Content Sources & References

AscendRN clinical content is developed from peer-reviewed literature and evidence-based clinical practice guidelines published by the authoritative professional organizations governing each nursing specialty. All sources are real, publicly verifiable, and regularly reviewed for currency.

60+ Authoritative Sources
VA/DoD CPGs Throughout
ANCC Accreditation Path

Content Sourcing Framework

Every piece of clinical content is sourced through a four-tier evidence hierarchy:

Tier 1
VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guidelines
Federal evidence-based guidelines for veteran-centered care, integrated throughout every specialty.
Tier 2
Specialty Professional Association Guidelines
AACN, ENA, AORN, AWHONN, AMSN, AHA/ACC, and ANA standards governing each nursing specialty.
Tier 3
Peer-Reviewed Clinical Journals
Current literature from the specialty's peer-reviewed journals and PubMed.
Tier 4
Drug References
Lexicomp, the Lippincott Nursing Drug Handbook, FDA prescribing information, and the VA formulary.

Sources by Category

VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guidelines7
VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for PTSD and Acute Stress Disorder
Free & Public
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense · 2023
Used for: PTSD assessment across all specialties · Veteran sedation and ICU care · PTSD and cardiac disease
VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Concussion — Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Free & Public
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense · 2021
Used for: TBI assessment in all settings · Blast injury and hemodynamics · ICU delirium in TBI patients
VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for Opioid Therapy for Chronic Pain
Free & Public
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense · 2022
Used for: Opioid management in veteran chronic pain · Perioperative pain in opioid-tolerant veterans · Dialysis pain management
VA National Strategy for Preventing Veteran Suicide 2018-2028
Free & Public
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs · 2018
Used for: Veteran suicide risk assessment · Means restriction counseling · Veterans Crisis Line
VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Insomnia Disorder
Free & Public
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense · 2019
Used for: Sleep disorders in veteran patients · CBT-I as first-line treatment
VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Substance Use Disorders
Free & Public
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense · 2021
Used for: Substance withdrawal in ICU · Buprenorphine for veteran OUD · Alcohol use disorder screening
VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Women with Pregnancy
Free & Public
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense · 2018
Used for: Prenatal care for women veterans · MST and pregnancy · Postpartum PTSD
Specialty Professional Association Guidelines10
AACN Clinical Practice Guidelines and Practice Alerts
Free & Public
American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN)
Used for: ICU nursing standards · Hemodynamics and shock · Mechanical ventilation
AACN Procedure Manual for High Acuity, Progressive, and Critical Care, 8th Edition
Purchase Required
American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) · 2023
Print resource — cite by title and edition.
Used for: ICU procedure-specific content · Hemodynamic monitoring procedures
Surviving Sepsis Campaign International Guidelines 2021
Free & Public
Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) · 2021
Used for: Sepsis bundle management · Vasopressor selection · Gulf War veteran sepsis
ENA Clinical Practice Guidelines
Free & Public
Emergency Nurses Association (ENA)
Used for: Emergency nursing practice standards · Triage assessment · Trauma nursing
AORN Guidelines for Perioperative Practice 2025 Edition
Subscription Required
Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) · 2025
View source →(requires access)
Used for: Perioperative nursing standards · Surgical safety · Patient positioning
AWHONN Clinical Practice Guidelines
Member Access
Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN)
View source →(requires access)
Used for: Intrapartum fetal heart rate monitoring · Postpartum hemorrhage · Newborn care
ACOG Committee Opinions and Practice Bulletins
Member Access · Free Summaries
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)
View source →(requires access)
Used for: Obstetric clinical standards · High-risk pregnancy management · PTSD and pregnancy
Medical-Surgical Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, 3rd Edition
Purchase Required
Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN) · 2019
View source →(requires access)
Used for: Medical-surgical nursing standards · Scope of practice
AHA/ACC Clinical Practice Guidelines
Free & Public
American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology
Used for: Cardiac dysrhythmia management · Heart failure care · ACS protocols
Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, 4th Edition
Purchase Required
American Nurses Association (ANA) · 2021
View source →(requires access)
Used for: Universal nursing practice standards · Nursing competencies across specialties
Veteran-Specific Clinical Resources17
Caring for Post-9/11 Veterans in the Civilian Sector: Knowledge and Readiness of Registered and Advance Practice Nurse Providers
Free & Public
HunterSeven Foundation · 2024
Used for: National baseline statistic for veteran care competency gap · Primary research justification for AscendRN veteran care curriculum · Institutional pitch supporting statistic
State of Veteran Suicide Report 2024
Free & Public
Mission Roll Call · 2024
Used for: Veteran suicide statistics on about page · Suicide lesson content · Dashboard statistic banner
Wounded Warrior Project Annual Warrior Survey 2025
Free & Public
Wounded Warrior Project · 2025
Used for: Veteran suicide statistics · Suicide lesson content
National Center for PTSD — Professional Resources
Free & Public
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Used for: PTSD clinical tools · PC-PTSD-5 screening tool · Assessment instruments
Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS)
Free & Public
Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Used for: Veteran suicide risk assessment · ER psychiatric evaluation · Outpatient screening
VA Polytrauma System of Care
Free & Public
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Used for: Combat polytrauma ICU care · Blast injury management · TBI rehabilitation
