Research in Nursing Weekly Discussions Week 1 What is the process ✓ Solved

What is the process of nursing research? How does it relate to evidence-based practice and patient care? Discuss the application of research findings to a clinical problem you found.

Why is it important to conduct or perform a quality literature review? Characterize or distinguish between the 4 major types of reviews discussed in our textbook. What are the essential components of a quality literature review?

There are different types of quantitative research designs that justify or support themselves in nursing research. Choose one quantitative type design and identify a major advantage and a major disadvantage of this design. Give an example of how this quantitative research design could be used in nursing practice to solve a clinical problem (not one noted in your textbook).

Select a qualitative question you are interested in investigating. Discuss the basics of qualitative research: what are the characteristics, what is included, what are the 4 designs of the qualitative type research, which type would be appropriate for your qualitative research question and why?

Visit the Healthy People 2020 website, Topics and Objectives page and explore some topics of interest to you. Discuss how epidemiologic methods are used to evaluate Healthy People 2020 objectives. Give an example. Include the primary goal/purpose of the descriptive or analytical study, design type in the category chosen, uses of the analytic or descriptive type, at least one advantage and disadvantage of the design type.

Consider a patient-centered issue you have observed recently. Formulate a research question related to that issue. Identify the independent and dependent variable, hypothesis and type of hypothesis. What type of research study design would you use to address that issue, what type of sampling or sampling strategy would you use? Defend your choices with support from your textbook or other peer-reviewed journal sources.

Discuss the characteristics or attributes that should be appraised when evaluating qualitative and quantitative designs in relation to rigor or quality of its type? How do the characteristics or attributes of greatest importance in qualitative or quantitative type differ? Give an example.

Think of a change that is being implemented or was recently implemented at your workplace or clinical setting. Briefly explain the change. How do the changes identified relate to outcomes? How will data be used to evaluate these outcomes? What is the bedside nurse’s role in dissemination or communication of clinical findings?

Conducting research with strong ethical principles is a critical component of being an effective nurse researcher. Consider all or some of these questions as you share your reflections on the importance of ethical considerations in nursing research.

Paper For Above Instructions

Nursing research is a vital process in advancing healthcare practices and improving patient outcomes. It involves systematic inquiry into nursing practices, patient care, and health systems. The primary aim of nursing research is to develop knowledge that can be used to enhance nursing practices and education, ultimately leading to better patient care and outcomes (Burns & Grove, 2016).

One essential aspect of nursing research is its relationship with evidence-based practice (EBP). EBP integrates clinical expertise with the best available research evidence to guide decision-making in patient care. The process of nursing research supports EBP by providing scientific data that can inform practice decisions, leading to more effective patient interventions and improved health outcomes (Polit & Beck, 2017).

For instance, consider a clinical problem such as the increasing incidence of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs). Nursing research can help identify risk factors associated with HAIs and evaluate the effectiveness of different interventions. By applying research findings, such as the implementation of hand hygiene protocols, nurses can significantly reduce the incidence of HAIs, ultimately improving patient outcomes and safety (Brennan et al., 2017).

Another critical component of nursing research is the literature review process. Conducting a quality literature review is vital as it offers a comprehensive understanding of existing research and identifies gaps that further studies could address. A well-conducted literature review forms the foundation for new research by synthesizing previous findings (Aveyard, 2014). The four major types of literature reviews include systematic reviews, meta-analyses, narrative reviews, and scoping reviews (Snyder, 2019).

A systematic review is a methodical synthesis of existing studies aimed at answering a specific clinical question, while a meta-analysis statistically combines results from multiple studies for greater power. A narrative review offers a broad overview of a topic without exhaustive analysis, and a scoping review maps existing literature on a topic to identify areas for future research (Grant & Booth, 2009). The essential components of a literature review include a clearly defined research question, comprehensive search strategy, selection criteria for studies, and critical appraisal of the included studies (Fitzgerald et al., 2015).

Quantitative research designs play a crucial role in nursing research. One commonly used design is the randomized controlled trial (RCT). A significant advantage of RCTs is their strong ability to demonstrate causality due to random assignment of participants, resulting in minimized bias (Polit & Beck, 2017). However, a major disadvantage is that RCTs can be expensive, time-consuming, and may not always be ethical or feasible for certain clinical questions (Creswell, 2014). For example, an RCT could examine the effectiveness of a new medication in reducing postoperative pain, providing evidence that could directly inform nursing interventions.

