Introduction to Nursing

Research
Mohammad Aloufi
Chapter Objectives
• By the end of this topic and with further reading and
research, you are expected to:
• Define nursing research, its purposes in nursing.
Outline the history and development of international
nursing research.
• Describe the Saudi nursing research movement.
• Differentiate between quantitative and qualitative research
paradigms.
• Describe systematic methods.
• Identify nurses' roles in research.
The international council of nursing defined
nursing in 2002 as
"Nursing encompasses autonomous and collaborative
care of individuals of all ages, families, groups and
communities, sick or well and in all settings. Nursing
includes the promotion of health, prevention of
illness, and the care of ill, disabled and dying people.
Advocacy, promotion of a safe environment, research,
participation in shaping health policy and in patient and
health systems management, and education are also key
nursing roles" (International Council of Nurses, 2002).
The second concept in this section is the
word "research".

Nursing research is a systematic inquiry designed to

develop trustworthy evidence about issues of
importance to the nursing profession, including nursing
practice, education, administration, and informatics
(Polit & Beck, 2014).
1.2 Research as Nursing Advancement Tool

• Healthcare system expansions correlate positively

toward nursing professional development and career
advancement. Research is one of the most important
tools to achieve this goal.
1.3 International and National Nursing Research
History

• From an international stand,

Florence Nightingale was the first
nurse who documented nursing
practice through her book "Notes
on Nursing" in 1859. The notes
initiated nursing queries and
research. The book is a description
of environmental factors and their
effects on human wellbeing.
The history is full of international nursing research milestones;
however, the following millstones could be the most important:
1.4 Saudi nursing research

From the national Saudi stand Arabian American Oil

Company established the nursing profession in 1948
(Aziz, 1956). In general, nursing research in Saudi Arabia
still under development. However, nursing research
production is increasing steadily.
 Saudi Nursing Research 1981-2020
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AXIS TITLE

600

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1981-1990 1990-2000 2000-2006 2010-2020
Series 1 5 21 98 970
The first Saudi nursing publication was published in the
American Journal of Nursing 1956
1.4. Paradigms of Quantitative and
Qualitative Researches
• In brief, quantitative research produces numerical data
(numbers) while qualitative research produces textual
information (qualities).
• If we face the research problem/ phenomena for the
first time, then we prefer to use qualitative approaches
to explore it. On the other hand, if the research
problem/ phenomena are generally understood, then
we use quantitative approaches to measure or explore
it in more numeric details.
1.4.1. Qualitative research
Qualitative research, helps researchers to structure non-
numerical data about participants'' beliefs, experiences,
and behaviors (Pathak, Jena, & Kalra, 2013). According
to Pope and Mays, qualitative research could be
categorized into three main types that are observational
studies, interview studies, and documentary/textual
analysis of various written records (Mays & Pope,
2000).
1.4.1. Qualitative research

The qualitative research approach starts with a broad

question such as what is the nursing students
experience in their first clinical day?

Answering this question requires meeting the students

during their clinical experience and asking them
questions to explore their experiences. Collected
information will produce rich descriptive data that
enable the researcher to understand those students'
experiences
1.4.2. Quantitative research

• Quantitative research is derived from the Positivism philosophy

where the objective reality is the accepted method of
evaluation.
• Quantitative research uses statistical data to investigate variables
of a phenomenon.
• For example, the relationship between nurses' continuous
learning hours and nurses' competency.
1.5. Nurses' Roles in Research

• Update nursing procedures and guidelines.

• Identify evidence-based practice.
• Research data collection.
• Attend research conferences or seminars.
• Disseminate nursing research results.
• Participate in nursing research which is the most important role that
professional nurses and nursing students must do.
• Review research proposals and give expert advice.
• Assist researchers to identify eligible study participants.
• Guide patients to participate in research studies.
Online Exercise 1:

Use the following keywords to identify published

Saudi nurses' research articles (Saudi Arabia;
Nursing; administration, oncology, cardiology,
education).

Please share your results with your colleagues.