Practice of Nursing Research Appraisal Synthesis 7th Edition By Grove Burns - Test Bank

Practice of Nursing Research Appraisal Synthesis 7th Edition By Grove Burns – Test Bank

 

Instant Download – Complete Test Bank With Answers

 

 

Sample Questions Are Posted Below

 

Chapter 5: Research Problem and Purpose

Test Bank

 

MULTIPLE CHOICE

 

1. A researcher has conducted 9 clinical studies, some quantitative and others qualitative, all of which focus on depression’s relationship to perceived abandonment. “Depression’s relationship to perceived abandonment” is an example of which of the following?

a.	Research problem
b.	Research topic
c.	Research purpose
d.	Problem statement

 

 

ANS:  B

Research topics are concepts, phenomena of interest, or broad problem areas that researchers can focus on to enhance evidence-based nursing. A research problem is an area of concern where there is a gap in the knowledge base needed for nursing practice. Research topics contain numerous potential research problems, and each problem provides the basis for developing many research purposes. The problem statement identifies the specific gap in the knowledge needed for practice. A nursing situation often includes a variety of research topics or concepts.

 

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2. Why is replicating a research study essential for knowledge development?

a.	Each time a study is replicated, its probability of error decreases.
b.	Reproducing a study decreases theoretical knowledge, increasing real knowledge.
c.	Replication helps confirm that the initial results were not reached in error.
d.	Replication studies represent the majority of published nursing literature.

 

 

ANS:  C

Replication involves reproducing or repeating a study to determine if similar findings will be obtained. Replication is essential for knowledge development because it (1) establishes the credibility of the findings, (2) extends the generalizability of the findings over a range of instances and contexts, (3) reduces the number of type I and type II errors, (4) corrects the limitations in studies’ methodologies, (5) supports theory development, and (6) lessens the acceptance of erroneous results. Some researchers replicate studies because they agree with the findings and wonder if the findings will hold up in different settings with different subjects over time. Others want to challenge the findings or interpretations of prior investigators. However, the number of nursing studies replicated continues to be limited.

 

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3. A nurse researcher working in a subacute orthopedic hospital floor. She notes that her elders with knee replacements sleep as many as 16 hours a day, waking only for physical therapy and meals, but she also notices that those with many visitors sleep fewer hours and seem to experience more pain. She wonders whether sleep in elders after knee replacement prevents pain, or whether elders select the coping strategy of sleeping more, in response to pain, and begins to attempt to identify the relationship between the two. A literature search reveals only three descriptive studies on this topic, one quantitative and two qualitative. What is “the relationship between elders’ hours of sleep following knee replacement and its relationship with report of pain”?

a.	The research aim
b.	The research purpose
c.	The research problem
d.	The research topic

 

 

ANS:  C

Research topics are concepts, phenomena of interest, or broad problem areas that researchers can focus on to enhance evidence-based nursing. A research problem is an area of concern where there is a gap in the knowledge base needed for nursing practice. Research topics contain numerous potential research problems, and each problem provides the basis for developing many research purposes.

 

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4. A master’s student who works in cardiothoracic ICU reads a 20-year-old nursing research study; the findings document use of much larger per-kilogram amounts of opioids and anxiolytics postoperatively in adults with open-heart surgery, as opposed to children with open-heart surgery. The student strongly suspects that modern hospitals medicate children and adults more or less the same, on a per-kilogram basis. She decides to replicate the original research in her hospital. What type of replication is this?

a.	Exact replication
b.	Concurrent replication
c.	Systematic replication
d.	Approximate replication

 

 

ANS:  D

Replication involves reproducing or repeating a study to determine whether similar findings will be obtained. Four different types of replication are important in generating sound scientific knowledge for nursing: (1) exact, (2) approximate, (3) concurrent, and (4) systematic extension. An exact, or identical, replication involves duplicating the initial researcher’s study to confirm the original findings. All conditions of the original study must be maintained. An approximate, or operational, replication involves repeating the original study under similar conditions, following the methods as closely as possible. A concurrent, or internal, replication involves the collection of data for the original study and its simultaneous replication to provide a check of the reliability of the original study. A systematic extension or constructive replication is done under distinctly new conditions.

