NSG6101 Nursing Research Methods
Week 1 Discussion
In this course, each of you will be developing a research proposal. Our focus this week is to identify a problem specific to your role option that is amenable to an innovative solution.
Based on your specialty role option (i.e., Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Educator, Nurse Informaticist, Nurse Administrator), identify a potential problem (topic) that you would like to investigate through nursing research. Begin by reading the American Association of Colleges of Nursing's (AACN) position statement on nursing research (Nursing Research).
Next explore South's Online Library and conduct a search to locate a minimum of three nursing research articles that have addressed the problem you have identified. The literature may not be older than 5 years. After reading the literature respond to the following:
Note your role specialization and briefly describe the problem you are interested in researching and why this is of interest to you.
Discuss your library search strategies and briefly summarize the literature you reviewed. Focus your discussion on the "problem" and how the literature you identified provides evidence of the existence of the problem.
Include in your discussion a potential innovation that you might consider as a solution to the problem identified.
Include citations/references in APA style format, using citations where appropriate.
NSG6101 Nursing Research Methods
Week 2 Discussion
Complete the “Protecting Human Research Participants” course located on
https://acrpnet.org/courses/ethics-human-subject-protection/
SU Classes have been using the Human Subjects Training for non-IRB applications. It has resulted in using up all of our licenses. However, the free access is working. Use this link, scroll down, and select “Pricing Without Contact Hours”.
https://acrpnet.org/courses/ethics-human-subject-protection/
When you complete the training you will have to take a screen shot for evidence. If you are completing this for a class assignment, please pass this message on to your teacher and fellow students.
Once you have completed week 2 project, respond to the following:
Share your reaction to this course. Next, research your workplace organization to find out how research is conducted that involves human participants. For example, is there an IRB or ethics committee? If so, do they review proposals? Next, find out the composition of the members and discuss if they meet federal guidelines.
NSG6101 Nursing Research Methods
Week 3 Discussion
Formulating the Research Question, Problem Statement, Research Purpose
In the Week 1 discussion forum you had an opportunity to present a potential problem and an innovative solution specific to your role specialization. In addition, you have reviewed the literature to identify qualitative and quantitative research articles and submitted annotated bibliographies to provide evidence supporting the problem.
Considering the feedback provided to you by the faculty member it is now time to prepare your problem statement, research purpose, and research question.
First share your refined problem and proposed solution (given your review of literature this may have changed depending on the evidence you were able to provide). Next, follow the steps to help define your research question.
Craft the problem statement and research purpose.
Design your research question aimed at solving (a part of) the problem and include the following components which will focus the literature review.
PICOT Question:
Patient, Population or Problem
What are the characteristics of the patient or population?
What is the condition or disease you are interested in?
Intervention or exposure
What do you want to do with this patient (e.g. treat, diagnose, observe)?
Comparison
What is the alternative to the intervention (e.g. placebo, different drug, surgery)?
Outcome
What are the relevant outcomes (e.g. morbidity, death, complications)?
Ensure that the research question is answerable, feasible and clinically relevant
The next step in Submissions Area will be to develop a research hypothesis from the research question.
NSG6101 Nursing Research Methods
Week 4 Discussion
Visit South’s online library and review these two articles.
Connelly, L. M. (2014). Use of theoretical frameworks in research. MEDSURG Nursing, 23(3), 187-188.
Green, H. E. (2014). Use of theoretical and conceptual frameworks in qualitative research. Nurse Researcher, 21(6), 34-38.
Next, review the evidence you are collecting for your proposed study. Which theories have others cited? Are you seeing a common theme? Next construct a conceptual map (see p. 138 in your textbook). Use Microsoft Word or Microsoft PowerPoint and include this as an attachment. Be sure you have defined the concepts and included relational statements.
Provide constructive, supportive feedback to your classmates' posts.
NSG6101 Nursing Research Methods
Week 5 Discussion
Review the following research questions.
Is the use of soap and water or alcohol-based rubs more effective in preventing nosocomial infections?
How effective are anti-depressive medications on anxiety and depression?
For patients of 70 years and older, how effective is the use of the influenza vaccine at preventing flu as compared to patients who have not received the vaccine?
What is the relationship between alcohol and breast cancer?
What is the difference between self-efficacy scores in older adults who exercise and the scores of those who do not?
What is the difference in attitudes of male and female college students toward condoms?
