NURSING RESEARCH
study before actual data are collected.
NCM 111 – LEC
Juliet Hipolito
Week 2
INTRODUCTION OF NURSING RESEARCH
OBJECTIVES
• At the conclusion of this unit, the learner will be
able to:
• Discuss the historical evolution of nursing
research.
• Explain the methods of acquiring knowledge.
• Mention the steps in scientific method.
• Define research and nursing research.
• Enumerate the characteristics and purpose of
research.
• Identify the problems in nursing research,
• Discuss the role of a nurse in Research process.
Introduction
• Research is a new world to many of you. A
proper understanding of this world can
contribute the delivery of quality of nursing
care. This chapter provides a broad
explanation of the world of nursing research.
The word 'research' means Research i.e., 'to
search again' and 'to examine carefully.
• Research is a systematic study that indicates
planning, organizing and persistence. The
ultimate goal of research is the development of
a research body of knowledge for a discipline
or profession, such as nursing. Nursing research
is also needed to generate knowledge about
nursing education, nursing administration, health
care services, and nursing roles. In this chapter,
nursing research is defined as a scientific
process that validates and refines existing
knowledge and generates new knowledge that
directly and indirectly influences nursing
practice.
Basic Research Terms
• Nursing Research is defined as the systematic,
objective process of analyzing phenomena of
importance to nursing.
• Empirical data is the data gathered through
the senses.
• Evidence-based practice means that nurses
make a clinical decision based on research
evidence.
• Research utilization focuses on implementation
of findings from specific research studies.
• Informed consent means that the subject
agrees to participate in the study.
GARLIT, TONI A.
• Pilot study is the miniature trial version of the
• Data is the piece of information collected
during the study.
Historical Evolution of Research in Nursing
• We often think that research is new to the field
of nursing. But it is not so. Reviewing the history
of research helps to understand the current
status and to plan for the future of nursing
research. Long and interesting historical events
have influenced the development of nursing
research over the years. In the beginning,
quantitative research was used and, later on,
the qualitative research in order to get the
holistic understanding of the nursing
phenomena. The historical developments of the
nursing research are the following.
Florence Nightingale (1859)
• The first historical development in nursing
research is the work of Florence Nightingale.
Her work is significant because it marked as
the beginning of nursing research. Nightingale
collected and analyzed the motricity and
mortality of the soldiers in the Crimean war.
Her notes on nursing (1859) are described as
her research activities.
NURSING RESEARCH (1900-1970)
• The American Journal of Nursing was published
in 1900
• First doctoral program for nurses was launched
in 1923
• Nursing Research was published in 1952
• International Journal of Nursing Studies was
published in 1963
• ANA Council of Nurse Researchers was
established in 1970
NURSING RESEARCH (1970-2005)
• First Nursing Diagnosis Conference was held in
1973
• Western Journal of Nursing was first published
in 1979
• Annual Review of Nursing Research was first
published in 1983 . Agency for Health Care
Policy and Research was established in 1989
• Journal of Nursing Measurement was first
published in 1993
 • Qualitative Health Research was first published
in 1994
• Evidence based Nursing was first published in
2004
METHODS OF ACQUIRING KNOWLEDGE
Knowledge means an essential information acquired in
a variety of ways, expected to be an accurate
reflection of reality. The common methods of acquiring
knowledge are:
• Tradition
It includes the truth or beliefs that are based on the
customs and trends. Traditions can positively influence
nursing practice because they were developed from
effective past experiences.
• Authority
A person with expertise and power, who is able to
influence opinion and behavior. Students usually get
knowledge from the Instructors or authorities.
• Borrowing
It is one of the most common methods of acquiring
knowledge. Information borrowed from other
disciplines, such psychology, sociology, medicine, etc.
• Trial and Error
This method is also used to acquire knowledge.
However, it may be a time-consuming method. Mainly
knowledge acquired through trial and error.
• Personal experience
It enables the nurse to gain skills and expertise by
providing care to patients and families in clinical
setting.
• Role modeling
Knowledge is acquired by imitating the behavior of an
expert, such as teachers or any professional.
• Intuition
It is an insight or understanding to the situation which
cannot be explained logically.
• Reasoning
It is the process of organizing the ideas in order to
reach the conclusion.
Problem Solving
• Problem-solving is a method of gaining
knowledge regarding a specific topic. It
involves the systematic identification of a
problem, determination of goals related to the
GARLIT, TONI A.
problems, identification of the possible
approaches to solve the problem,
implementation of the approaches and
evaluation of the goal achievement. We can
compare the problem-solving with the steps in
the nursing process.
Definition - "Research essentially is a problem-solving
process, a systematic, intensive study directed towards
full, scientific knowledge of the subject studied."
• Ruth M French (1968)
STEPS IN PROBLEM SOLVING METHOD
Probl em definition (Identify the problem and write it down)
Ana lyze the problem
Identify the possible solutions
Ana lyze the s olution
Sel ect the best solution
Implement the solution
Eva l uate the problem
SCIENTIFIC METHOD
• Scientific method is the systematic method to
acquire knowledge. It finds out some order in
which the things are related together. Scientific
method implies an objective, logical and
systematic method, i.e., a method free from
personal bias or prejudice. It is self-corrective
in nature.
Definition
• Scientific methods are defined as controlled
systematic investigations that are rooted in
objective reality and aimed to develop
general knowledge about natural phenomena.
CHARACTERISTICS OF SCIENTIFIC METHOD
• Objectivity
• Validity
• Systematic process
• Reliability
• Testability
• Based on empirical evidence
• Objectivity
• Validity
• Systematic process
• Reliability
• Testability
• Based on empirical evidence