 

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5. A research study contains the question, “Can the application of twice-daily cortisone in the period from 6 to 10 weeks postoperatively produce significantly increased range of motion in 50- to 60-year-old rotator-cuff repair patients at the six-month mark?” The study is _____ research.

a.	Ethnographic
b.	Historical
c.	Experimental
d.	Basic

 

 

ANS:  C

Experimental studies are conducted in highly controlled settings and under highly controlled conditions to determine the effect of one or more independent variables on one or more dependent variables. An experimental research question takes the form of, “Does provision of increased A have an effect on B?” where the study variables are A and B, the relationship is a change in A and its effect on B, and the question ends with a question mark.

 

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6. A knowledge gap is identified by a nurse researcher. Which of the following may NOT necessarily represent a knowledge gap?

a.	A literature search that shows that no quantitative research, but only qualitative research, exists in the area.
b.	The National Institutes of Health (NIH) identify the area as one of research priority.
c.	The phenomenon of interest is a new disease, just identified in Phoenix, Arizona.
d.	There is one study examining a new intervention, but the research has not yet been replicated.

 

 

ANS:  A

The lack of quantitative research may mean only that the phenomenon or idea of the research is not suited for quantitative research, since some concepts are suitable only for qualitative enquiry. By questioning and reviewing the literature, researchers begin to recognize a specific area of concern and the knowledge gap that surrounds it. The knowledge gap, or what is not known about this clinical problem, determines the complexity and number of studies needed to generate essential knowledge for nursing practice. Since 1975, expert researchers, specialty groups, professional organizations, and funding agencies have identified nursing research priorities.

 

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7. Which of the following represents a concise, clear statement of the specific goal or aim of a research study?

a.	The research problem was identified as the general area of ignorance surrounding the causation and diagnosis of meningococcal meningitis, especially among soldiers in uniform, and this constituted a significant gap in the literature.
b.	The purpose of the project, then, was to define changes in the variable of hypertension across time, with the four most prevalent treatment modalities prescribed by primary care physicians in the greater Chicago area.
c.	The phenomenon of depression experienced by the primary schoolchild was focused upon in this study. It is an under-researched topic, especially since recent research has identified correlational links with childhood obesity, especially Hispanic and African-American populations.
d.	Despite the fact that studying the disease, especially from standpoints of prevention and early detection, is costly and time-consuming, it represents a clear priority, since treatment itself is remarkably costly and the afflicted are not likely to experience even short remissions without early intervention.

 

 

ANS:  B

The research purpose is a concise, clear statement of the specific goal or aim of the study that is generated from the research problem. A research problem is an area of concern where there is a gap in the knowledge base needed for nursing practice. Research topics are concepts, phenomena of interest, or broad problem areas that researchers can focus on to enhance evidence-based nursing. One source of research problems is research priorities identified by funding agencies and specialty groups.

 

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8. What is the relationship between a research topic and a research problem?

a.	The purpose is the most general statement; the research topic is the most specific to the research itself.
b.	Research topics contain numerous potential research problems, and each problem provides the basis for developing many purposes.
c.	The research topic and the research problem are identical.
d.	The research topic specifies setting and population, but the problem does not.

 

 

ANS:  A

Research topics are concepts, phenomena of interest, or broad problem areas that researchers can focus on to enhance evidence-based nursing. Research topics contain numerous potential research problems, and each problem provides the basis for developing many purposes. Thus, the identification of a relevant research topic and a challenging, significant problem can facilitate the development of numerous study purposes to direct a lifetime program of research.

 

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9. Which of the following is the practicing nurse’s most important source of researchable problems?

a.	The nurse’s own clinical practice
b.	Review of the literature
c.	Nursing theories
d.	Administrative mandates to conduct clinical research on every hospital unit

 

 

ANS:  A

The practice of nursing must be based on knowledge or evidence generated through research. Thus, clinical practice is an extremely important source for research problems. Problems can evolve from clinical observations. A review of patient records, treatment plans, and procedure manuals might reveal concerns or raise questions about practice that could be the basis for research problems.