Qualitative research, on the other hand, seeks to understand individuals' experiences and perspectives. Key characteristics of qualitative research include a focus on understanding the meaning behind human behavior, flexibility in research design, and the use of unstructured data collection methods such as interviews and focus groups (Morrow, 2005). The four primary designs of qualitative research include phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, and narrative research (Creswell, 2014). For a qualitative research question such as “How do patients perceive pain management in a postoperative setting?”, a phenomenological approach would be appropriate as it aims to explore and understand the lived experiences of the patients.

Exploring health initiatives like Healthy People 2020 reveals the role of epidemiologic methods in public health objectives. Epidemiology helps evaluate the effectiveness of health interventions and monitor health outcomes over time (Healthy People, 2020). For example, a descriptive study might analyze trends in obesity rates. The goal could be to identify risk factors among different demographic groups, using statistical data to inform interventions targeting those populations. One advantage of descriptive studies is their ability to provide a snapshot of health trends, but a disadvantage is that they cannot assess causal relationships (Khan et al., 2020).

The formulation of a research question begins with identifying a patient-centered issue, such as the impact of telehealth on chronic disease management. A potential research question could be: “How does telehealth affect patient adherence to treatment regimens in diabetes management?” In this case, the independent variable would be telehealth services, and the dependent variable would be patient adherence. A hypothesis could state: “Patients using telehealth services will demonstrate higher adherence to treatment regimens compared to those receiving traditional in-person care.” A suitable research design to address this issue might be a cohort study, allowing the observation of outcomes over time, with a convenience sampling strategy applied to recruit participants (Polit & Beck, 2017).

When evaluating qualitative and quantitative research designs, various attributes and characteristics must be considered. For qualitative research, rigor is often assessed through criteria such as credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). In contrast, quantitative research emphasizes reliability, validity, and generalizability (Burns & Grove, 2016). An example of this difference could be in studies examining patient satisfaction; qualitative research may explore emotional responses to care, while quantitative research might measure satisfaction scores statistically.

In the workplace, implementing a change such as transitioning to a digital medical record system can significantly affect nursing practice. This change might relate to improved patient documentation, reduced errors, and enhanced communication but requires careful evaluation of outcomes, such as error rates pre- and post-implementation. Data collected through audits could be used to assess these outcomes, with bedside nurses playing a critical role in disseminating findings to inform staff and enhance future practices (Billings & Halter, 2018).

Lastly, ethical considerations in nursing research are paramount. During simulations, characters may face dilemmas that mirror real-life situations involving consent, confidentiality, and beneficence. For instance, a character might struggle with maintaining patient confidentiality while sharing findings. Ethical principles such as respect for persons, beneficence, and justice guide researchers in navigating these challenges (Beauchamp & Childress, 2013). Engaging with resources like institutional review boards and ethical guidelines helps ensure that research is conducted responsibly and ethically.

References

• Aveyard, H. (2014). Doing a Literature Review in Health and Social Care: A Practical Guide. McGraw-Hill Education.
• Beauchamp, T.L., & Childress, J.F. (2013). Principles of Biomedical Ethics. Oxford University Press.
• Brennan, T.A., et al. (2017). Reducing Hospital-Acquired Infections: A Quality Improvement Project. American Journal of Nursing, 117(6), 48-54.
• Billings, J., & Halter, M. (2018). The Role of Nursing in Quality Improvement Initiatives. Nursing Management, 49(4), 29-35.
• Burns, N., & Grove, S.K. (2016). Understanding Nursing Research: Building an Evidence-Based Practice. Elsevier Health Sciences.
• Creswell, J.W. (2014). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. SAGE Publications.
• Fitzgerald, L., et al. (2015). Conducting a Literature Review for Research. Journal of Nursing Research, 23(2), 89-97.
• Grant, M.J., & Booth, A. (2009). A Typology of Literature Reviews. Health Information & Libraries Journal, 26(2), 91-108.
• Khan, M.S., et al. (2020). Epidemiology and Management of Obesity. Journal of Obesity, 2020, 1-10.
• Lincoln, Y.S., & Guba, E.G. (1985). Naturalistic Inquiry. SAGE Publications.
• Polit, D.F., & Beck, C.T. (2017). Nursing Research: Principles and Methods. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
• Morrow, V. (2005). Ethical Dilemmas in Researching Children’s Perspectives. Children & Society, 19(5), 349-360.
• Healthy People 2020. (2020). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved from https://www.healthypeople.gov/
• Snyder, H. (2019). Literature Review as a Research Methodology: An Overview and Guidelines. Journal of Business Research, 104, 333-339.