Academic Writing

    How to Write a Systematic Literature Review for Nursing Research

    December 5, 2025

    The Systematic Literature Review: Foundation of Evidence-Based Nursing

    A systematic literature review (SLR) is a rigorous, reproducible method for identifying, evaluating, and synthesizing all relevant research on a specific clinical question. Unlike narrative reviews, SLRs follow explicit protocols that minimize bias and maximize comprehensiveness.

    Why Systematic Reviews Matter in Nursing

    Systematic reviews sit at the top of the evidence hierarchy. They inform clinical guidelines, policy decisions, and nursing practice standards. For nursing scholars, mastering the SLR process is essential for:

  1. Dissertation literature review chapters
  2. Stand-alone publishable reviews
  3. Evidence synthesis for EBP projects
  4. Grant applications requiring evidence summaries

    5. The PRISMA Framework

    The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) provides a 27-item checklist and four-phase flow diagram that structures your review process. Following PRISMA ensures your review meets journal publication standards.

    The Four PRISMA Phases:

    1. Identification

    Conduct comprehensive searches across multiple databases. For nursing research, essential databases include:

  5. CINAHL Complete: The primary nursing and allied health database
  6. PubMed/MEDLINE: Biomedical literature with MeSH indexing
  7. Cochrane Library: Gold standard for systematic reviews
  8. PsycINFO: Essential for mental health and behavioral topics
  9. Web of Science: Citation tracking and impact analysis

    10. Develop your search strategy using controlled vocabulary (MeSH terms in PubMed, CINAHL Headings) combined with keyword searching. For detailed guidance on search optimization, see our Advanced Nursing Keywords guide.

    2. Screening

    Apply inclusion and exclusion criteria systematically:

  10. Define eligible study designs (RCTs only? Include quasi-experimental?)
  11. Set population parameters (age, clinical setting, diagnosis)
  12. Establish date range and language restrictions
  13. Use two independent reviewers to reduce screening bias

    14. 3. Eligibility

    Full-text review of remaining articles:

  14. Assess each article against your complete inclusion criteria
  15. Document reasons for exclusion at this stage
  16. Resolve disagreements between reviewers through discussion or a third reviewer

    17. 4. Inclusion

    Final articles included in your synthesis:

  17. Extract data systematically using a standardized form
  18. Assess quality/risk of bias using validated tools (JBI, CASP, Cochrane RoB)
  19. Synthesize findings narratively or, if appropriate, through meta-analysis

    20. Critical Appraisal Tools for Nursing Research

    Select your appraisal tool based on study design:

  20. JBI Critical Appraisal Tools: Comprehensive suite covering 13 study designs
  21. CASP Checklists: Widely used, available for multiple designs
  22. Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool (RoB 2): Specifically for randomized trials
  23. Newcastle-Ottawa Scale: For observational studies

    24. Writing Your Literature Review Chapter

    Structure for a Dissertation:

  24. Introduction: State the purpose and clinical significance
  25. Methods: Describe your search strategy, databases, inclusion/exclusion criteria
  26. Results: Present the PRISMA flow diagram, study characteristics table, and synthesis
  27. Discussion: Interpret findings, identify gaps, and justify your study
  28. Conclusion: Summarize the state of evidence and implications for practice

    29. Tips for Scholarly Writing:

  29. Use a synthesis matrix to organize themes across studies
  30. Present findings thematically rather than study-by-study
  31. Identify and explicitly address gaps in the literature
  32. Connect your synthesis back to your theoretical framework

    33. From Review to Publication

    A well-conducted systematic review is highly publishable. Top nursing journals for systematic reviews include:

  33. *Journal of Advanced Nursing*
  34. *Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing*
  35. *International Journal of Nursing Studies*
  36. *Nursing Research*

    37. For publication strategy guidance, explore our Publication Strategies resource. Our Evidence Synthesis services provide expert support for PRISMA-guided reviews at every stage.

    Tools to Streamline Your Review

  37. Covidence: Purpose-built for systematic review management
  38. Rayyan: Free, AI-assisted screening tool
  39. Zotero: Reference management (see our [Zotero Plugins guide](/blog/zotero-plugins-nursing-researchers))
  40. RevMan: Cochrane's review authoring tool

    41. Ready to start your systematic review? Our evidence synthesis mentors can guide you from protocol development to publication.