards on the University of Mainz
campus requesting students who used prescription drugs to contact them individually
through email (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2011). The second article used 308
respondents from different colleges located in different regions in the United States.
4.Findings

In the first research, among 18 participants, 77.8% indicated that they had used illicit
stimulants (AMPH) and 38.9% (n=8) prescription stimulants (MPH). 22.2 % (n=4) of
the respondents had used both prescription and illicit stimulants to boast academic
performance.
The second study establishes that the use of the drugs slightly enhanced executive and
academic performance. The study also found that the use of prescription drugs has
side effects and they may result to addiction when used over a long period of time.
PART B
a.Evidence based practice is a process by which scientifically based research evidence
is applied in daily clinical practice. Professionals in the medical practice such as
occupational therapists and physiotherapists are required to work in line with EBP so
as to optimize the use of resources in the health care sector. There are very many
challenges that face the implementation of evidence based practice. These factors
include:
Level of education: The education level of the clinical practitioner influences the
application of EBP in health care. Different medical officers have different levels of
training and education on the profession. The quality and level of training will
influence their ability to apply the evidence when delivering patient care. It is
important for the person administering health care to study the past literature written
on the subject and therefore understand the gaps and achievements in the existing
knowledge on this subject. After reviewing literature the clinician is able to practice
EBP in an effective and informed manner. Implementation of the EPB also highly
depends on nursing practice guidelines. The policies on the application of EBP in a
particular hospital affect how the clinicians are able to influence and to apply the EBP
in providing health care services. Resource availability has a very huge influence on
the application of EBP in clinical practice. The scientific evidence application in
providing health care requires adequate resources such as technology and human
resource (Schmidt & Brown, 2012). The availability of these resources will therefore
determine whether or not the evidence based practice can be applied effectively. The

application of evidence based practice also depends on time. To apply the procedures
that have been established over time through scientific research requires time to
implement and to understand how they work. After understanding the application of
the evidence, the clinicians can then be able to apply the methods described in EBP
effectively.
The research studies analyzed in this assessment have provided an insight into the
evidence based practice. The studies are in line with PICO questions in various ways.
The researches have put into consideration the demographic factors when analyzing
the use of prescription drugs to enhance their academic performance. The researcher
put into consideration the age of the participants, gender, their social background, and
ethnicity. This is in line with the first PACO element which indicates that patients are
part of a population and hence evidence should be analyzed to identify the
relationship between this patient’s condition and those experienced in the past.
The researches also recognize that a comparison is not always feasible. This is
because, different patients have their unique factors and influences that may affect
them and not affect other patients. This therefore means that it would not be wise to
compare the evidence collected on that particular patient with the evidence on other
patients collected in the past.
The outcomes of both studies are measurable and are based on evidence. The
participants involved in the study were required to provide answers which were then
latter analyzed and based on percentages. The average use of stimulants among the
students chosen for the study is was also determined in the analysis of the outcomes
of the studies. Measurements of outcomes helps to make conclusions based on the
data collected which is the evidence of the study.
The studies analyzed in this assessment are also in line with PACO elements since the
outcomes of the research studies measures the quality of life of the participants and
the effects that the use of these drugs have on the academic performance of the
participants (Hall & Roussel, 2017).The outcomes of these studies does not use the
laboratory test results to determine the outcomes but the evidence is based on
qualitative data collected from the study.

Conclusion
This assessment evaluates and analyzes the studies conducted on the use of
prescription drugs by students and other users. The studies use qualitative research
methods to analyze and investigate how the use of these drugs affects the performance
of the students and what effect they have on their lives. The paper also analyzes the
outcomes of the research studies. The next section of the paper evaluates the research
aims and objectives of this paper with the research questions and the justification
being the main subject of focus. The research methodology and methods used in the
study are also discussed. The justification of the methods used in the study and the
discussion of the findings and results of the study are also discussed. The second part
of the essay discusses the barriers for the application of evidence in practice and
evaluates the relationship between the research findings and the PICO to determine
their level of alignment.

References
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