 

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MULTIPLE RESPONSE

 

1. Which of the following are considered evidence-generating? (Select all that apply.)

a.	Replication of previous research
b.	Identification of research topics, followed by basic research
c.	Applied research studies that examine clinical response to interventions
d.	Reviews of the literature
e.	Qualitative research examining responses to diagnosis

 

 

ANS:  A, B, C, E

Research topics are concepts, phenomena of interest, or broad problem areas that researchers can focus on to enhance evidence-based nursing. However, the lack of replication studies severely limits the generation of sound research findings needed for evidence-based practice in nursing. Basic, or pure, research is a scientific investigation that involves the pursuit of “knowledge for knowledge’s sake,” or for the pleasure of learning and finding truth. The purpose of basic research is to generate and refine theory and build constructs; thus, the findings are frequently not directly useful in practice. Replication of previously conducted research is essential for knowledge development. By questioning and reviewing the literature, researchers begin to recognize a specific area of concern and the knowledge gap that surrounds it; however, review of the literature does not generate knowledge—it reviews previous knowledge. Questions focusing on investigating new techniques to improve existing skills, patient responses to techniques, or ways to educate patients and families to perform techniques. . . could add to knowledge needed for evidence-based practice.

 

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2. Reasons to conduct an exact replication include which of the following? (Select all that apply.)

a.	A different sample is used in the replication, because subjects seldom elect to undergo the same surgical procedure twice.
b.	The same site is again used, in order to decrease variation.
c.	Sample size was adequate, the design was strong, and measurements were robust.
d.	Validation of the truthfulness of the original subjects’ responses is desired.
e.	A similar population is used, in order to verify the findings.

 

 

ANS:  B, C, D

Four different types of replication are important in generating sound scientific knowledge for nursing: (1) exact, (2) approximate, (3) concurrent, and (4) systematic extension. An exact (or identical) replication involves duplicating the initial researcher’s study to confirm the original findings. All conditions of the original study must be maintained. Exact replications might be thought of as ideal to confirm original study findings, but these are frequently not attainable. In addition, one would not want to replicate the errors in an original study, such as small sample size, weak design, or poor-quality measurement methods.

 

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3. The American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) funds various research projects that focus on its research priorities. A master’s student wants to initiate research to study the relative accuracy of new computer-assisted assessment device that painlessly measures blood glucose values through a probe just distal to the insertion hub of a central line, in patients on insulin drips with hourly Accu-Chek readings. Does this pertain to any of the organization’s research priorities, listed here? (Select all that apply.)

a.	Technology use to achieve patient assessment, management, or outcomes
b.	Prevention and management of complications
c.	Processes and systems that foster the optimal contribution of critical care nurses
d.	Creation of a healing, humane environment
e.	Development of processes and systems that foster the optimal contribution of critical care nurses

 

 

ANS:  A, D

The American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) determined initial research priorities for this specialty in the early 1980s and revised these priorities based on patients needs and the changes in health care. The current AACN (2011) research priorities are identified on this organization’s website as (1) effective and appropriate use of technology to achieve optimal patient assessment, management, or outcomes; (2) creation of a healing, humane environment; (3) processes and systems that foster the optimal contribution of critical care nurses; (4) effective approaches to symptom management; and (5) prevention and management of complications. This research study uses technology. Also, it saves the patient from interruptions in sleep, as the nurse flushes a line and draws blood hourly, or performs hourly Accu-Cheks, if the line will not draw.

 

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4. “The purpose of the research will be, most likely, to document how admirable charitable efforts by The Children of the Land were terminated by the well-meaning Los Angeles Police Force.” What is incorrect about this wording? (Select all that apply.)

a.	A police organization cannot be named in a research purpose.
b.	A purpose should specify methodology.
c.	The terms admirable and well-meaning are both subjective.
d.	The purpose must identify the goal of the study, not the “most likely” goal.
e.	The purpose should be stated as “was” or “is” but not “will be.”

 

 

ANS:  C, D, E

The purpose is generated from the problem, identifies the goal or goals of the study, and directs the development of the study. In the research process, the purpose is usually stated after the problem, because the problem identifies the gap in knowledge in a selected area and the purpose clarifies the knowledge to be generated by the study. The research purpose must be stated objectively, that is, in a way that does not reflect particular biases or values of the researcher. Investigators who do not recognize their values might include their biases in the research. This can lead them to generate the answers they want or believe to be true and might add inaccurate information to a discipline’s body of knowledge.

