NR449 W2: The Research Process and Sources of Evidence

• Study notes for Chapters 2, 4, 5

Chapter 2: The Research Process and Ways of Knowing

• The primary reason to conduct a thorough search of the literature before starting a research study is to avoid duplication of existing research.
• The first step in the research process is formulating a research question.
• Data storage is NOT a component of the research process.
• In research, reliability primarily refers to the consistency of results over time.
• The purpose of a researcher's hypothesis in a study is to provide a framework for the study design.
• "Ways of knowing" in nursing research best describes sources of knowledge used to guide practice and inquiry.
• A key characteristic of qualitative research is its focus on understanding human experience in natural settings.
• Experimental research is most commonly used to investigate the effectiveness of interventions in nursing practice.

Chapter 4: Finding Problems and Writing Questions

• A key feature of a researchable question in the nursing field is that it should be focused and feasible for investigation.
• The question should be clear and specific when writing a research question.
• A nurse should first review literature to find gaps in knowledge or care in order to identify an evidence-based practice problem.
• The purpose of conducting a needs assessment identifies gaps in care that require improvements when identifying a research problem.
• The PICO framework for developing a research question is best described as Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome.
• The impact of nurse staffing on patient outcomes is an example of a quantitative research question.
• Clinical relevance to nursing practice is a primary consideration when formulating a research problem in nursing.
• The most critical element to evaluate when reviewing a research problem is whether the problem is significant to nursing practice.
• The focus when formulating a clinical question for research should be on investigating a gap in the current evidence base.
• "What are the experiences of nurses in a hospital setting?" is NOT an example of a well-defined research question.
• A research question should address a critical aspect of patient care in nursing.

Chapter 5: The Successful Literature Review

• The primary goal of a literature review is to summarize existing research and identify gaps in knowledge.
• A successful literature review includes both qualitative and quantitative studies.
• A benefit of conducting a thorough literature review is that it provides justification for the research question.
• The first step in conducting a successful literature review is identifying key search terms.
• When critically appraising a research article, the relevance of the research to current practice should be examined.
• The role of the literature review is to inform the research question and theoretical framework.
• Too much research to review is a potential challenge when conducting a literature review.
• PubMed is commonly used to find peer-reviewed nursing articles for a literature review.
• When writing a literature review, it is important to critically analyze both supporting and opposing research findings.
• The key benefit of using a systematic approach to literature review is ensuring an exhaustive search of all available studies.