Three documents about cold therapy after knee replacement are sorted by evidence type and level, then summed up in one sentence, in the evidence basics exercise NU300 sets around Unit 7. Searches like "nu 300 unit 7 assignment example", "nu300 unit 7 sample" and "nu300 unit 7 example" land here.
Evidence Basics Worksheet: Does a Motorized Cold Device Beat Ice After Knee Replacement?
[Student Name]
Purdue University Global
NU300: Professional Leadership Transitions
Unit 7 Assignment
[Instructor Name]
[Date]
Composite unit written as a model document. The single trial is shown as a bracketed placeholder for the one the student retrieves.
Practice Question
Population: adults after total knee replacement. Intervention: a motorized cold therapy device. Comparison: ice packs. Outcome: pain and blood loss. Question: For adults after total knee replacement, does a motorized cold device reduce pain or blood loss more than ice packs?
Search Box
Database: CINAHL Complete. Subject headings: Cryotherapy; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee. Keywords: "cold therapy," "cryotherapy," "cold compression," "knee replacement," "knee arthroplasty." Combined with AND between concepts and OR within them. Results before limits: [number]. Limits: English, 2010 to present, peer reviewed. Results after limits: [number].
Evidence Table
Document 1: Adie et al. (2012), Cochrane systematic review of cryotherapy after total knee replacement. Type: secondary research, a systematic review with meta-analysis. Level: I, the top of a seven-level hierarchy (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2023). What it can support: the authors found possible small benefits for blood loss and pain in the first days, rated the evidence as low or very low quality, and judged that the benefits might be too small to justify routine use (Adie et al., 2012).
Document 2: [author, year], a single randomized trial comparing a motorized cold device with ice packs. Type: primary research. Level: II. What it can support: a result in one population and setting, informative but not decisive on its own.
Document 3: the device manufacturer's product brochure. Type: not research. Level: none. What it can support: nothing about effectiveness. A product claim is written to sell, not to test, so it cannot rank on an evidence hierarchy no matter how confident it sounds.
Bottom Line
Current evidence does not show that a motorized cold device reduces pain or blood loss more than ice packs after knee replacement, though patient comfort and ease of use are legitimate reasons some patients may prefer it.
What This Means for the Unit
The unit applies motorized devices to every patient, which may reflect habit more than evidence. The worksheet does not argue for removing them. It argues that the choice between a device and ice could be made with the patient, based on comfort and cost, rather than by default. A next step would be to ask the unit's practice council whether the question deserves a formal review. That review would look for newer trials, check the unit's own data on pain scores and dressing changes, and weigh the cost of the devices against ice.
References
Adie, S., Kwan, A., Naylor, J. M., Harris, I. A., & Mittal, R. (2012). Cryotherapy following total knee replacement. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2012(9), CD007911. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD007911.pub2
Melnyk, B. M., & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2023). Evidence-based practice in nursing and healthcare: A guide to best practice (5th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.
How this NU300 Unit 7 example is structured
Built as an exercise rather than a paper, the worksheet shows its reasoning in boxes a reader can check quickly. The question is written first, in a structured form naming population, intervention, comparison and outcome, because the search terms come from it. The search box follows so the retrieval can be repeated. The systematic review sits at the top of the hierarchy and is classified as secondary research; its authors rated the evidence low or very low and judged the benefits possibly too small to justify routine use. The single trial is primary research at a lower level, informative but not decisive alone. The brochure is classified as not research, and the worksheet explains why a product claim cannot rank. The bottom line states that current evidence does not show the motorized device outperforming ice, while naming patient comfort as a legitimate factor.
Get an NU300 Unit 7 example written to your instructions
Bring a practice question from your unit, even loosely worded, plus the Unit 7 worksheet or instructions and the rubric. The exercise returns with the question structured, the search recorded and each source classified by type and level, in 24-48h. Nothing is charged for the first one you request. The paper above is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Purdue University Global document.
NU300 Unit 7 questions, answered
Which evidence hierarchy should I use?
The one in your course materials. Many nursing programs use a seven-level pyramid with systematic reviews at the top and expert opinion at the base, while others use a five-level model. Name the hierarchy, cite it, and apply it consistently. The classification matters more than which model you choose, as long as your instructor recognizes it.
Can I choose a practice question from my own unit?
Usually yes, and questions from real practice tend to produce better worksheets because the stakes are clear. Keep the question tight enough for a manageable search: one population, one intervention, one comparison, one or two outcomes. Avoid questions whose answer depends on a local policy rather than on research, since the exercise is about locating and classifying published evidence.
What if my search finds no systematic review?
Report that honestly and classify what you did find. Many nursing questions have no review yet, and a worksheet showing a careful search with trials and qualitative studies at lower levels demonstrates the skill just as well. State in the bottom line that the evidence base is limited, and what kind of study would strengthen it.