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Quantitative Research Critique

Student’s Name

Institutional Affiliation
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Quantitative Research Critique

Introduction

In quantitative research, inquiry is done in an empirical and systematic manner, and

various approaches such as mathematical, computational, and statistical are employed in the

examination of observable phenomena. It also involves the deductible approach whereby a

hypothesis is formed based on the initial ideas. The researchers then design a research strategy

which they use to test this hypothesis. Quantitative research relies on data collection and analysis

to help in testing the hypotheses. Examples of data collection methods include questionnaires,

sampling techniques, and interviews. Measuring quantitative data is a key part of the research

process because it allows the researchers to connect the analytical expression of the quantitative

relationships and empirical observations. This type of research also relies on various study

designs such as quasi-experimental, cross-sectional surveys, descriptive and correctional designs.

The current paper is a critique of two quantitative research articles that discuss the issue of nurse

shortage. It is based on the PICOT question “what are the adverse patient and nurse outcome sin

understaffed facilities compared to well-staffed health care facilities ”

Background of the Study

Nurses in the modern health care system have a lot of work to do due to the

significant increase in the demand for health care services. They are subjected to long working

hours as they have to do long shifts as well as over time due to a shortage of nursing staff.

Various studies have shown that work overload has a negative effect on the well-being of health

care professionals. Furthermore, nursing shortage and the subsequent negative effects such as

burnout, and stress lead to negative patient outcomes (Cho et al., 2015). however, fewer studies
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concerning the issue of nursing shortage have been done in South Korea compared to western

countries such as the United States and Britain. Cho et al. (2015) conducted a study to investigate

the effect of nursing shortage, level of education, and work environment on patient outcomes in

South Korea, with a special focus on patient mortality.

In another study based in Taiwan, the researchers Lo et al. (2016) sought to examine

the relationship between nurse shortage and the occurrence of work-related injuries. Nurses who

work long hours become fatigued and are at a higher risk of developing work-related injuries

from needlestick and sharp objects. The study by Lo et al. (2016) establishes that these injuries

are prevalent in nursing practice and could lead to infections that put the lives of nurses at risk.

They also examined whether there is a link between nurses’ long working hours, the resulting

insomnia, and a higher prevalence of injuries.s The researchers add that there is little being done

by health care facility managers regarding these injuries and that most safety measures are

ineffective if the nurses are overworked and fatigued.

How the Articles Support the Nursing Practice Issue

Cho et al. (2015) research study reveals that the nurses’ working environment has a

significant impact on patient outcomes as seen in how it has contributed to a higher mortality rate

in South Korea. The researchers examined the nurse's work environment by asking about their

work experience and also looking at the turnover rates. Some nurses quit their jobs at the hospital

in less than a year, which is an indication of an unfavorable work environment. Some of the

factors identified as causes of the high turnover include working long shifts as well as overtime

hours, which is stressful to the nurses. These findings support the PICOT question for this

project because they show the relationship between nurses shortage and the quality of care

provided.
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Chronic insomnia is described as a sleep disorder that can have a negative impact on

the quality of life of the affected person. According to Lo et al. (2016), working long shifts and

overtime puts medical professionals at a higher risk of developing insomnia. A good

understanding of the factors that cause insomnia among nurses in Taiwan is needed to help them

improve their quality of life by attaining enough sleep. The researchers identified three types of

symptoms for insomnia which include difficulty falling asleep, waking up too early, and

difficulty in maintaining sleep (Lo et al., 2016). This study also identified other burden variables

for nurses in the workplace. This study also supports the PICOT question in this paper as it

demonstrates how nursing shortage leads to work overload and consequently insomnia, which

then affects patient outcomes.

Study Methodologies

The research study by Cho et al. (2015) involved 14 hospitals from South Korea

whereby data was collected from nursing staff as well as patient discharge data. 1024 nurses,

discharge data for 76,036 patients was used, and the hospitals had a total bed capacity of 700

beds. The researchers used logistic regression models to help them investigate the link between

the three nursing characteristics of staffing, education level, and work environments with patient

mortality. Data was collected through questionnaires that were given to the nurses while

admission data for the identified patients was also analyzed. The 14 hospital facilities that took

part in this study were selected randomly from an initial list of 47 hospitals.

On the other hand, Lo et al. (2016) study used a cross-sectional research design. The

participants for the study were 19,386 nurses drawn from 104 hospitals in Taiwan. The

researchers used anonymous questionnaires to collect data from the participants. The respondents

were asked to respond either yes or no on whether they had experienced chronic insomnia,
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injuries from needlesticks, and injuries from sharps within the past one year. The study also

applied multivariate logistic regression models to examine the impact of long working hours and

chronic insomnia on needlestick and sharps injuries.

Results of the Study

Risk-adjusted models used in the study by Cho et al. (2015) showed that the nursing

characteristics of education, staffing, and work environment contribute significantly to increased

patient mortality. The study found that for each 10% increase in the number of nurses with BSN

in a hospital there was a 9% decrease in patient mortality in that facility. In hospitals with a good

work environment, patient death was 48% lower compared to facilities with a mixed or poor

work environment. As for nurse staffing, and each addition of patient per nurse to the normal

nurse workload led to a 5% increase in patient death.

In the study by Lo et al. (2016) more than 70% of the nurses who participated

reported having worked for long hours in the previous week. 15.5% of the nurses reported

chronic insomnia while 38.8% reported injuries from sharps and 22.4% reported injuries from

needlestick. This shows that nurses shortage forces nurses to work long hours and exposes them

to increased risk of injuries as compared to those who work fewer hours.

Implications

These two studies highlight the existing nursing shortage in different parts of the

world. They show that nursing shortage has numerous adverse effects on both patient outcomes

and nurse well being as well. It is, therefore critical that the right steps and measures are taken to

attain the recommended nurse staffing, for all health care facilities because it leads to improved

service delivery and also protection of nurse well-being.

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Outcome Comparison

The results of Cho et al. (2015) study highlight the impact of the work environment,

education, and nursing staff on death patient. Patient mortality in hospitals can be reduced if

interventions such as increased staffing, improving the work environment, and employing

educated nurses are implemented. The other study finds that nurses in Taiwan get injured

because of working long hours and chronic insomnia (Lo et al., 2016). working for long hours

was identified as the primary cause of insomnia and the resulting injuries for nurses. The result

of the two quantitative research studies are similar in that they demonstrate the long-term effects

of nursing shortage on both nurses’ well-being and patient outcomes.

Conclusion

Nursing shortage calls for nurses to work overtime and also work long shifts, which

affects their well being as seen in stress and fatigue. These are some major causes of undesired

patient outcomes such as increased mortality rate, as well as nurse injuries. The two research

articles have been important in the PICOT question in this project because the researchers

examined the issues related to nursing shortage deeply.

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References

Cho, E., Sloane, D. M., Kim, E. Y., Kim, S., Choi, M., Yoo, I. Y., ... & Aiken, L. H. (2015).

Effects of nurse staffing, work environments, and education on patient mortality: an

observational study. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 52(2), 535-542.

Lo, W. Y., Chiou, S. T., Huang, N., & Chien, L. Y. (2016). Long work hours and chronic

insomnia are associated with needlestick and sharps injuries among hospital nurses

in Taiwan: a national survey. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 64, 130-136.