VA Military Sexual Trauma Support Team
Free & Public
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Used for: MST clinical guidance · Trauma-informed exam techniques · MST screening in all settings
VA Women's Health Services
Free & Public
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Used for: Women veteran health disparities · MST and reproductive health · Maternity care coordination
VA PACT Act — Toxic Exposure and Veteran Benefits
Free & Public
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Used for: Burn pit and toxic exposure screening · Presumptive cancer conditions · VA benefit eligibility
VA Agent Orange Exposure and Related Conditions
Free & Public
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Used for: Agent Orange presumptive conditions · Vietnam veteran chronic disease · Type 2 diabetes service connection
VA Gulf War Veterans Medically Unexplained Illnesses
Free & Public
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Used for: Gulf War illness diagnosis · Multi-symptom illness in veterans · Unexplained somatic symptoms
Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center (DVBIC)
Free & Public
Defense Health Agency
Used for: TBI screening tools · Blast injury clinical guidance · Concussion management
ANA Caring for Veterans Resources
Free & Public
American Nurses Association (ANA)
Used for: Military cultural competence · Veteran nursing standards
Veterans Crisis Line
Free & Public
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Used for: Veteran suicide crisis intervention · ER mental health resource · Every care setting
Veteran-Centered Care in Education and Practice
Purchase Required
Springer Publishing Company · 2023
View source →(requires access)
Used for: Military culture in nursing education · Veteran health competencies · Teaching strategies for veteran care
VA Homeless Veterans Programs
Free & Public
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Used for: Homeless veteran ER assessment · HUD-VASH housing program
National Center for PTSD — Moral Injury
Free & Public
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Used for: Moral injury recognition and treatment · Distinguishing moral injury from PTSD
Drug References4
Lexicomp Online
Subscription Required
Wolters Kluwer
View source →(requires access)
Used for: All drug card clinical content · Drug interactions · Dosing in renal impairment
Lippincott Nursing Drug Handbook 2025
Purchase Required
Wolters Kluwer · 2025
View source →(requires access)
Used for: Nursing-specific drug guidance · Patient teaching points
FDA Drug Prescribing Information
Free & Public
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Used for: Black box warnings · Official approved indications · Contraindications
VA Pharmacy Benefits Management Services
Free & Public
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Used for: VA formulary drug information · Veteran medication reconciliation
Peer-Reviewed Journals6
Critical Care Nurse
American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
Journal of Emergency Nursing
Emergency Nurses Association
AORN Journal
Association of periOperative Registered Nurses
Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing (JOGNN)
AWHONN
Military Medicine
Association of Military Surgeons of the United States
PubMed — National Library of Medicine
Free & Public
National Institutes of Health
Clinical Textbooks3
Brunner and Suddarth's Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing, 15th Edition
Purchase Required
Wolters Kluwer · 2022
Print resource — cite by title and edition.
Sheehy's Emergency Nursing: Principles and Practice, 7th Edition
Purchase Required
Emergency Nurses Association · 2020
Print resource — cite by title and edition.
Conover's Understanding Electrocardiography, 8th Edition
Elsevier · 2003
Print resource — cite by title and edition.
Federal Law1
Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2022
Free & Public
· 2022
Used for: Burn pit toxic exposure presumptive conditions · Veteran benefit eligibility
best_practices6
IHI Evidence-Based Care Bundles
Free & Public
Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)
Used for: Ventilator bundle · Sepsis bundle · CLABSI prevention
The Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goals 2025
Free & Public
The Joint Commission
Used for: Medication safety · Infection prevention · Clinical alarm safety
AHRQ Patient Safety Network and Evidence-Based Practices
Free & Public
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
Used for: Patient safety practices · TeamSTEPPS · CUSP
ISMP Medication Safety Guidelines
Free & Public
Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP)
Used for: High-alert medications · Medication reconciliation · Safe medication practices
CDC Healthcare-Associated Infection Prevention Guidelines
Free & Public
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Used for: CLABSI prevention · CAUTI prevention · SSI prevention
VA National Center for Patient Safety
Free & Public
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Used for: VA-specific patient safety · Root cause analysis · Veteran surgical safety
certification_blueprints6
AACN CCRN Certification Exam Blueprint 2024
Free & Public
American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN)
Used for: ICU gap competency validation · Premium blueprint-aligned content
ENA CEN Certification Exam Blueprint 2024
Free & Public
Emergency Nurses Association (ENA)
Used for: ER gap competency validation · Premium blueprint-aligned content
AACN PCCN Certification Exam Blueprint 2024
Free & Public
American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN)
Used for: Tele gap competency validation
CNOR Certification Exam Blueprint
Free & Public
Competency and Credentialing Institute (CCI)
Used for: OR gap competency validation
RNC-OB Certification Exam Blueprint
Free & Public
National Certification Corporation (NCC)
Used for: L&D gap competency validation
CMSRN Certification Exam Blueprint
Free & Public
Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification Board (MSNCB)
Used for: Med-Surg gap competency validation

Citation Policy

AscendRN follows APA 7th edition citation format. Clinical content is reviewed annually for currency. Guidelines within the last 5 years are preferred.

ANCC Compliance

AscendRN is pursuing ANCC Accreditation as a Nursing Continuing Professional Development provider. Our content sourcing framework meets ANCC standards for evidence-based content.

Questions about sources or to request a complete bibliography: admin@ascendrn.net