NUR 504 Week 5 Complete Latest

Week 1 Q1 Discuss the differences between research, research utilization, and evidence­based practice. You may want to link this to the historical evolution of research in nursing. Nursing research simply defined is a “systematic process of inquiry that uses rigorous guidelines to produce unbiased, trustworthy answers to questions about nursing practice” ( Houser, 2018, p. 5). If there is a question that needs to be answered in regards to nursing, the question is posed and then the information is compiled in a systematic way in order to attempt to find the answer to the question being asked. Nursing research began with Florence Nightengale during the Crimean War. Nightengale, in her attempts to further nursing as a profession as well as offer better care to her patients, sought to answer questions in nursing practice in order to change and/or improve care. Research Utilization is defined as “the use of findings from a study or set of studies in a practical application that is unrelated to the original research” (Polit, 2016, p. 23). This is using research to better nursing practice. Research utilization began important in the 1970s and hospitals and universities began determining how to use the information gleaned by research in order to offer more quality care to the patients and have better patient outcome. More recently, Evidence Based Practice (EBP) has become what is used to make changes to nursing practice. Evidence based practice combines evidence, experience, and patient culture/values in order to offer more well rounded, patient centered care based on best possible outcomes. EBP also encourages disciplines within healthcare to work collaboratively in order to reach the goal of best patient outcomes (Polit, 2017, p 23). References: Houser, J.P. (2018). Nursing research: reading, using and creating evidence (4th ed.). Burlington:Jones and Barlett Learning, LLC. McEwen, M., & Wills, E.M. (2011). Theoretical basis for nursing (3rd ed.) Philadelphia,PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Polit, D.F., & Beck, C.T. (2012) Nursing research:Generating and assessing evidence for nursing practice (9th ed.).Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Week1 Q2 evidence for nursing practice (10th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. ISBN­13: 892 Quantitative research is associated with the positivist paradigm, using the scientific method to find empirical evidence to find predictable outcomes. Quantitative science is “measuring, analyzing, replicating, and applying the knowledge gained” (McEwen & Willis, 2014, p. 17). The researcher remains neutral and objective as to not influence the results, and has the belief that reality is orderly and has prior causes. Evidence Based Practice is more closely based on quantitative research (Polit & Beck, 2016, p. 13). Quantitative studies investigate concepts, constructs and variables to use deductive reasoning to gather data to determine relationships between the variables in question. The “science should incorporate methodological principles of objective observation / description, accurate measurement, quantification of variables, mathematical and statistical analysis, experimental methods, and verification through replication whenever possible” (McEwen & Willis, 2014, p. 17). Qualitative research is associated with the naturalistic or constructivism paradigm, where the researcher interacts in the field with the study participant, inquiring and rating their interactions. Grounded in the social sciences, qualitative methods challenge researchers to explain phenomena that defy quantitative measurement. Often their topic deals with the quality of the human experience and is subjective in nature, relying upon interviews and narratives describing feelings and life events of the informants, as opposed to the specific facts and figures of the quantitative studies. “Qualitative inquiry contains features of good science including theory and observation, logic, precision, clarity, and reproducibility” (McEwen & Willis, 2014, p. 18). The constructivist approaches reality as something that is not fixed, but instead, altered the interaction of the perception of the individual; as each individual is different, their ‘truth’ of reality will also differ, and therefore, there are multiple constructs of reality. Qualitative research is used to describe phenomena and concepts with descriptive theories based on inductive reasoning. Grounded in the social sciences, qualitative methods challenge researchers to explain phenomena that defy quantitative measurement. Whether one is better than the other may also have a subjective response, and the answer depends upon the topic of the study. When a quantitative study is well constructed and evidence has been rigorously gathered, it is difficult to argue against the validity of the outcome. The scientific mind in a nurse leans toward accepting as truth an outcome presented in numbers, as numbers are objective and straightforward in their answer. It is comforting to have a nice, neat result that can be proven with numbers. However, how does one place a numerical value on intangible and subjective human experiences, which are also extremely important to holistic nursing? This is where a qualitative study proves more effective in capturing the essence of those experiences, which appeals to the nurturing side of nursing care. Arguments can be made for each as superior over the other, but ultimately, the best method is the one that achieves the most accurate results to enable nurses to provide the best treatment and care possible for our patients. To achieve this, we need to use every available piece of gathered information, regardless of type. “Combining or triangulating methods can maximize the strengths and minimize the weaknesses of each method and should be encouraged. Integration of qualitative and quantitative methods has been suggested as one way to advance nursing science because research traditions from both paradigms are complementary although the approaches are different” (McEwen & Wills, 2014, p. 500). “The ultimate aim of disciplined research, regardless of the underlying paradigm, is to gain understanding about phenomena” (Polit & Beck, 2016, p. 13). References McEwen, M., & Wills, E. M. (2014). Theoretical basis for nursing (4th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Week 2 DQ1 Discuss sources of bias for both quantitative and qualitative research. For quantitative research, be sure to address both random and systematic bias. You may use examples from the articles you selected as illustrations of bias and/or preventing bias. Bias exists in both quantitative and qualitative research. Bias can be as a result of participants not being completely honest, personal bias from researchers in both choosing their sample as well as collecting narrative data, poor research design, and poor implementation of the research (Polit & Beck, 2016). Quantitative bias can also be separated into random and systemic bias. Random bias is when an assumption is made about the data (Polit & Beck, 2016). This often leads to an error in actual/exact reporting of information. For instance, in the case of a study where calorie counting is done via a food diary, participants may under or overestimate the portion size and calorie. A better way to measure would be to take pictures or exact portion measurements and allowing the researcher to calculate the appropriate values. Systemic bias would be a bias that taints the entire study, this could be wording that suggests certain reactions or answers. Answers would all be off in the same amount and same direction. Bias can be prevented in several ways. First, sampling needs to be done in a way that is truly random. Also, the larger the sample size is, the more accurate the results tend to be. Researchers should also take the time to examine their own bias before