Week 1 - Nursing Research & Qual/Quan Data Flashcards
Research
systematic inquiry using disciplined methods to answer questions or solve problems
Nursing Research
systematic inquiry to develop trustworthy evidence about issues of importance to nurses and their clients (humans)
Clinical Nursing Research
nursing research designed to guide nursing practice
Evidence Based Practice (EBP)
the use of the best clinical evidence in making patient care decisions
the basis for nursing decisions at the bedside and in clinical practice; influences many recent clinical practice changes
produces decisions that are clinically appropriate, cost-effective, and result in positive client outcomes
Around when did the explosion of EBP begin to be used in medicine
1970s
What groups priorities can drive what the nursing profession is looking to ask questions about?
NINR - national institute of nursing research
they provide the funding on what they deem valuable research
What are some current and future directions for nursing research
continued focus on EBP
ongoing growth of research synthesis
increased emphasis on patient centeredness
relatedly, greater interest in the applicability of research
expanded local research and quality improvement efforts in health care settings
increased focus on health disparities
growing interest in defining and ascertaining clinical significance
Just because something is statistically significant…
may not mean it is clinically significant
What are some of NINR’s areas of focus in nursing research
Symptom science - promoting personalized health strategies
Wellness - promoting health and preventing disease
Self Management - improving quality of life for individuals with chronic illness
end of life and palliative care - the science of compassion
What are some knowledge sources for nursing practice
tradition and “experts” - this is where knowledge originates from
clinical experience and trial-and-error
disciplined research - the best method of acquiring reliable knowledge; Evidence based findings - hopefully can be free from bias
Paradigm
worldview or general perspective of the world’s complexities
“a model in our head”
Assumption
a principle that is believed to be true without verification
Assumptions are principles we believe to be true WITHOUT verification
What are the 2 key paradigms for nursing research
Positivist Paradigm
Constructivist Paradigm
Positivism (Positivist Pardigm)
“There are absolute laws in the world”
Belief in absolute laws that are always true like gravity, and we rely on these laws and not just believe something as it just is
Belief of an objective reality
What is positivism research like
Generalization is the purpose
The goal is to exert as much control over the research setting as possible to see if we can see something happen and be confident in believing it is due to the independent variable
The researcher can become independent from those being studied, their biases are checked and objective, they use discrete concept and fixed design while exerting control
Positivist research collects ___ information
quantifiable (quantitative)
Since positivism collects quantitative data, it is a ___ process
Deductive (Hypothesis Testing)
(If I do X then Y will occur)
Constructivism (Constructivist Paradigm)
The idea of no objective reality - knowledge does not truly exist we make it up based on experience - prominent theory in the 19th CE
Belief reality is subjective and we construct it
What is Constructivist research like
it is impossible for the researcher to separate from surroundings - so they end up interacting
There are multiple realities so everything is subjective to the researcher
subjectivity is desirable and the focus is on the non quantifiable
purpose is insight and in depth understanding of the multiple realities - we want to explore and find more information not find laws
the design can be flexible and emergent
Constructivist research collects ___ information
qualitative
Since constructivism collects qualitative data, it is a __ process
inductive process - hypothesis generation
we are making more hypotheses not testing ones we already have
Are either paradigm wrong?
No they are both correct and exist - but as we continue to research we must choose which to follow more closely based on the approach and questions we have
Overall quantitative research is more closely allied with ___ tradition while qualitative research is associated with ___ tradition
positivist; constructivist
Research Methods
the techniques used to structure a study and to gather, analyze, and interpret information
includes qualitative and quantitative research
Do Positivists and Constructivists always have to follow quantitative and qualitative research methods respectively?
No it all depends
What are some common features shared among both paradigms?
- Ultimate Goal - increased knowledge
- External Evidence - words or numbers, both are external still
- Reliance on Human Cooperation
- Ethical Constraints
- Fallibility - neither is perfect
What are the various levels of explanation that research can answer
Identification
Description
Exploration
Prediction and Control
Explanation
Identification Level
what is the phenomenon? what is its name?
Qualitative
Description Level
How prevalent is the phenomenon (quan)
what are the dimensions or characteristics of the phenomenon (qual)
Exploration level
What factors are related to the phenomenon (quan)
What is the full nature of the phenomenon (qual)
Prediction/Control Level
If phenomenon X occurs, will phenomenon Y follow? Can the phenomenon be prevented (Quan)
Explanation Level
What is the underlying cause of the phenomenon (Quan)
What does the phenomenon mean (Qual)
Why does nursing research relate to use regardless of if we join in the research
We will consume research regardless as a function of clinical practice
Part of a nurses professional responsibilities is to evaluate and critique research to determine its worth
Overall nursing research can…
better patient outcomes in the end
How does the terminology for quantitative and qualitative research differ regarding the “Person contributing information”
Quantitative: Subject, Participant, Respondent
Qualitative: Study participant, Informant, Phenomena
How does the terminology for quantitative and qualitative research differ regarding “What is being investigated”?
