Research in Nursing

Research in Nursing Weekly Discussions

Week 1

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.

Week 2

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?

Week 3

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 how this quantitative research design could be used in nursing practice to solve a clinical problem (not one noted in your textbook).

Week 4

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?

Week 5

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. The example can be one you created or one from an actual study. Include the primary goal/purpose of the descriptive or analytical study, design type in the category chosen, uses of analytic or descriptive type, at least one advantage and disadvantage of the design type.

Week 6

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 source.

Week 7

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.

Week 8

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?

Week 9

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. In the research simulation activity, which character(s) did you play? How did you feel during the simulation experience? What did your character do well? What did your character not do well and what sense can you make of the researcher’s behavior? What else could your character have done? If this situation would occur again how might you handle it? What resources would you use for guidance and support? What did you learn about ethical principles in research?

In an asynchronous online class, the discussion board takes the place of the in-class discussions and lectures you might have during an in-person, synchronous class.  It is a very important element of the learning process.  It is NOT just an exercise in submitting something and checking off a task.  I expect that you will put effort into your discussion board posts and present a scholarly product.  You should thoroughly address the discussion prompt questions and provide scholarly support (NOT INTERNET SITES) for all of your posts.