STEPS IN SCIENTIFIC METHOD
Fi nd out the relevant data
Revi ew the related literature
Cons truct hypothesis
Identify the study population and find out the method
Col l ect the data
Ana lyze the data
RESEARCH
• The word 'research' comes from the two words:
“RE” meaning “again and again”, and “search”
meaning finding out something new.
• Research in nursing is a careful, critical,
exhaustive investigation of a problem or to
discover new fact or verifying the old facts
through hypotheses testing.
Definition of Terms
• "Research is systematically searching for new
facts and relationship.”
o Notter
• "Research is systematic inquiry that uses
disciplined method to answer questions or solve
problems."
o Polit and T Beck
• "Research is a careful inquiry or examination in
seeking facts or principles, a diligent
investigation to ascertain something"
o Webster's New International
Dictionary
• "Research is considered to be the formal
systematic intensive process of carrying that the
scientific methods of analysis; IT involves a
more systematic structure of investigation
usually resulting in some sort of formal record
of procedures and a report of results of
conclusions.”
o CC Crawford
• "Research essentially is a problem solving
process a systematic, intensive study directed
towards full scientific knowledge For subject
studies.”
o Ruth M French
NURSING RESEARCH
• N - Nurturing clients
• U - Understanding clients with empathy
• R - Reviewing clients' problems to select
priority
• S - Systematically planned nursing protocol
• I - Interventions are based on rationale
• N - Need for more nursing theories
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• G - Generalized research findings are applied
• R - Rational way of thinking
• E - Exploratory, evaluative and experimental
• S - Survey is to search for facts
• E - Empirical
• A - Analysis of data
• R - Review of literature is essential
• C - Confirmed facts are communicated
• H - High standard of nursing is assured
CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD RESEARCH
• Good research is systematic
• Good research is logical
• Good research is empirical
• Good research is replicable
PURPOSES OF RESEARCH
• Identification
o To examine the phenomena about what
Is known and what is unknown .
• Description
o To understand the nature of nursing
phenomena and sometimes the
relationship among these phenomena .
• Explanation
o To explain the nature of relationship
• Exploration
o To explore the relationship about the
phenomena and identify the extent of
the relationship
• Prediction and Control
o Research helps to predict and control to
produce the desired outcome
KINDS OF RESEARCH
1. Quantitative Research and Qualitative Research
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
• This type of research, data is collected in
numerical form and analyzed by using
descriptive and inferential statistics. It involves
analysis of numerical data (quantity).
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
• This type of research, data is collected in
descriptive form and analyzed in words,
pictures, diagrams or objects.
2. Applied Research and Basic Research
APPLIED RESEARCH
• It refers to the scientific study and research that
seeks to solve practical problems.
BASIC RESEARCH
 • It is designed to understand the underlying
principles behind a human behavior.
3. EXPLORATORY AND CONFIRMATORY
• Exploratory research is research into the
unknown.
• Confirmatory research means you have a good
idea what's going on next (i.e., you have a
theory, and the objective of the research is to
find out if the theory is supported by the fact).
1. Research characteristics:
• Lack of research design application
• Problems in sample selection
• Problems in data collection method
• Problems in data analysis
2. Nurses' characteristics:
• Lack of skill of the nurses
3. Organizational characteristics:
• Lack of support from the organization
• Lack of qualified supervisors
ROLES OF A NURSE IN RESEARCH
The roles of a nurse are as follows:
1. Principal investigator
2. Member of the research team
3. Identifier of the research problem
4. Evaluator of the research finding