Both: Concepts and Constructs
Quantitative: Variables
Why does qualitative research not have an equivalent to the quantitative research’s word of “variable”?
Because qualitative, by definition, means we do not know what we do not know, so we cannot know what we are going to find so we cannot define a variable
How does the terminology for quantitative and qualitative research differ regarding “Information gathered”?
Quantitative: Data expressed NUMERICALLY
Qualitative: Data is expressed as WORDS
This is a key difference between the two
How does the terminology for quantitative and qualitative research differ regarding “Connections Studied”?
Quantitative: Relationships (we want to see a causal)
Qualitative: Patterns of Association
Study (Investigation)
Addressing a research question
Study Subject -or- Participant
people being studied or cooperating in quantitative study
Informants
people cooperating in qualitative study
Researchers or INvestigators
person who conducts the research
Study Site
the overall location for a study (e.g. Portland)
Multisite Studies
studies occurring at multiple study sites
tend to yield more diverse groups of study participants potentially enhancing the generalizability of findings
Concepts
Abstractions of particular aspects of human behavior or characteristics (ex: pain, weight) in quantitative studies
Word description of a thing that exists in the world (ex: A chair) - we have a concept of a chair but chairs can be a little different so there is an infinite variation of the chair and its concept as long as it meets the basic outlines we have for it
In research this must be described like with pain and weight and it may need to be defined depending on the question being asked (like is it emotional pain, physical, etc)
Phenomena
abstracts in qualitative studies
“a thing that happened”
Constructs
slightly more complex abstractions (ex: self care)
Even MORE abstract than concepts
What is a good rule of thumb for using construct v concept?
Use concept to describe a word description of something that exists in nature, but if something does not exist in nature (like self care or wellness) then use construct
Theories
knit concepts into a coherent system that purports to explain phenomena
Knitting together a concept system in order to explain and predict outcomes
Variable
a characteristic or quality that takes on different values, that is, that varies from one person to the next
associated with quantitative studies
ex: Blood type, weight, length of stay in hospital
The term ___ is used almost exclusively in quantitative research
variable
Types of Variables
Inherent v Created
Independent
Dependent
Inherent Variable
a variable that cannot be changed
Created Variable
a research created this variable
Independent Variable
the presumed cause of a dependent variable outcome
this is the one we manipulate in quantitative research
Dependent Variable
the presumed effect of an independent variable
The “ Outcome Variable “
Ex: Smoking (IV) Cancer (DV)
IV and DV terms can be used to indicated what rather than cause and effect
direction of influence
Conceptual Definitions
the abstract or theoretical meaning of a concept being studied
becomes more important the more abstract the concept is
Operational Definitions
the operations (measurements) a researcher must perform to measure the concept and collect the desired information
always important regardless of abstractness and needs to be consistent and always included
Data
(Singular - Datum)
The pieces of information researchers collect in a study
ex: Quan researchers collect numeric data and Qual researchers collect narrative (verbal) data
How may quantitative and qualitative questioning look different regarding “pain”
Qualitative - words - “can you tell me about your pain?”
Quantitative - numbers - can you rate your pain on a scale of 0-10…
Relationship
a bond or connection between phenomena
Important types of relationships
Cause and Effect
Associative
Qualitative
Cause and Effect Relationship
(Causal) relationship
ex: Cig smoking and lung cancer
Quan. looked for this and things can usually be manipulated
Associative Relationship
(Functional) Relationship
ex: Gender and life expectancy
We do not have control over these things though so the researcher cannot feasibly or ethically assign the variables
There are also many confounding variables present - ex: hormones, social behavior, and the like for gender and life expectancy
Qualitative Relationship (Study of Pattern)
Qualitative researchers may seek patterns of association as a way of illuminating the underlying meaning and dimensionality of phenomena of interest
Look for patterns to find meaning, it is open ended, without a hypothesis, and we cannot know what we do not know
What are the types of Quantitative Research studies?
