Critical Appraisal of Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) Training for Graduate Student Nurses: Exemplar of a CPG for the Management of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Background: Clinical practice guidelines serve as a framework for clinical decisions supporting best practices to optimize patient care. Critical appraisal of a clinical practice guideline is an important clinical skill for advanced practice nurses and other advanced healthcare professionals. Hence, advanced practice nursing students should receive appraisal training of clinical practice guidelines to develop their critical skills in determining their quality and potential incorporation into evidence-based clinical practice. Objective: This paper describes the incorporation of a critical appraisal of a clinical practice guideline in a graduate nursing program for advanced nursing practice. As an exemplar of the appraisal process, the clinical practice guideline from the United States (US) Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense (VA/DoD) on the management of post-traumatic stress disorder and acute stress disorder was critically appraised. Methodology: Students enrolled in a graduate nursing course were formed into groups of 3-4, and selected a clinical practice guideline according to their specialty. A group of four students enrolled in the Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program critically appraised the VA/DoD clinical practice related to the management of posttraumatic stress disorder and acute stress disorder using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II Instrument. Students’ performance and feedback were evaluated. Results: The students viewed the course activity positively and appreciated learning the CPG appraisal process and its use in practice. The VA/DoD clinical practice guideline was deemed of high quality and user-friendly for practitioners’ use in clinical decision-making despite minor limitations. Conclusion and recommendations: Incorporation of clinical practice guideline assessment using the AGREE II Instrument in the advanced practice nursing curriculum should be considered. Participating graduate students considered the skill needed for their future advanced practice. Regular updates of clinical practice guidelines and their appraisals are also recommended.