5. User of the research finding
6. As a client advocate during the studies
7. As a subject in studies
USES OF THE RESEARCH FINDING
• The primary goal of the research finding is
better patient care. After eval relevant finding
in their practice.
As a client advocate during the studies
• One of the most important responsibilities of
the nurse is to act as a client making sure that
the ethical aspects of the research are upheld.
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THE RESEARCH PROCESS
• embodies a series of actions that are
systematic and organized into steps.
• main purpose is to provide direction for the
researcher.
• involves identifying, locating, assessing,
analyzing and then developing and
expressing ideas.
Primary and Secondary Sources
• Primary - original works which include
statistical data, manuscripts. surveys, speeches,
biographies/autobiographies, diaries, oral
histories, interviews, works of art and literature,
research reports ... etc.
• Secondary - usually are studies by other
researchers which describe, analyze and
evaluate information found in primary sources.
o Examples of secondary sources are
books, journals, magazine articles,
encyclopedias, dictionaries ... etc.
• Research beginners may be faced with a
barrage of questions when thinking about
research
• Following the Steps in Research Process will
provide a guide while working on the paper
Ask Yourselves
• What am I going to study?
• Where should I start?
WEEK 4
• Research beginners may be faced with a
barrage of questions when thinking about
research.
• Following the Steps in Research Process will
provide a guide while working on the paper
STEPS
• Define the topic
• Write a thesis or problem statement
• Make an outline
• Develop a search strategy
• Evaluate identified sources
• Take careful notes
• Write and revise the paper
• Document identified sources
Define the topic
• Browse the internet
 • Browse current interest magazines, newspapers
for stones of interest
Evaluating Information Sources
• Browse encyclopedia and other reference
books • Currency.
• Listen to radio or television programs o Check the publication date and
• Talk to people, such as teachers, colleagues, determine whether it is sufficiently
and friends current for your topic
• Coverage (relevance):
o Consider whether the source Is relevant
Write a thesis or problem statement to your research and whether it covers
the topic adequately for your needs.
• Begin with a question • Authority.
• research the topic further o Discover the credentials of the authors
• then develop an opinion of the source and determine their level
of expertise and knowledge about the
subject.
Make an outline • Accuracy:
o Consider whether the source presents
• Identify key concepts and subtopics to provide accurate information and whether you
a framework for the study can verify that information
• Objectivity (purpose):
o Think about the author's purpose in
Develop a search strategy creating the source and consider how
that affects Its usefulness to your
• Make a list of subject or keywords that might research.
be useful in upcoming search
• Consider the best sources for information
taking in consideration the type of information Evaluating Internet Sources with Radar
needed
• Relevance - How is this information relevant to
your assignment?
Develop a search strategy • Authority - Who is the author? What makes
this person or organization an authoritative
Sources of Information source?
• Date - When was this information published
• books and is the publication date important to you?
• periodicals • Accuracy - Where are they getting their
• newspapers information from? Does it have citations and
• government documents references? Are they using reputable sources or
• biographical sources explaining how they gathered their data?
• videos • Reason for writing - Why did the author
• reference books publish this information?
• people (experts) Adapted from Mandalios, J. (2013). RADAR: An
• archives/special collections approach for helping students evaluate Internet
• internet sources. Journal of Information Science, 39(4), 470.478.