Experimental and Non experimental
Experimental Research
Quan Study
Researchers actively introduce an intervention or treatment most often to address therapy questions
Called “CLINICAL TRIALS” in med research
Tests causal relationships
This has to do with the researcher making changes in the IV to measure DV outcomes and see potential causal relationships
Nonexperimental Research
Quan Study
Researchers collect data without intervening or introducing treatments
“Observational Studies” in med research
We check what exists in nature when we cannot manipulate and look at Associative (Correlational) Relationships
What are the types of Qualitative research studies
Grounded Theory Research
Phenomenological Research
Ethnographic Research
Grounded Theory Research
Qual Study
Seeks to understand key social psychological processes that are grounded in reality
Social processes is the key word - we want to know how people move through social situations and the ultimate purpose is to generate a hypothesis
Phenomenological Research
Qual Study
Focuses on the lived experiences of humans
It is a descriptive and narrative research
It focuses what the meaning of phenomenon and the essence of phenomenon as it is experienced by people
Ethnographic research
Qual Study
Focuses on the patterns and lifeways of a cultural group and strives to learn from members of a cultural group to understand their worldview and to describe customs and norms
Looks at CULTURE - macro or micro
What are the 5 phases of a quantitative study
- Conceptual Phase
- Designs and Planning Phase
- Empirical Phase
- Analytic Phase
- Dissemination Phase
What phases of quantitative study occur before even leaving the office or brain
Phase 1 and 2
Everything needs to be decided - quantitative research cannot be changed mid stream
Steps during Phase 1 (Conceptual) of Quantitative Study
- Formulating/Delimiting the problem
- Reviewing related literature
- Undertaking clinical fieldwork
- Defining the framework and developing conceptual definitions
- Formulating hypotheses
Steps during Phase 2 (Designs and Planning) of Quantitative Study
- Selecting a research design
- Developing intervention protocols
- ID the population
9.Desiging the sampling plan
- Specifying methods to measure variables and collect data
- Developing methods to protect human/animal rights
- Reviewing and finalizing the research plan
Steps during Phase 3 (Empirical) of Quantitative Study
- Collecting data
- Preparing data for analysis (ex: Coding the data)
Steps during Phase 4 (Analytic) of Quantitative Study
- Analyzing the data (through statistical analysis)
- Interpreting Results
Steps during Phase 5 (Dissemination) of Quantitative Study
- Communicating the findings in a research report (ex: in a journal article)
- Putting the evidence into practice
What is different about Qualitative Study design as compared to quantitative study design
Qualitative researchers continually examine and interpret data, and make decisions about how to proceed based on what has been discovered
Everything is always changeable and mead able at any point in the study
The design of the study is emergent and appears from data that tis gathered
What activities are done for a qualitative study when conceptualizing and planning the study
Identifying the research problem
doing a literature review
selecting sites and gaining entrée
developing an overall approach
addressing ethical issues (safeguard participants)
deciding what type of data to gather and how to gather them
deciding from whom to collect the data
deciding how to enhance trustworthiness
What activities are done for a qualitative study when conducting the study
UNDERTAKING INTERATIVE ACTIVITIES THROUGH EMERGENT DESIGN: (Fluid and Meadable design)
Making sampling decisions
Deciding what questions to ask
collecting data
evaluating integrity and quality
analyzing and interpreting data
making new decisions
communicating findings
utilizing findings in practice and future research
A nurse researcher is conducting a quantitative study to determine protocols for triaging patients in the emergency department. Which term is generally associated with this type of research?
A. Phenomena
B. Subject
C. Pattern of Association
D. Inductive Reasoning
B. Subject
Rationale. The person contributing information in a quantitative study is called the subject. In the qualitative study, this person is called the study participant, informant, or key informant. That which is investigated is called a concept in quantitative studies and concept or phenomena in qualitative studies. Pattern of association and inductive reasoning are qualitative terms. Relationships and deductive reasoning are quantitative terms.
Tell whether the following statement is True or False:
Researchers involved in quantitative research commonly engage in fieldwork.
False
Rationale: Researchers engage in fieldwork when performing qualitative studies.
What is the best description of a dependent variable?
A. Outcome being measured
B. A person’s gender
C. Presumed cause
D. Measurements performed
A. Outcome being measured
Rationale: The dependent variable is the presumed effect or outcome of an independent variable (the presumed cause). Gender typically is a categorical variable. The operations (measurements) to be performed for data collection refer to the operational definition of a variable.
Tell whether the following statement is True or False:
Clinical trials are an example of observational research in medicine
False
Rationale: Clinical trials are a form of experimental research in medicine. Observational research is nonexperimental research in medicine.
What is an example of a question that researchers ask when using phenomenology during qualitative research?
A. What is the meaning of the phenomenon experienced by the people?
B. What are the psychological phases that characterize a particular event?
C. What are the patterns and lifeways of a defined cultural group?
D. What is the core variable that explains what is happening in the social scene?
A. What is the meaning of the phenomenon experienced by the people?
Rationale: The phenomenological researcher asks the questions What is the essence of this phenomenon as experienced by these people? or What is the meaning of the phenomenon to those who experience it? The focus of most grounded theory studies is on a developing social experience—the social and psychological phases that characterize a particular event or episode. Ethnography provides a framework for studying the patterns and lifeways of a defined cultural group in a holistic fashion.
Which action would be performed first when designing and planning a quantitative study?
A. Developing intervention protocols
B. Identifying the population
C. Designing the sampling plan
D. Formulating a research design
D. Formulating a research design
Rationale: The first step in designing and planning a quantitative study is formulating a research design. This is followed by developing intervention protocols, identifying the population, and designing the sampling plan.