 

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5. Children in publicly funded school breakfast programs often have learning delays. These are not readily attributable to single causes. Research on learning delays has revealed that family literacy, measured by parental reading level and comprehension scores, is the most powerful predictor of delay in the primary grades. On the other hand, repeated exposure to eyes-on reading, in the company of a trusted non-parent adult, has been shown to over-ride family literacy as a predictor. No research, however, has studied institution of a reading-and-breakfast program, delivered five days a week before school, intended to over-ride the variable of family literacy. Given this problem statement, which of these purposes would be appropriate for the study? (Select all that apply.)

a.	The purpose of the study was to determine whether providing volunteer readers during school breakfasts for all kindergarten and first-grade children would result in fewer than anticipated learning delays.
b.	The purpose of the study was to determine the lived experience of children with learning delays, against the context of school and home, and to examine the children’s peer relationships.
c.	The purpose of the study was to determine whether a buddy system of one sixth-grader, and one kindergartner or first-grader, who ate breakfast together and then read together for 20 minutes, was effective in decreasing the anticipated number learning delays.
d.	The purpose of the study was to experimentally determine what causes learning delays, by introducing various strategies already in place in community primary schools and measuring their effect, using basic research.
e.	The purpose of the study was to measure the effectiveness of using school computers, allowing children to visually scan a story concurrently read by a school teacher over the cafeteria microphone during school breakfast time, in decreasing the incidence and severity of learning delays.

 

 

ANS:  A, C, E

The problem statement identifies the specific gap in the knowledge needed for practice. Each problem may generate many research purposes. The research purpose is a clear, concise statement of the specific goal or aim of the study that is generated from the research problem. The purpose usually indicates the type of study to be conducted and often includes the variables, population, and setting for the study.

 

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6. In determining a study’s feasibility, which of the following statements are true, regarding the time needed for study completion? (Select all that apply.)

a.	Some data collection must be performed over an extended period of time, such as measurements of the depth and extent of scar tissue over 18 months.
b.	Sufficient subjects meeting the study criteria may be difficult to access, requiring data collection that extends for months or even years.
c.	The inflationary spiral makes all research funding inadequate.
d.	Computerized records make data analysis much less time-consuming.
e.	Obtaining Institutional Review Board (IRB. approval may be time-consuming, especially if the research uses more than one hospital or agency.

 

 

ANS:  A, B, E

 

One can approximate the time needed to complete a study by assessing the following factors: (1) type and number of subjects needed, (2) number and complexity of the variables to be studied, (3) methods for measuring the variables (are instruments available to measure the variables, or must they be developed?), (4) methods for collecting data, and (5) the data analysis process. Another factor that can increase the time needed for a study is obtaining institutional review board (IRB) approval, especially if more than one clinical agency is used for data collection in a study. Not all research funding is inadequate. Computerized records may be easier or may be more difficult for data retrieval; however, data analysis is not affected by the existence of computerized data.

 

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7. How do seasoned nurse researchers, years away from clinical practice, select meaningful research questions? (Select all that apply.)

a.	They continue to conduct research in the same general areas in which they have previously conducted research, with one project leading into the next.
b.	They cannot do so, because they are not working bedside nurses.
c.	They establish working relationships with clinical nurses, sharing authorship of research publications.
d.	They collaborate with novice researchers who are closer to the clinical world.
e.	They use research methods that allow data collection through only observation.

 

 

ANS:  A, C, D

Interactions with researchers and peers offer valuable opportunities for generating research problems. Experienced researchers serve as mentors and help novice researchers to identify research topics and formulate problems. This type of relationship could also be developed between an expert researcher and a nurse clinician. Since nursing research is critical to be designated as a Magnet facility, hospitals and healthcare systems employ nurse researchers for the purpose of guiding studies conducted by staff nurses. Building an evidence-based practice for nursing requires collaboration between nurse researchers and clinicians, as well as collaboration with researchers from other health-related disciplines. During data collection, study variables are measured through a variety of techniques, such as observation, interview, questionnaires, scales, and physiological measurement methods.

