D219 Scholarship in Nursing Practice is Western Governors University's evidence-based practice course in the B.S. Nursing (RN to BSN), worth three competency units.
The program guide describes it as teaching students how to design and conduct research that answers important questions about improving nursing practice and patient care outcomes. It introduces the basics of evidence-based practice (EBP), which students are expected to use throughout their clinical experience.
Students who have worked for years often know what their unit does without knowing why. D219 asks for that "why": what the evidence says, how strong it is, and whether a familiar routine is actually supported by research.
Course at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| University | Western Governors University (WGU) |
| Course code | D219 |
| Program | B.S. Nursing (RN to BSN) |
| Competency units | 3 |
| Subject area | Nursing research and evidence-based practice |
| Typical work | Literature searches and reviews, evidence appraisal, research ethics analysis |
What D219 Covers
| Competency (summarized) | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Differentiate QI, EBP and research | Knowing which process fits which question |
| Know the literature review process | Searching databases, screening and summarizing studies |
| Understand research ethics | Human subjects' protection, informed consent, patient and family values |
| Separate evidence-based standards from convention | Spotting practices kept by habit rather than evidence |
| Describe data collection, analysis and implementation | How evidence moves into practice with an interprofessional team |
Key Concepts Explained
Research, EBP and Quality Improvement
These three are often confused, and the first competency asks you to tell them apart:
- Research generates new, generalizable knowledge through a formal study, usually with ethics board review.
- Evidence-based practice finds and applies the best existing evidence, combined with clinical expertise and patient preferences.
- Quality improvement improves a local process, often in rapid cycles such as Plan-Do-Study-Act.
Example: A unit wants fewer catheter-associated urinary tract infections. Testing a new catheter in a randomized trial is research. Reviewing published studies on nurse-led removal protocols and adopting one is EBP. Auditing monthly catheter days after the change and adjusting the reminder system is QI.
Framing a Clinical Question
A PICO(T) question (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Time) turns a vague concern into something you can search. It also gives you search terms for databases such as CINAHL and PubMed.
Example: "In adult post-operative patients (P), does hourly rounding (I) compared with usual care (C) reduce falls (O) during the hospital stay (T)?" Search terms then follow from each element: post-operative, hourly rounding, falls.
Practice by Convention
Some routines persist because "we have always done it this way". Showing the difference between convention and evidence-based standards is a competency in its own right, and a good source of paper topics.
Typical Assignments and How to Approach Them
| Task type | What it tests | How to approach it |
|---|---|---|
| Literature review | Search and synthesis | Record your search, then group findings by theme |
| Evidence appraisal | Judging quality | Note design, sample and limitations of each study |
| Ethics analysis | Human subjects' protection | Address consent, risk and patient values |
| Practice comparison | EBP versus convention | Contrast a local habit with current guidance |
Judging the Strength of Evidence
Not all studies carry equal weight. Nursing courses usually teach an evidence hierarchy, with systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials near the top, followed by single trials, cohort and case-control studies, descriptive studies and finally expert opinion.
Several published hierarchies exist; use the one your course resources name.
| Design | Strength | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Systematic review | Pools many studies | Quality of included studies |
| Randomized trial | Tests cause and effect | Sample size, blinding |
| Cohort study | Follows groups over time | Confounding factors |
| Qualitative study | Explores experience | Not designed to generalize |
Strength is not everything. A qualitative study may be the best evidence for a question about how patients experience care, and a well-run cohort study can outrank a small, flawed trial. Say why each source suits your question, not just where it sits on the hierarchy.
Where Students Get Stuck
- Summarizing instead of synthesizing. A review compares studies; it is not a list of abstracts.
- Weak sources. Use peer-reviewed research and current guidelines, not general websites.
- Outdated evidence. Check your task for a date range; many nursing tasks expect recent studies.
- Thin ethics discussion. Go beyond "consent was obtained" to who could be harmed and how they were protected.
Study Tips for D219
- Learn your library's CINAHL search tools early: subject headings, Boolean operators and limits.
- Keep an evidence table (author, year, design, sample, findings, limits) as you read.
- Write one sentence per study on how it answers your question.
- Save every reference in APA format as you go; fixing citations at the end takes far longer.
How We Help with D219
Send your task instructions, clinical question and any articles you have found. A nursing research tutor helps refine your PICO(T) question, explains study designs and evidence levels, and reviews your draft for synthesis, structure and APA style. See our evidence-based practice guide for a fuller walk-through.
GradeEssays is independent of Western Governors University. We teach the method and give feedback; you carry out and submit your own work under WGU's academic integrity policy.
Make Sense of the Evidence for D219
Share your task and draft. A nursing research tutor explains appraisal and gives feedback on structure and APA style.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Three, in WGU's B.S. Nursing (RN to BSN) program guide.
Research creates new knowledge through formal study. EBP applies the best existing evidence alongside clinical expertise and patient preferences.
CINAHL and PubMed are standard for nursing evidence. Use whichever your WGU library resources recommend.
The course covers how research is designed and conducted; follow your task instructions for what you actually produce.
Start with a real problem on your unit and turn it into a PICO(T) question you can search.
We can show you how to search and appraise. Selecting and using sources in your submission remains your work.