Evaluate Identified Sources Evaluating Websites

: Begin evaluation as early as the first citation and • Evaluating websites follows the same process
continue thorough reading of the information contained as for other sources but finding the information
in the article, document, book, etc. you need to make an assessment can be more
challenging with websites. The following
Consider the following in evaluating identified sources! guidelines can help you decide if a website is
• authority a good choice for a source for your paper.
• accuracy. • Currency – A useful site is updated regularly
and lets visitors know when content was
• objectivity.
published on the site. Can you tell when the site
• Currency was last updated? Can you see when the
• Coverage
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 content you head was added? Does the site • Roberta Israel off explained that "the sense of
show signs of not being maintained (broken touch develops so early that a three-month old
links, out-of-date information, etc.)? fetus can react to the pressure of a hair around
• Relevance – think about the target audience the sensitive area of its mouth."
for the site. Is it appropriate for you or your
paper's audience?
• Authority – Look for an about us link or Taking down notes can be done through the following:
something similar to learn about the site's 2. Paraphrase from a source
creator the more you know about the redenies • It is a statement of the ideas from a source
and mission of a site's creator’s, as well as their using slightly different words
sources of information, the better idea you will
• Keep in mind, though, that you are still using
have about the site's quality.
the author's ideas.
• Accuracy – does the site present references or
• To avoid plagiarism, you must identify the
links to the sources of information it present?
author as the source of those ideas
Can you locate these sources so that you can
read and interpret the information yourself?
• Purpose – consider the reason why the site was
created. Can you detect any bias? Does the Taking down notes can be done through the following:
site use emotional language? Is the site trying 3. Summary of a source
to persuade you about something?
• A summary is a statement of the main ideas of
a source using your own words.
• It is a shortened version of the information in
Take Careful Notes the passage.
Document sources noting the following • It can be either a statement of fact or your own
idea.
Book
1. Author
2. Title Write and revise the paper
3. Publisher (location, name, date)
• Allow plenty of time for the writing process.
4. Page Numbers
5. Subject Searched • The thesis and outline may need to be revised
to reflect what was discovered during the
research.
Document sources noting the following information:
Article
Document identified sources
1. Article title
2. Authors name (if any) • Give credit for the intellect work of others.
3. Title of periodical • Citing sources can be done in three ways:
4. Volume and issue number (if any) 1. Endnotes followed by a bibliography
5. Page numbers 2. Footnotes followed by a bibliography
6. Date 3. Parenthetical citations followed by a
7. Index searched worked cited list
8. Subject searched

Taking down notes can be done through the
following:
1. Direct Quotation from a Source
• A direct quotation is copying words exactly as
they appear in the source.
• When you quote a source, you must use
quotation marks before and after the
quotations then identify who made the
statement.
This is useful when your reader sees the author's own
words
Example:
GARLIT, TONI A.
Book or Pamphlet (APA)
• Author(s), article or part title (if any), Book or
pamphlet title, Editor (if any), Edition, Volume
(s), City where published, published, Publisher,
Year
Example:
• Avery, G ., Fletcher, M.A. and MacDonald,
M.G Neonatology 4th Edition. Philadelphia; J.B
Lippincott Company, 1985
CD-ROM or Diskette
 • Author(s), article or part title (if any), Title of
CR-Rom or Diskette, Edition, Source Type (e.g.,
CD-ROM), City where published, Publisher,
Year
Example:
• Evidence Based Practice defined as the use of the
best clinical evidence in making patient care
decisions, and such evidence typically comes from
research conducted by the nurses and other health
care professionals.

