Chapter 5

Question 1

What is a research problem?

Answer 1

An area of concern in which there is a gap in the knowledge needed for nursing practice

Question 2

What is a research purpose?

Answer 2

Clear, concise, statement of the specific goal or focus of a study

Question 3

Example of a research problem

Answer 3

“Yet, the few available studies on providing instruction for family caregivers are limited in content and lack guidance for implementing HF self-management strategies at home.”

Question 4

Example of a research purpose

Answer 4

“The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility and evaluate the helpfulness and costs of a coaching program for family caregiver HF home care management.”

Question 5

Feasibility of a study is determined by?

Answer 5

Examining the researchers’ expertise; money commitment; availability of subjects, facilities, and equipment and the study’s ethical considerations

Question 6

IRB

Answer 6

Institutional Review Board

Question 7

Hypothesis

Answer 7

Translates the research problem and purpose into a clear explanation or prediction of the expected results or outcomes

Question 8

Hypothesis includes

Answer 8

The variables to be manipulated or measured, identifies the population to be examined, and indicates the proposed outcomes of the study

Question 9

Associative hypothesis

Answer 9

Proposes relationships among variables that occur or exist together so when one variable changes, so does the other

Question 10

Casual hypothesis

Answer 10

Proposes a cause and effect interaction between two or more variables; independent and dependent variables

Question 11

Associative hypothesis example

Answer 11

Higher levels of patient safety climate would be associated with less frequent nurse-reported adverse events and higher patient satisfaction

Question 12

Casual hypothesis example

Answer 12

“It was hypothesized that playing a violent video game will lead to higher levels of aggression than watching a violent video game or playing a non-violent video game”

Question 13

Simple hypothesis

Answer 13

States the relationship (associative or casual) between two variables

Question 14

Complex hypothesis

Answer 14

States the relationships (associative or casual) among three or more variables

Question 15

Non-directional hypothesis

Answer 15

States that a relationship exists but does not predict the nature (positive or negative) of the relationship

Question 16

Example of non-directional hypothesis

Answer 16

“Hours playing video games is related to body mass index in school-age children”

Question 17

Directional hypothesis

Answer 17

States the nature (positive or negative) of the interaction between two or more variables
- the use of terms; positive, negative, increase, decrease…etc

Question 18

Directional hypothesis example

Answer 18

“that higher levels of PSC would be associated with less frequent nurse-reported adverse events and higher patient satisfaction.”

Question 19

Statistical hypothesis or null hypothesis (H0)

Answer 19

Is used for statistical testing and for interpreting statistical outcomes or when there is no relationship between two variables and when theoretical or empirical information is inadequate

Question 20

Statistical hypothesis example

Answer 20

“The hypothesis stated there would be no significant difference in the duration of patency of 24 G IV lock in a neonatal patient when flushed with 0.5 mL of heparinized saline (2 U/mL), our standard practice, compared with 0.5 mL of 0.9% normal saline.”

Question 21

Research hypothesis (H1 or H^)

Answer 21

Is the alternative hypothesis to the null or statistical hypothesis and stated that a relationship exists between two or more variables. All the hypothesis stated earlier have been research hypothesis

Question 22

Independent variable

Answer 22

Is an intervention that is manipulated or varied by the researcher to create an effect on the dependent variable

Question 23

Dependent variable

Answer 23

The outcome that the researcher wants to predict or explain

Question 24

Conceptual definition

Answer 24

Provides the theoretical meaning of a variable

Question 25

Operational definition

Answer 25

Indicate how a treatment or independent variable will be implemented or measured

Question 26

Demographic variables

Answer 26

Age, gender, education, race, marital status, medical diagnosis