Criterion

Question

1

Summary of the Type of Study:

Huang et al. (2023) carried out a cross-sectional observational study of 429 symptomatic women. The objective of the study was to examine the prevalence and empirical treatment of vaginal infections. Based on the pyramid of evidence hierarchy, the study is of Level III evidence, since it is a well-designed non-experimental study with data correlation rather than randomized intervention trials as the primary research question. The scholarly article anatomy of the methodology, such as the employment of PCR and culture-based diagnostics, gives credibility to the findings and reinforces nursing evidence-based decision models.

2

Credibility of Article:

The article has high evidence credibility as it is published by a peer-reviewed journal, namely Microbiology Spectrum, which is published by the American Society of Microbiology. The credibility factors checklist is fulfilled with the help of:

·         A big sample size (n=429) that was statistically significant.

·         Use approved diagnostic methods (multiplex PCR, vaginal cultures).

·         Open authoring and ORCID, which makes scholarship responsible.

·         The application of logistic regression analysis makes it reliable as confounding variables are minimized.

· These factors render the article a reliable source of nursing research, diagnosis, and clinical decision-making evidence.

3

Importance of Content:

The research article notes that 55.2 percent of empiric management of vaginitis was unsuitable, and the protocols of medication prescription should be evidence-based. It also determines the risk factors such as multiple sexual partners and unprotected intercourse, which are directly linked to the cases of Sentinel U diagnosis application, such as a patient, Jordan Whitman. The results support the significance of proper research on nursing diagnosis, education of patients on safe sexual behavior, and advanced laboratory-based decision-making in clinical practice.

4

Ability to Apply Content to the Workplace:

The results can be applied to populations of adolescents and young adults worldwide, not in Taiwan so that they can be used in primary care and school-based clinics. Nurses will be able to use the results in:

·         Promote pre-treatment laboratory-verified testing.

· Enhance evidence-based clinical decision-making models.

·         Decrease the abuse of antibiotics in sexual health issues.

·         Enhance patient outcomes using systematic nursing assessment and individualized teaching.

·         The study provides evidence-based practical knowledge that is compliant with nursing best practices, which supports the EBP article selection guide to be used by professionals in clinical practices.