Next, select 3 of the above questions and address the following:
Identify an appropriate research design.
Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the design.
Provide a rationale for the design you selected
NSG6101 Nursing Research Methods
Week 6 Discussion
Begin your discussion by sharing your problem statement and research question. Next, discuss your sampling plan. In addition, discuss your research design. Consider the following as you craft your response.
Sampling
How will the sample be selected?
What type of sampling method is used? Is it appropriate to the design?
Does the sample reflect the population as identified in the problem or purpose statement?
Is the sample size appropriate? Why or why not?
To what population may the findings be generalized? What are the limitations in generalizability?
Research design
What type of design will be used?
Does the design seem to flow from the proposed research problem, theoretical framework, literature review, and hypothesis?
NSG6101 Nursing Research Methods
Week 7 Discussion
Please begin by responding to the following questions.
Search and locate an existing instrument that will be used to address your research question. Post the title of the instrument selected and the level of measurement on the tool. Next, post a description of the type of scale used in the instrument. Include a brief discussion of data collection procedures that will be presented in your proposal.
Provide constructive, supportive feedback to your classmates’ posts.
NSG6101 Nursing Research Methods
Week 8 Discussion
Discuss the differences between non-parametric and parametric tests. Provide an example of each and discuss when it is appropriate to use the test. Next, discuss the assumptions that must be met by the investigator to run the test.
Provide constructive, supportive feedback to your classmates’ posts.
NSG6101 Nursing Research Methods
Week 9 Discussion
Using the Excel Sheet and descriptive statistics page; you will write up your analysis for the 20 participants.
This week, you learned about the statistical software applications used to analyze data for research analysis. For this week's discussion, you will use Excel sheet provide to run descriptive statistics, create graphs and respond to the following:
How could you use Excel descriptive statistics for data analysis research?
What are your plans for learning more about Excel and how will the information you learned about this software be of benefit in your future analysis of research data?
Refer to this week’s readings and video tutorials before starting this two part discussion question assignment.
Step 1: Entering Data
Open a blank worksheet in the Excel program
You will now use Excel to view a sample dataset
Dataset Options
In many cases, researchers may have the data from their study in another software package like Microsoft Excel. However, if the data is not available in a software spreadsheet you can manually enter the data. Option 2: Manual Data Entry
In the Worksheet window, type “Age” in C1. Enter the numbers as shown in the dataset below. Enter the remaining data as shown below (set up your column labels i.e., variable). The measure reflects math anxiety and the study variables (cringe, uneasy, afraid, worried, understand) the math anxiety range is from 1–5 with low being the least and 5 the highest.
Step 2: Click on Excel tab for Add Ins; if you do not see statistics; you will need to open the file option; click on Add ins; click on ok; a box will open which will allow you to choose Statistics package; place a check mark in the box and click ok. How to Run Descriptive Statistics
Now that your data is in Excel, you will look at the descriptive statistics for this dataset. Select the data in all the columns except the top that has words for the columns; however you have the file already completed and a picture of the descriptive statistics..See end of page for a copy of the excel sheet and descriptive statistics output.
Discussion Question Part 1
How could you use Excel descriptive statistics for data analysis research? Write about your experience running descriptive statistics. Use the results in the Session Window to support your response. Then add to your discussion with the information you learn writing up your analysis.
Step 3: Excel and Graphs
You will now look at graphing. Select insert graph located at the top of the sheet; highlight the data you want to use for a chart; select the type of chart; select ok. Try using the histogram feature for one of the variables and select "Ok". You can create other Histogram graphs by choosing different variables. You can also choose from the other ten graph choices shown on the insert chart function.
Discussion Question Part 2
What are your plans for learning more about Excel and how will the information you learned about this software be of benefit in your future analysis of research data? Copy and paste your graph(s) in a Word document and attach to your discussion response.
NSG6101 Nursing Research Methods
Week 10 Discussion
For this discussion, you are asked to review the student learning outcomes for this course and discuss how you met these outcomes. The intention here is to provide you an opportunity to “reflect” on the learning achieved during this term and how you successfully met these learning outcomes. If you do not feel you successfully met the objective, discuss your plans to successfully complete the objective in the future.
Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:
Critically analyze current practice to formulate researchable problems.
Evaluate research as the basis for decision-making to improve outcomes through translation into evidence-based practice.
Synthesize an understanding of the research process through development of a proposal to address a nursing problem or focus area identified in nursing practice.
