Research and EBP Questions Flashcards
“a scientific process that validates and refines existing knowledge and generates new knowledge that directly and indirectly influences the delivery of evidence-based nursing practice” (Burns and Grove, 2009)
What is the definition of nursing research?
oriented toward and limited by tangible things or by events that we observe and experience in reality. Focus is immediate events that are limited by time and space
Concrete thinking
Looks for meaning, patterns, relationships and philosophical implications.oriented toward the development of an idea without application to, or associate with, a particular instance.
Abstract thinking
what we experience through our sense and is the concrete portion of existence. AKA ‘reality”
The empirical world
What are the 3 components of evidence-based practice?
Best research evidence, clinical expertise, and patient/family desire/values.
formal, objective, systematic process in which numerical data are used to obtain information about the world. Used to describe variables and determine cause and effect interactions btwn variables.
Quantitative research
systematic, interactive and subjective approach used to describe life experiences and given them meaning. Used to describe and promote our understanding of human experiences.
Qualitative research
the extent to which the findings from a study can be generalized or applied to the larger population (i.e. external validity)
Generalizability
provides an accurate portrayal or account of characteristics of a particular individual, situation, or group. Offers ways to (1) discover new meaning (2) describe what exists (3) determine the frequency with which something occurs (4) categorize information
Descriptive research:
involves the systematic investigation of relationships btwn or among two or more variables that have been identified in theories, observed in practice, or both. Primary intent is to explain the nature of relationships, not to determine cause and effect. They are the means for generating hypotheses to guide quasi-experimental and experimental studies
Correlational research
Test the effectiveness of nursing interventions that can then be implemented to control the patient and family outcomes in nursing practice. Purposes are to (1) identify causal relationships (2) examine the significance of causal relationships (3) clarify why certain events happened; or a combination of 1,2,3.
Quasi-experimental research
an objective, systematic, controlled investigation conduced for the purpose of predicting and controlling phenomena. Examines causality and is considered the most powerful quantitative method due to rigorous control of variables.
Experimental research
What are the three characteristics of experimental research?
- Controlled manipulation of at least one treatment variable (independent variable)2. Administration of the treatment to some of the subjects in the study (experimental group) and not to others (control group)3. Random selection of subjects or random assignment of subjects to groups, or both
A humanistic study of phenomena. Aim is to explore an experience as it is lived by the study participants and interpreted by the researcher
Phenomenological research
An inductive research method; useful for discovering what problems exist in a social setting and the process people use to handle them. Emphasizes observation
Grounded theory research
structured, comprehensive synthesis of quantitative studies in a particular health care area to determine the best research evidence available for use to promote an EBP
Systematic Review
type of study that statistically pools the results from previous, similar studies into a single quantitative analysis that provides on of the highest levels of evidence for an intervention’s efficacy.
A meta-analysis
Levels of research evidence (from highest to lowest)
Level 1: systematic reviews or meta-analysis or EBP clinical guidelines based on RCTsLevel 2: at least one well designed RCT (true experiment)Level 3: well designed controlled trials without randomizationLevel 4: well designed case-control and cohort studiesLevel 5: systematic reviews of descriptive and qualitative studiesLevel 6: a single descriptive or qualitative studyLevel 7: expert opinion.
implies that as one concept changes (increases or decreases), the second concept will also change in the SAME direction.
A positive linear relationship:
implies that as one concept changes (increases or decreases), the second concept will also change in the OPPOSITE direction
A negative linear relationship:
The amount of variation. Sometimes referred to as “effect size”. Usually determined by a correlational analysis and is expressed mathematically by the correlational coefficent “r”.
Strength of relationship btwn variables
Correlational Coefficient (r) =
0 indicated no strength-1 indicates a strong negative relationship1 indicates a strong positive relationship
An intervention, treatment, or experimental variable that is manipulated or varied by the researcher to cause an effect on the dependent variable
Independent variable
The response or outcome variable that is measured to examine the effect created by the independent variable.
Dependent variable
What are the 4 categories of hypotheses?
- Associative vs. causal2. Simple vs. complex3. directional vs. non-directional4. Null vs. research
Are developed to examine relationships among variables in a study.
Associative Hypotheses:
Identify a cause and effect interaction btwn two or more variables (independent and dependent).
Causal relationships:
predicts the relationship (associative or causal) btwn two variables.
Simple Hypotheses:
predicts the relationship (associative or causal) among three or more variables
Complex Hypotheses:
States that a relationship exists but does not predict the nature of the relationship
Nondirectional Hypotheses:
States the nature or direction of the relationship btwn 2 or more variables
Directional Hypotheses:
H0. AKA statistical hypothesis. Used for statistical testing and interpretation of statistical outcome. Always implied even if not directly stated.
Null Hypothesis
H1 or Ha. The alternative hypothesis to the null.
Research Hypothesis