 

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8. A master’s student does not know how to choose a research problem. She has been off work for the past two years. What sources can she use in order to identify a researchable nursing problem? Her work area used to be trauma nursing, but she does not wish to perform research in this area. By using which of the following sources can she identify a nursing research problem? (Select all that apply.)

a.	Talking with nurse friends about questions that have arisen in their work areas
b.	Talking with other master’s students about ideas for study
c.	Reading professional research journals
d.	Depending on her instructors to provide a research problem for her
e.	National Institutes for Nursing Research priorities

 

 

ANS:  A, B, C, E

The major sources for nursing research problems include nursing practice; researcher and peer interactions; literature review; theories; and research priorities identified by individuals, specialty groups, professional organizations, and funding agencies.

 

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9. What is the relationship among the research problem, the research purpose, and the research question? (Select all that apply.)

a.	The purpose is but one of many purposes that can be generated from one particular problem statement.
b.	The problem statement is more focused and specific than is the purpose.
c.	The research purpose and the research question should address the same facet of the research problem.
d.	The problem, purpose, and question are all focused upon a specific gap in the knowledge base.
e.	Research can be conducted without a research question, but not without a research purpose.

 

 

ANS:  A, C, D

A research problem is an area of concern where there is a gap in the knowledge based needed for nursing practice. A research problem includes significance, background, and a problem statement. The problem statement identifies the specific gap in the knowledge needed for practice. The research purpose is a clear, concise statement of the specific goal or aim of the study that is generated from the research problem, so the purpose is usually identified after the research purpose is identified. Consequently, more than one purpose can emanate from a given problem statement. Based on the research purpose, specific research objectives, questions, or hypotheses are developed to direct the study.

 

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10. A researcher gains support of the medical staff, the nursing staff, and the nurse manager of a cardiothoracic ICU within a prestigious private hospital, aligned with a teaching institution. A research proposal, concerning ambulation patterns after bypass surgery, is approved by the Human Subjects Committee. Federal funding is obtained. Just before data collection is to begin, the hospital is sold to a large university with a medical school, the nurse manager is replaced with a manger from another hospital in the corporation, and there is a 30% staff turnover. Choose the factors that are real concerns and could impact feasibility. (Select all that apply.)

a.	Most of the newly hired nurses are BSNs and newly graduated.
b.	The new manager grudgingly allows the research to proceed but makes it clear that she will not support subsequent research until the unit is more stable.
c.	Fewer patients come to this hospital now for bypass surgery, going instead to its sister hospital across town.
d.	Two of the research assistants, who were already trained, take jobs elsewhere.
e.	Staff nurses dislike the new manager and miss the old one.

 

 

ANS:  B, C, D

The feasibility of a study is determined by examining the time and money commitment; the researcher’s expertise; availability of subjects, facility, and equipment; cooperation of others; and the study’s ethical considerations. A study might appear feasible but, without the cooperation of others, it is not. However, most nursing studies involve human subjects and are conducted in hospitals, clinics, schools, offices, or homes. Having the cooperation of people in the research setting, the subjects, and the research assistants involved in data collection is essential. People are frequently willing to cooperate with a study if they view the problem and purpose as significant or if they are personally interested.

 

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11. A master’s student decides to conduct a pilot study in order to help with which of the following? (Select all that apply.)

a.	Assess working nurses’ responses to having a researcher collect data in the middle of their unit.
b.	Re-evaluate the actual expenditure of the researcher’s time for each subject consented and studied.
c.	Allow potential subjects to sample research participation before they fully commit.
d.	Apply for Human Subjects permission to perform the actual study.
e.	Determine whether the research side has enough research subjects who are interested in participating in the research.

 

 

ANS:  A

A pilot study is commonly defined as a smaller version of a proposed study conducted to refine the methodology. It is developed much like the proposed study, using similar subjects, the same setting, the same treatment, and the same data collection and analysis techniques. As the research problem and purpose increase in clarity and conciseness, the researcher has greater direction in determining the feasibility of a study. The feasibility of a study is determined by examining the time and money commitment; the researcher’s expertise; availability of subjects, facility, and equipment; cooperation of others; and the study’s ethical considerations. The purpose selected for investigation must be ethical, and Human Subjects permission must be obtained before even a pilot study is conducted. A pilot study is not used to allow potential subjects to sample participation before they commit: Human Subjects permission must be obtained before study participation.