Investigate ethical issues related to the conduct of scientific research, including informed consent, data management, data analysis, and protection of human subjects.
Explore national and international initiatives and research priorities.
NSG6101 Nursing Research Methods
Week 1 Project
Quantitative Annotated Bibliography
In this week’s discussion question you were asked to consider a potential problem (appropriate to your role option) that you would like to investigate through nursing research. For this assignment you will review current research from South’s Online Library and provide a critical evaluation on that research through an annotated bibliography. An annotated bibliography is a brief summary and analysis of the journal article reviewed. For more information on annotated bibliographies please visit Purdue’s OWL: Purdue Online Writing Lab
A total of two annotated bibliographies are to be submitted (not to exceed one page each). The articles must come from nursing scholarly literature and may not be older than 5 years since publication. Please note that the articles must be research based and reflect a quantitative methodology (review our reading assignments). Web pages, magazines, textbooks, and other books are not acceptable.
Each annotation must address the following critical elements:
Explanation of the main purpose and scope of the cited work
Brief description of the research conducted
Value and significance of the work (e.g., study’s findings, scope of the research project) as a contribution to the subject under consideration
Possible shortcomings or bias in the work
Conclusions or observations reached by the author
Summary as to why this research lends evidence to support the potential problem identified specific to your role option.
NSG6101 Nursing Research Methods
Week 2 Project
Human Research Protection
During this course, you will learn the components required for a research study. Each week you will learn components of the research process through your readings and application of the knowledge gained to published research articles.
During this week, you are expected to examine the protection of human subjects in research from early research studies, through the development of research codes to current research standards. The aim is to familiarize you with the ethical issues associated with research and gain firsthand information of the processes used to protect research participants.
Task:
View each of the You Tube clips listed below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rz8ge4aw8Ws Caring Corrupted: The Killing Nurses of the Third Reich
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-O5gsF5oyls Research Ethics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86zWBjDaXPk Belmont Report Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIafASIIU70 Belmont Report Part 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFik0of3iUM IRB (Institutional Review Board)
After viewing each video, write two paragraphs about each video describing the purpose of the video and discussed one point from each video that you think is important regarding protecting human subjects in research and provided rationale. Your submission should be 400-500 words, using APA style.
NSG6101 Nursing Research Methods
Week 10 Project
Overview/Description:
The final project for NSG6101 consists of the development of a novel research proposal specific to your role specialization. The project must include an intervention appropriate to nursing practice and consistent with your MSN role option. An alternative to the above includes the selection of a specialty organization to focus research proposals based on the priorities of that organization. Examples of these organizations could include (but are not limited to): Sigma Theta Tau International, American Nurses' Foundation, Oncology Nursing Society, Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, American Psychiatric Nursing Association, American Association of Critical Care Nurses, National Association of Pediatric Nurse Associates and Practitioners, National League For Nursing, etc.
Throughout this course you have been developing various sections of the research proposal. This week you will assemble the final proposal (addressing faculty feedback). This paper is to be developed in APA format/style using the required template and not to exceed 8-10 pages (excluding title page/references/appendices).
Criteria:
Introduction
Background and Significance of Problem
Statement of the Problem and Purpose of the Study
Literature Review
Summary of the Evidence for the Proposed Study
Research Question, Hypothesis, and Variables with Operational Definitions
Theoretical Framework
Overview and Guiding Propositions(s) Described in Theory
Application of Theory to Your Study’s/Project’s Focus
Methodology
Sample/Setting: Number and criteria for inclusion and description of place in which data will be collected.
Sampling Strategy
Research Design: Type (e.g., Quasi-Experimental), description, and rationale for selection.
Extraneous Variables (and plan for how controlled).
Instruments: Description, validity, and reliability estimates, which have been performed (on a pre-established measure). Include plans for testing validity and reliability of generating your own instrument(s).
Description of the Intervention
Data Collection Procedures
Data Analysis Plans
Describe plan for data analysis for demographic variables (descriptive statistical tests).
Describe plan for data analysis of study variables (descriptive and inferential statistical tests).
Ethical Issues
Describe ethical considerations and your plan to protect human rights.
Limitation of Proposed Study
Implications for Practice
References
Appendices
Informed Consent Letter
Procedure section is clear, described in detail, specific, and all inclusive. Written in lay language (as documented by reading level score). Includes risks and benefits relevant to study. Address assent (if applicable).
