Nursing ResearchNursing ResearchA BeginningA Beginning

Professor Lisa High

University of Windsor

Introduction to Nursing ResearchIntroduction to Nursing Research

Welcome to the world of “NURSING RESEARCH”

Learning a unique new language Incorporating new rules Expansion of your perceptions and methods of reasoning

Nursing ResearchNursing Research

Hallmark of any profession Search for new and unique body of knowledge

Who was the first researcher is nursing? What did the research involve?

How does the CNO fit into the practice of research?

Definition of Nursing ResearchDefinition of Nursing Research

Root meaning:

(1)

(2)

More specifically:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

What is the significance of Nursing Research

Primary goal – to develop a scientific knowledge base for nursing practice.

Significance/Value:

(1) Description

(2) Explanation

(3) Prediction

(4) Control

What Research Contributes ToWhat Research Contributes To

To acquire knowledge To build a theory base To validate reality To test reality A way of understanding the empirical world To test/confirm/refute a premise

Importance of Nursing ResearchImportance of Nursing Research

Continued improvement in patient care Evidence-based practice Reinforcement of nursing as a profession Today in this “cost containment” healthcare system to

document relevance and effectiveness of nursing practice To understand the varied dimensions of the profession To describe the characteristics of specific nursing

situations To explain phenomena To initiate activities to promote desired patient outcomes

What is the Nurses Role?What is the Nurses Role?

Every nurse is responsible (CNO Practice Standards)

What is “research utilization”?

Nursing Research: Past, Present and Nursing Research: Past, Present and FutureFuture

Florence Nightingale – Notes on Nursing (1859) 1900 and 1940’s – focused on problems confronting nurses most studies on nursing education 1950’s – established the Nursing Research Journal in US To study clinical topics/clinical nursing problems Canadian Journal of Nursing Research – 1969 1970’s – need additional communication outlets – additional

journals – Advanced Nursing Science - Research in Nursing & Health - Western Journal of Nursing Research - Journal of Advanced Nursing

Nursing Research: Past, Present and Nursing Research: Past, Present and FutureFuture

1970’s cont’d – shift to teaching, administration and nurses themselves to the improvement of patient care

1980’s – 1st review of the Annual Review of Nursing Research

- Federal funding – Canada - National Health Research Dept.

- US – National Center for Nursing Research

- new journal – Applied Nursing Research

- McMaster – clinical learning strategy developed – EBM

Nursing Research: Past, Present and Nursing Research: Past, Present and FutureFuture

1990’s – National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)

- Canadian Health Services Research Foundation (CHSRF)

- Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)

- several more journals were introduced

Future Directions for Nursing Future Directions for Nursing ResearchResearch

Increased focus on outcomes research

Promotion of evidence-based practice

Development of a stronger knowledge base through multiple confirmatory strategies = REPLICATION

Greater emphasis on “Integrative Reviews”

Involvement of “Transdisciplinary research”

Outcomes research (performance indicator, benchmarking)

Emphasis on the visibility of nursing research

Expanded dissemination of research findings

Sources of Knowledge - Ways of Sources of Knowledge - Ways of Acquiring KnowledgeAcquiring Knowledge

Eight Methods: - tradition - authority - borrowing - trial and error - assemble information - personal/clinical experience - intuition - logical reasoning - disciplined research

Reasoning – What is it?Reasoning – What is it?

Definition –

Stevens (1994) identified 4 patterns of reasoning:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

Two Types of Logical ReasoningTwo Types of Logical Reasoning

(1) DEDUCTIVE -

(2) INDUCTIVE -

Thinking in NursingThinking in Nursing

Nursing thought flows along a continuum of both –

(a) Concrete thinking –

(a) Abstract thinking –

Thinking in NursingThinking in Nursing

3 major abstract thought process:

(1)

(2)

(3)

ParadigmsParadigms

What is a paradigm:

Paradigms for Nursing ResearchParadigms for Nursing Research

QUALITATIVE:

QUANTITATVE:

ParadigmsParadigms QUANTITATIVE

Positivist or post-positivist paradigm

Assumption: reality can be studied and known

Hard science Focus: usually concise Reductionistic Objective Reasoning: logistic, deductive Basis of knowing: cause & effect

relationships Tests theory Control Instruments Basic element of analysis: numbers Statistical analysis Generalization

QUALITATIVE Naturalistic paradigm Soft science Focus: usually broad Holistic Subjective Reasoning: dialectic, inductive Basis of knowing: meaning,

discovery Shared interpretation Communication and observation Basic element of analysis: words Individual interpretations Uniqueness

Paradigms & MethodsParadigms & Methods

“research method” – techniques used to structure a study, to gather and to analyze information relevant to a research question

Quantitative and qualitative researchers use different approaches – to answer different questions

Scientific Method & Quantitative Scientific Method & Quantitative ResearchResearch

Scientific Method:

General set of orderly, discipline procedures

Empirical evidence- Systematic fashion of data collection- A series of steps used by the researcher via of a pre-

specified plan of action- Use mechanisms to control the study- Minimizes biases- Precision and validity are maximized

Scientific Method & Qualitative ResearchScientific Method & Qualitative Research

Scientific Method:

- Human complexity/depth of humans- Idea of truth is a composite of realities- Focus on the dynamic, holistic and individual aspects- Flexible, evolving procedures- Findings emerge over the course of the research- Analysis progresses concurrently- Researcher sifts through information, gain insight, new

questions emerge

Paradigms Common FeaturesParadigms Common Features

Ultimate goals – knowledge

External evidence – gather and analyze evidence empirically

Reliance on human cooperation – human study participants

Ethical constraints – research that involves human beings is guided by ethical principles

Fallibility of disciplined research – all studies in either paradigm have limitations, involves trade offs and decisions

Purpose of Qualitative &Quantitative Purpose of Qualitative &Quantitative ResearchResearch

Specific Purposes:

(1) Identification

(2) Description

(3) Exploration

(4) Explanation

(5) Prediction and Control

Basic & Applied ResearchBasic & Applied Research

Basic research: undertaken to accumulate information, extending the base of knowledge in a discipline – why?

Pure science (ie. Bench scientists/natural science)

Applied research: focuses on finding an immediate solution to an existing problem – what is the goal?

Clinical science (ie. Practice setting, practice setting)

Understanding the “Research Process”Understanding the “Research Process”

Quantitative

Experimental

Non-experimental

Qualitative

Grounded Theory

Phenomenology

Ethnography

Understanding the “Research Process”Understanding the “Research Process” Major Steps – Quantitative:

Phase I – Conceptual Phase

Phase II - Design and Planning Phase

Phase III - Empirical Phase

Phase IV - Analytic Phase

Phase V - Dissemination Phase

Understanding the “Research Process”Understanding the “Research Process”

Major Steps – Qualitative:

Identifying a research problem

Doing a literature review

Selecting and gaining entry into research sites

Designing qualitative studies

Addressing ethical issues