• Avery, G ., Fletcher, M. A. and MacDonald,

M.G Neonatology 4th Edition. CD-ROM. NURSING RESEARCH PRIORITIES
Philadelphia; J.B Lippincott Company, 1985
To Improve:

• Nursing as a profession
Print Encyclopedia • Nursing practice
• Patient outcomes
• Author(s), article or part title (if any),
Encyclopedia title, Edition, City where
published, published, Publisher, Year
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
Example:
• Is a formal, objective, systematic process in which
• Avery, Gordon, Mary Ann Fletcher and Mhairi numerical data are used to obtain information
G. MacDonald. "Touch Therapy" Encyclopedia about the world.
of Neonates. Philadelphia; J.B Lippincott • Is "hard science" it is perceived as rigorous (exact),
Company, 1985 systematic and objective focusing on numerical
data and using statistical analysis and controls in
an attempt to eliminate bias.
Journal

• Author(s), article or part title (if any), Journal

Title, Editor (if any), Volume(s), Issue, Page
number(s), Year
Example:
• James, Andrew J. "Why Are We Saving More
Premature Babies?" Journal of Pediatrics and
Gynecology. pp67, 1190
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
It is conducted to test theory by:
• Describing variables
• Examining relationship among variables
• Determine cause and effect interaction
between variables.
Types of Quantitative Research:

Types of Nursing Research 1. Descriptive – explore new areas/describe

situations.
Qualitative Research Quantitative Research 2. Co-relational – examine relationships
• Phenomenological • Descriptive 3. Quasi-experimental – effectiveness of
• Grounded Theory • Correlational intervention.
• Ethnographic • Quasi – experimental 4. Experimental – producing positive outcomes.
• Historical • Experimental
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
WHY ISRESEARCH IMPORTANT IN NURSING?
Types of Qualitative Research:
Knowledge generated through research is essential to
provide a scientific basis for: 1. Phenomenological – describes experience as
lived.
• Description 2. Grounded theory – formulate, test and refine a
o What exists in Nursing/ practice and theory about a phenomena.
discover a new knowledge. 3. Ethnographic – investigates cultures in depth.
• Explanation 4. Historical – description analysis of events that
o Explains the existing knowledge in relation occurred in past.
to the effect and the outcome
• Nursing cultural change
• Nurses expected to understand and conduct OUTCOME RESEARCH
research
• Base their professional practice on evidence
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 • Is focused on examining the end results of care
or determining the changes in health status for
the patient.
GROUNDED THEORY
Four essential areas require for this reason:
• E.g., King et al (2006) conducted a series of
• The patients responses to medical or Nursing grounded theory studies with men and women
Intervention. from five ethnocultural groups in Canada who
• Functional maintenance/improvement of had been diagnosed with Coronary Artery,
physical functioning for the patient. Disease risk. (CAD)
• Financial outcome achieved with the provision
of health care services.
• Patients satisfaction with the health outcomes • The analysis of the process through which patients
care received and the health care provider. met the challenge of managing Coronary Artery
Disease risk.

Quantitative & Qualitative Research Characteristics

ETHNOGRAPHY
Quantitative Qualitative
1 Hard science Soft Science • E.g., Schoenfeld and Juarbe (2005) conducted
2 Focus: Concise and Focus: Complex and ethnographic fieldwork in two rural Ecuadorian
Narrow Broad communities and studied the burdens of women's
3 Reductionistic Holistic roles, the women's perceived health needs, and
4 Objective Subjective their health care resources.
5 Reasoning: Reasoning:
• Logistic • Dialectic,
• Deductive • Inductive Consumer Producer Continuum in Nursing Research

6 Basis of knowing: Basis of knowing: • Consumers of nursing research: Read research

cause and effects,
relationships
Major Classes of Quantitative and Qualitative
Research
Quantitative
Experimental Research
Non Experimental
Research
Experimental Research:
• Researchers actively
introduce an
intervention or
treatment.
Non Experimental
Research
• Researchers are
bystanders: The
data collected
without introducing
treatments or
making changes."
In medical &
Epidemiologic research,
an Experimental study
usually called a controlled
trial or clinical trial &+
Non Experimental inquiry
called as an observational
study.
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meaning discovery reports to develop new skills and to search for
relevant findings that may affect their practice.
• Producers of nursing research: Nurses who
actively participate in designing and
implementing studies.
Qualitative
Disciplinary Traditions An Introduction to Research
• Qualitative vs. quantitative: Will your data
take the form of words or numbers?
Originated in the
disciplines of • Primary vs. secondary: Will you collect
anthropology, sociology & original data yourself, or will you use data that
psychology has already been collected by someone else?
• Descriptive vs. experimental: Will you take
It is based on grounded measurements of something as it is, or will you
theory, phenomenology. perform an experiment?
Ethnography.
To describe and First, decide how you will collect data.
understand the key social,
psychological and
structural processes Second, decide how you will analyze the data.
occurring in a social
setting. • For quantitative data, you can use statistical
analysis methods to test relationships between
variables.
• For qualitative data, you can use methods such
as thematic analysis to interpret patterns and
meanings in the data.
Methods for collecting data

