La revisione narrativa della letteratura: aspetti metodologici

The narrative review of the literature is a methodology widely used in nursing to provide an overview of a given topic. With the aim of clarifying the nature of narrative reviews and their main methodological steps in planning, conducting, and publishing them, the scientific knowledge available on PubMed and CINHAL, the opinion of three Journal Editors and the experience of Italian and non-Italian researchers, were collected and summarized. Narrative reviews reflect a method, which pursues specific goals in the methodological landscape of possible reviews. While applying a less rigorous approach than that necessary to conduct systematic reviews, they do not reflect a simple alternative to them, but pursue specific aims with their own methods. Narrative reviews are useful where systematic reviews are not available (or possible); when there is a need to summarise evidence available on discussed and articulated issues; and also as a ‘precursor’ of systematic reviews. Narrative reviews are methodologically complex to conduct because there are no specific indications for their development; they are equally complex from the point of view of the summary of the findings because they require critical skills and expertise. They can be an excellent resource for study both for teachers and for students, as well as for professionals (for example, in their continuous education). Key words: Narrative review; methodology; writing process.