Advocate Health Care and Aurora Health Care Student Projects/ Nursing Research

Are you unsure if your project is Evidence-Based Practice (EBP), Quality Improvement (QI), or Research?

Review the QI vs EBP vs Research Decision tool [PDF]

To clarify, we highly recommend reviewing the article: Dufour, K. M., Strait, L. A., Beckett, C., & Gallagher-Ford, L. (2024). Practice and process improvement: An integrated evidence-based quality model. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing, 21(4), 342–344.  Please pay specific attention to Figure 1 (on page 2), which provides a clear visual guide to differentiate practice gaps, process gaps, and research opportunities. This figure will help you identify the appropriate methodology for your project—whether it involves implementing evidence-based practice, improving processes (quality improvement), or addressing gaps through research.

Project Examples

Study information topics include but are not limited to:

• Implementation of a tool that has been validated or an evidence-based practice change and doing a de-identified chart review pre- and post-implementation to see if it improves outcomes
• Testing an algorithm using de-identified data
• Providing a survey to employees or patients
• Develop and provide education to nursing staff or patients
• Any supplemental documents must be attached (e.g., surveys, tools, abstracts, etc.)

Project Checklist

RN to BSN, MSN, and DNP project instructions

If you have an RN to BSN, MSN, or DNP project, the documents below should be reviewed and completed prior to starting your project.

Please read the documents below in their entirety.

• Project Checklist
• eIRB and myClinicalExchange Instructions

eIRB (guide) interactive course

1. Select a review type
2. Select the Non-Human subject research course. Follow the step-by-step instructions when submitting the application

The school must enter your request at least 3 weeks before the project start date.  A student project placement requires an official Determination memo before the placement may be cleared to start. An application must be completed on the eIRB platform. You must request access to the platform first. 

Protected health information may not be taken off Advocate Health premises

The Advocate Health determination memo must be:

• Submitted via email (ASC-ClinicalAffiliations@aah.org) in Wisconsin or
• Uploaded to myClinicalExchange in Illinois.

For the use of PHI or access to medical charts for auditing purposes, both a research affiliation agreement and a data user agreement must be explicitly in place between Advocate Health and the academic institution.

RN to BSN information: The preceptor must be in a non-clinical role and hold at least a BSN degree in Nursing. The preceptor cannot be in a patient-facing role.

Employees cannot use their employee Epic account when implementing a project as a student.

eIRB

Learn more about HSR