Literature Searching for Practice Research

In 2007, the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists endorsed the doctor of nurse anesthesia practice (DNAP) for entry into the profession by the year 2025. More and more Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) and graduate students are completing or will be required to complete a doctor of nursing practice (DNP) or DNAP project as the final scholarly work culminating in their advanced degrees. Although DNP/DNAP projects may take various forms depending on the academic institution, in most instances, the need to conduct a literature review is a key step in the process. Partnering with academic or hospital librarians in searching the literature is beneficial because of their expertise in information science and time-saving abilities. For CRNA professionals and students who may not be able to work directly with a librarian, this article aims to provide useful strategies for thoroughly searching relevant literature in support of a high-quality DNP/DNAP project and research that a practicing CRNA may conduct.