Nursing Research Introduction

1. Introduction to Research
By:
Mr. Rahul Ranjan
Nursing Tutor, NNC
Sasaram, Bihar

2. Research
• The word research derived from the word Re means ‘once again’ search
means ‘to look for something or examine closely and carefully’, ‘to look for
information’, ‘to test and try’ or ‘to prove’.
• Research is a scientific, systemic, controlled, orderly and objective
investigation to develop, refine, and expand body of knowledge.
• Nursing research is defined as systemic search for the knowledge about
issue of importance to nursing. (Polit and Hungler, 2001)
• Nursing research is a way to identify new knowledge, improve
professional educational and practices and use of resouces effectively.
(ICN, 1986)

8. Terminology
• Nursing research: A systematic, objective, process of analyzing
phenomena of importance to nursing.
• Outcomes research: Research that examines the outcomes or
results of patient care interventions.
• Qualitative research: Research that is concerned with the
subjective meaning of an experience to an individual.
• Quantitative research: Research that is concerned with objectivity,
tight controls over the research situation, and the ability to generalize
findings

9. • Concept: "A general idea referring to a behavior or characteristic of
an individual, group, or nation". For example, pain, patient care,
coping, happiness, cleanliness, dignity…etc.
• Construct: "A concept specified in such a way that it is observable
in the real world, in order to facilitate testing of the idea". For
example, position, in real world has many different meanings in
gynecology, in surgery and in management.

10. • Conceptual definition: "The definition or description of the study
variables that is drawn from the theoretical or conceptual
framework".
• Operational definition: "The definition or description of a study
variable that specifies how it will be observed and measured in the
study."

11. • Assumption: "A statement of principles whose correctness has not
been proven, but is taken for granted on the basis of logical
reasoning". "health is a priority for all people“
• Hypothesis: "A statement of predicted or expected relationships
between the variables of the research (dep. & indep. variables)".
Hypothesis lead to empirical studies that are seeking to confirm or
disconfirm these predictions.

12. • Data: "Pieces of information that are collected as they pertain to the
study". The pieces of information or facts collected during a research
study.
• Limitations: "Weaknesses in a research“ Uncontrolled extraneous
variables, that limit the generalizability of the findings.
• Pilot study: "A small scale trial done in preparation of a major
research"

13. Types of Variables
• Variable: "A concept that is observable, measurable, and has a dimension that
can vary". For example, temperature is a variable that is observable, measurable,
and varies from high to low.
• 1. Dichotomous variables. 2. Attribute variable . 3. Active variables. 4. Dependent
and independent variables . 5. Extraneous variable
• Dichotomous variables: Variables that vary in only two values. For example:
Male Vs female. Alive Vs dead. Day Vs night.
• Attribute variable: A pre-existing characteristic or attribute such as age, sex
…etc. which the researcher simply observes and measures.

14. • Active variables: Variables that do not pre-exist, so, the researcher has to
create them. For example: If the researcher is testing the effectiveness of
4 drugs on blood pressure, here, all the four drugs are considered a
variable that varies among individuals. Where different ones are taking
different drugs: a, b, c or d.
• Dependent variable: The "effect"; a response or behavior that is
influenced by the independent variable; sometimes called the criterion
variable.
• Independent variable: The "cause" or the variable that is thought to
influence the dependent variable; in experimental research it is the
variable that is manipulated by the researcher.

15. • Validity: “Degree or extent to which the tool or instrument measures
what it is supposed to measure". For example, a ruler measures the
height not the weight, while the scale measures the weight not the
height.
• Reliability: “Degree or extent of consistency or dependability with
which a study tool measures the variable over time, by different
persons".

16. • Population: “Group of people who are going to be studied, and to whom
should the study result apply". For example, bed-side nurses are the
population in a research studying the factors affecting the nurse's
workload.
• Target population: The entire group of people or objects to which the
researcher wishes to generalize the findings of a study.
• Accessible population: The group of people or objects that is available to
the researcher for a particular study.
• Sample: "Are those persons – in the population- from whom data will be
actually collected, and from whom generalizations about the population will
be made".

17. • Research design: The overall plan for gathering data in a research
study.
• Manipulation: The independent or experimental variable is
controlled by the researcher to determine its effect on the dependent
variable.

18. • Cells: Boxes in a table that are formed by the intersection of rows
and columns.
• Columns: Vertical entries in a table.
• Rows: Horizontal entries in a table
• Research report: A written or oral summary of a research study
• Abstract (research abstracts). Brief summaries of research
studies; generally contain the purpose, methods, and major findings
of the study.

19. Evidence-Based Practice
• EBP in nursing is a process of locating, appraising and applying the best
evidence from the nursing and medical literature to improve the quality of
clinical nursing practices.
• Evidence-based practice requires using research outcomes to drive
clinical decisions and care. Nurses must base their work on the results of
research.
• Peer-reviewed, published data that is accepted by the nursing profession
as a whole provides guidance and establishes best practices in the field.

21. Types of Research
• Research used in evidence-based practice can be quantitative,
qualitative or both.
• From there, these two types can be divided into multiple categories.
• Understanding how nursing research can be categorized can help
you understand and interpret research results.

22. Cont..
• Quantitative research: Numbers, percentages and variables are
used to communicate results.
• Qualitative research: Findings take the form of thoughts,
perceptions and experiences.

23. Three Types of Quantitative Research:
• Descriptive research expresses the characteristics or traits of a
specific group, situation or individual. This type of research looks for
new conclusions and connections that can be made based on
observed traits.
• Quasi-experimental research looks at cause-and-effect
relationships between different variables.
• Correlational research considers the relationships among
variables, but does not draw a cause-and-effect relationship.

24. Five Types of Qualitative Research:
• Ethnography observes or provides analysis about cultural and social
customs and practices and how particular cultures understand disease and
health.
• Grounded theory is all about building theories in response to questions,
problems and observations.
• Symbolic interactionism studies personal interaction, communication
patterns, interpretations and reactions. These factors can influence how people
change their health practices over time.

25. • Historical research systematically reviews a topic, culture or group
and the subject’s history.
• Phenomenology uses personal experiences and insights to inform
the author’s conclusion

26. Characteristics of Good Research
• Orderly and systematic process
• Based on current professional issues
• Begin with clearly define objectives
• Emphasize to develop, refine and expand professional knowledge
• Finding solutions of a problem
• Use of appropriate methodology

27. • Conducted on representative sample
• Use of valid and reliable data collection tools
• Patiently carried out activity
• Carefully recorded and reported
• Researcher’s expertise, interest, motivation and courage

28. Thank You!

29. Bibliography
• Nursing Research & Statistics by Suresh K Sharma
• Google search
• http://nursebox.blogspot.com/2010/12/important-common-terms-in-
nursing.html