• Data is the information that you collect for the

purposes of answering your research question.
The type of data you need depends on the
aims of your research.

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QUALITATIVE OR QUANTITATIVE
PROS
QUALITATIVE Flexible - you can often
adjust your methods as you
go to develop new
knowledge.
Can be conducted with small
samples.
QUANTITATIVE Can be used to systematically
describe large collections of
things
Generates reproducible
knowledge.
PRIMARY VS. SECONDARY DATA
CONS
Can't be analyzed statistically
or generalized to broader
populations.
Difficult to standardize
research.
Requires statistical training to
analyze data.
Requires larger samples.
DESCRIPTIVE VS. EXPERIMENTAL DATA
PROS
DESCRIPTIVE Allows you to describe your
research subject without
influencing it.
Accessible - you can gather
more data on a larger scale.
EXPERIMENTAL More control over confounding
variables.
Can establish cause and effect
relationships.
CONS
No control over confounding
variables.
Can't establish cause and
effect relationships.
You might influence your
research subject in unexpected
ways.
Usually requires more
expertise and resources to
collect data.

• Primary data is any original information that you collect for the purposes
of answering your research question (e.g., through surveys, observations
and experiments). RESEARCH METHODS FOR COLLECTING DATA
• Secondary data is information that has already been collected by other RESEARCH PRIMARY OR QUALITATIVE OR WHEN TO USE
researchers (e.g., in a government census or previous scientific studies). METHOD SECONDARY QUANTITATIVE
Experiment Primary Quantitative To test cause-and-
PROS CONS effect
PRIMARY Can be collected to answer More expensive and time relationships.
your specific research question. consuming to collect.
Survey Primary Quantitative To understand
You have control over the Requires training in data general
sampling and measurement collection methods characteristics of a
methods. population.
SECONDARY Easier and faster to access. No control over how data was Interview / Focus Primary Qualitative To gain more in-
generated. Group depth
You can collect data that spans understanding of a
longer timescales and broader Requires extra processing to topic.
geographical locations. make sure it works for your
analysis.
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 Observation Primary Either To understand how • Inductive reasoning is a method of drawing conclusions by going from the
something occurs In specific to the general. It's usually contrasted with deductive reasoning, where
its natural setting. you go from general information to specific conclusions.
• Inductive reasoning is also called inductive logic or bottom-up reasoning.
Literature Review Secondary Either To situate your • Inductive reasoning is a logical approach to making inferences, or
research in an conclusions. People often use inductive reasoning informally in everyday
existing body of situations.
work, or to
evaluate trends Specific Observation Pattern Recognition General Conclusion
within a research
topic. Examples
Cheap medications A and All observed cheap All cheap medications
Case study Either Either To gain an in- B both cause major side medications cause major cause major side effects.
depth effects. side effects.
understanding of a
specific group or
context, or when
you don't have the
resources for a
large study.

1. Observation
• A low-cost airline flight is delayed
• Dogs A and B have fleas
• Elephants depend on water to exist
2. Observe a pattern
• Another 20 flights from low-cost airlines are delayed
• All observed dogs have fleas
• All observed animals depend on water to exist
3. Develop a theory or general (preliminary) conclusion
• Low cost airlines always have delays
• All dogs have fleas
• All biological life depends on water to exist

INDUCTIVE REASONING

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INDUCTIVE REASONING IN RESEARCH

• In inductive research, you start by making

observations gathering data. Then, you take a
broad view of your data and search for patterns.
Finally, you make general conclusions that you
might incorporate into theories.

What is Deductive Reasoning?

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