 

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Grove: The Practice of Nursing Research, 7th Edition

 

Chapter 05: Research Problem and Purpose

 

Instructor’s Manual

 

CHAPTER PURPOSE

 

This chapter differentiates a research problem from a purpose, identifies sources for research problems, and provides a background for formulating a problem and purpose for a study. The criteria for determining the feasibility of a study are also examined. The chapter concludes with examples of quantitative, qualitative, outcomes, and intervention research topics, problems, and purposes.

 

OBJECTIVES

 

1. Define the concepts of research topic, problem, and purpose.
2. Describe the sources of research problems.
3. Describe the types of replication used in nursing research and their contribution to nursing knowledge.
4. Describe the importance of the research problem and purpose in conducting a study.
5. Examine the time and money commitment; the researcher’s expertise; the availability of subjects, facility, and equipment; the cooperation of others; and the study’s ethical considerations to determine the feasibility of conducting a study.
6. Differentiate the problem and purpose in examples of quantitative, qualitative, outcomes, and intervention studies.
7. Formulate a research problem and purpose for a study.

 

KEY TERMS

 

Background for a research problem

Feasibility of a study

Problem statement

Replication of studies

Approximate replication

Concurrent replication

Exact replication

Systematic replication

Research problem

Research purpose

Research topic

Significance of a problem

 

 

 

 

LEARNING ACTIVITIES

 

In-Class Activities

 

1. Describe two elements that are examined to determine the feasibility of a study with a study article provided. (Use the Padula article cited in Chapter 3, or provide students with a different copy of a published nursing study. The references in Chapter 5 of The Practice of Nursing Research include possible studies.)

 

2. In class, provide copies of the article cited below and identify its problem and purpose. If the problem and purpose are not clearly stated, ask students to restate them in their own words. Clarify the difference between the problem and the purpose.

Study: Feeley, N., Zelkowitz, P., Cormier, C., Charbonneau, L., Lacroix, A, & Papageorgiou, A. (2011). Post-traumatic stress among mothers of very low birth weight at six months after discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit. Applied Nursing Research, 24, 114–117.

 

3. From the same article above, review the introduction section and critique the significance, background, and problem statement of the problem and the purpose.

 

Online Activities

 

1. In an online discussion, have students post their viewpoints on the question, “What makes a particular research problem significant?” Have them review one another’s posts and then post a summary of analysis of their peers’ viewpoints.

 

2. In an online discussion, have students post their viewpoints on the question, “What factors are examined to determine feasibility of a study?”

(As an alternative approach, if you offer both online and on-site weeks, you can have students draft their posts and bring them to the next class for an in-class discussion or a continuation of the online discussion).

 

At-Home Self-Paced Learning Activities

 

1. How might you determine whether a problem you have identified in practice is a research priority for the profession of nursing? Begin by examining the research priorities listed in this chapter, as well as the health care agencies cited below.

 

2. Visit the website for the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE), which provides a discussion of its research priorities online at http://www.aone.org/education/index.shtml. One of its strategic priorities is Leadership. Analyze why and how leadership is important for further study. (Primary focus: AONE encourages research focused on evidence-based leadership capacity, measurement of patient care quality outcomes, and technology to complement patient care.)
3. Visit the website for the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) located at www.aacn.org. At this site, search for “research priorities.” If your specialty is critical care, this website might assist you in identifying a priority problem and purpose for study.

 

EVALUATION STRATEGIES

 

These evaluation strategies may be used to stimulate in-class discussion and improve understanding of the content presented in this chapter, or may be used as a graded assignment (online or in class).

 

1. How do the problem and purpose for the following research types differ? Fill in the table below.

	Quantitative	Qualitative	Outcomes	Intervention
Problem:
Purpose:

 

2. Provide students with a published study and have them complete the following table:

Type of Study	Research Topic(s)	Research Problem	Research Purpose

 

Fill-in/Matching Questions

 

3. The purpose statement identifies the ______ and _________ of the study.

 

1. Design and sample
2. Problem and measurement methods
3. Variables and population*
4. Setting and statistics
5. Which descriptions match to the three terms listed below?

 

Descriptions

 

1. Clear, concise statement of the goal of a study
2. Theoretical basis for a study
3. Theoretical, organizing structure for a study
4. Concept or broad problem area
5. Gap in the knowledge needed for practice

 

Terms

Research topic (d)

Research problem (e)

Research purpose (a)