Chapter 18: Critical Appraisal of Nursing Studies

Chapter 18: Critical Appraisal of Nursing Studies

 

Complete Chapter Questions With Answers

 

Sample Questions Are Posted Below

 

MULTIPLE CHOICE

 

1. A reader of qualitative research notes that a study is identified as Heideggerian phenomenology. The purpose of the study was to explore the lived experience of the long-term process of separating from a longtime partner and subsequently marrying another person, and to elicit descriptions of the experience’s meaning. This topic is unexplored in the literature. The sample of 21 was randomly selected from 68 volunteers. Participants’ interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed, and then coded by two raters, whose inter-rater reliability was reported as 95%. The findings revealed that there was a lengthy period of adjustment following separation, and that participants filled this time by denying permanency, creating possibilities, appreciating silence, developing personal strengths, trusting, developing skepticism, “starting a new page,” and maintaining mental boundaries. The most immediate evaluative critique point about this article relates to which the following?

a.	It is not clear what the findings contribute to the current body of knowledge.
b.	The development and implementation of the study methodology is not congruent with its philosophical foundation.
c.	Tape-recording, transcription, and coding by two raters is not likely to capture the essence of this experience, without video-recording and participant observation.
d.	The findings do not seem to be a credible reflection of reality.

 

 

ANS:  B

Critical appraisal is not complete with making judgments about the validity of the study. Synthesis of the evaluative criteria for qualitative studies can be reframed as philosophical congruence, methodological coherence, intuitive comprehension, and intellectual contribution. Philosophical congruence is the problem here: parts of the development and implementation of the study (sample selection, data analysis) are not congruent with phenomenologic enquiry.

 

DIF:    Cognitive Level: Comprehension     REF:   Page 451

 

2. A nurse reader of qualitative research notes that a study is identified as grounded theory research. The topic of study is how women leave a violent relationship. The nurse reader herself has never been in a physically abusive relationship. She has, however, cared for several patients who have told her their personal stories, and she has a cousin who was in a physically abusive relationship for several months. Because of this, she has an immediate understanding and finds the results credible. What aspect of the evaluative criteria for qualitative research does this reflect?

a.	Intellectual contribution
b.	Intuitive comprehension
c.	Methodological coherence
d.	Philosophical congruence

 

 

ANS:  B

Critical appraisal is not complete with making judgments about the validity of the study. Synthesis of the evaluative criteria for qualitative studies can be reframed as philosophical congruence, methodological coherence, intuitive comprehension, and intellectual contribution. This particular phenomenon relates to intuitive comprehension.

1. Philosophical congruence: Were the development and implementation of the study congruent with the philosophical foundation of the study?
2. Methodological coherence: Did the data collection, analysis, and interpretation processes fit together to form a coherent approach to address the research problem?
3. Intuitive comprehension: Do the findings provide a credible reflection of reality and expand the reader’s comprehension of the study topic? If so, how can the findings be used in nursing practice?
4. Intellectual contribution: What do the findings contribute to the current body of knowledge?
5. State the conclusion of the critical appraisal of the study.

 

DIF:    Cognitive Level: Comprehension     REF:   Page 451

 

3. What is the most accurate statement related to a study’s strengths?

a.	A study’s strengths always involve a level of complexity—multiple research questions, many variables, many references.
b.	A study’s strengths are essentially the elements of the study that the researcher completed in accordance with the design of the study.
c.	A study’s strengths are determined by whether the research results are statistically significant or not.
d.	A study’s strengths are determined by the number of times the article is cited by other authors.

 

 

ANS:  B

The next step in critically appraising a quantitative study requires determining the strengths and weaknesses of the study. To determine the strengths and weaknesses of a study, the reader must have knowledge of what each step of the research process should be like from expert sources. Then the elements of the research process are compared with the actual study steps. One determines whether the researcher followed the rules for an ideal study.

 

DIF:    Cognitive Level: Analysis                REF:   Page 458

 

4. In deciding whether a framework is suited to a study, what is the principal question the reader must answer?

a.	Is a conceptual map provided?
b.	Is this the best framework for this study?
c.	Does the framework specify the study variables?
d.	Is this a theory or merely a framework?

 

 

ANS:  B

The questions a reader must ask are presented in this order:

1. Is the framework presented with clarity? If a model or conceptual map of the framework is present, is it adequate to explain the phenomenon of concern?
2. Is the framework linked to the research purpose? If not, would another framework fit more logically with the study?
3. Is the framework related to the body of knowledge in nursing and clinical practice?
4. If a proposition or relationship from a theory is to be tested, is the proposition clearly identified and linked to the study hypotheses

 

DIF:     Cognitive Level: Analysis         REF:    Page 458