• To appreciate the value of nurses scoping the literature on a chosen subject
• To become familiar with the main steps involved in undertaking a scoping review
• To understand what types of evidence can be included in a scoping review
Rationale and key points
Scoping reviews have become a popular approach for exploring what literature has been published on a particular field of interest. They can enable nurses to gain an overview of the contemporary evidence base relating to a practice area, treatment or specific patient demographic, for example. This article provides a concise guide for nurses planning to undertake a scoping review, explaining the various steps involved.
• Scoping reviews are classified as ‘big picture’ reviews used for knowledge synthesis, and their primary objective is to identify, review and clarify the breadth and nature of the evidence.
• A well-structured scoping review can be useful for determining the emerging evidence on a subject and may act as a useful precursor to a systematic review.
• Undertaking a scoping review involves identifying a focus, selecting the pertinent evidence, synthesising that evidence and reporting the findings.
Reflective activity
‘How to’ articles can help to update your practice and ensure it remains evidence-based. Apply this article to your practice. Reflect on and write a short account of:
• How this article might improve your practice when undertaking a scoping review.
• How you could use this information to educate nursing students and colleagues on the appropriate techniques and evidence base required for scoping the literature.
Nursing Standard. 39, 7, 46-49. doi: 10.7748/ns.2024.e12348
Peer reviewThis article has been subject to external double-blind peer review and checked for plagiarism using automated software
Correspondence Conflict of interestNone declared
Harley J (2024) How to undertake a scoping review. Nursing Standard. doi: 10.7748/ns.2024.e12348
Published online: 07 May 2024
or
Alternatively, you can purchase access to this article for the next seven days. Buy now
Are you a student? Our student subscription has content especially for you.
Find out more