Question

For the introduction section, summarize (see the grading rubric for details): The need for nursing research. The importance for nurses to understand the basic principles of research. The purpose of your paper. For the Quantitative Research section summarize (see the grading rubric for details): The importance of quantitative research. One type of quantitative design; explain one important feature of this type of design. How quantitative research can help improve nursing practice. For the Qualitative Research section summarize (see the grading rubric for details): The importance of qualitative research. One type of qualitative design; explain one important feature of this type of design. How qualitative research can help improve nursing practice. For the Research Sampling section summarize (see the grading rubric for details): What is sampling and why is sampling important. One sampling strategy used in quantitative research. One other sampling strategy that you learned. For the Credible Nursing Practice section, summarize (see the grading rubric for details): How research can help to make nursing practice safe. Why research is critical for creating an evidence-based nursing practice. For the Conclusion section summarize (see the grading rubric for details): Short, concise, thorough summary of the main points of the paper.

Answer 1

The quantitative research is defined as the research that involves numbers. Data that can be measured. Involves statistics, numbers, percentages. Presented in graphs, tables and diagrams. Practical for large populations. Easy to compare with other research. Quantitative research is used to populate statistics from a high volume sample size to gain statistically valid results. Here the objective measurements and the statistical, mathematical, or numerical analysis of data collected through polls, questionnaires, and surveys, or by manipulating pre-existing statistical data using computational techniques.

Descriptive Designs

Descriptive, or exploratory studies are used when little is known about a particular phenomenon. The nursing researcher observes, describes, and documents various aspects of a phenomenon. There is no manipulation of variables or search for cause and effect related to the phenomenon. Through the descriptive designs describe what actually exists, determine the frequency with which it occurs, and categorizes the information. Here the nursing researchers pose Level I research questions. The results provide the knowledge base for potential hypotheses that direct subsequent correlational, quasi-experimental, and experimental studies.

Qualitative research is defined as a systematic subjective approach used to describe life experiences and give them meaning. This design is used to describe experiences as they are lived. Examines the uniqueness of an individual's lived situations. Each person has own reality; reality is subjective.

Basically, a case study is an in-depth study of a particular situation rather than a sweeping statistical survey. It is a method used to narrow down a very broad field of research into one easily researchable topic.

The advantage of the case study research design is that you can focus on specific and interesting cases. This may be an attempt to test a theory with a typical case or it can be a specific topic that is of interest. Nursing researchers should be thorough and note-taking should be meticulous and systematic. The case study is the subject and relevance. In a case study, the nurse researchers are deliberately trying to isolate a small study group, one individual case or one particular population. It will help the nurse researchers ideally know and getting a chance for a particular phenomenon and helps their personal and professional growth.

Sample is a group of people, objects, or items that are taken from a larger population for measurement. The sample should be representative of the population to ensure that we can generalise the findings from the research sample to the population as a whole.

Sampling techniques may be used to find representative samples to avoid bias. A sample is a subset of the population one is studying that is selected for the actual research study. The purpose of sampling in research to find representative samples to avoid bias.

Random samples are most likely to yield a sample that truly represents the population when compared to nonrandom samples. In other words, it enables researchers to make accurate assumptions or generalizations from the sample to the population under investigation. Random sampling lets a researcher statistically calculate the relationship between the sample and the population- that is, the size of the sampling error.

In simple random sampling, a researcher develops an accurate sampling frame, selects elements from the sampling frame according to a mathematically random procedure, and then locates the exact element that was selected for inclusion in the sample.

Cluster Sampling a. Cluster sampling addresses two problems: Researchers lack a good sampling frame for a geographically dispersed population and the cost to reach a sampled element is very high. Instead of using a single sampling frame, researchers use a sampling design that involves multiple stages and clusters. A cluster is a unit that contains final sampling elements but can be treated temporarily as a sampling element itself. In other words, the researcher randomly samples clusters, and then randomly samples elements from within the selected clusters; this has a big practical advantage. He or she can create a good sampling frame of clusters, even if it is impossible to create one for sampling elements. Once the researcher gets a sample of clusters, creating a sampling frame for elements within each cluster becomes more manageable. A second advantage for geographically dispersed populations is that elements within each cluster are physically closer to one another. This may produce savings in locating or reaching each element.

Evidence-based practice provides a way to translate research into practice where nurses improve the quality of care to patients and reduce variation in practice.  EBP is based on research, evidence on best practices, and the consideration of individual patient's needs, preferences. During clinical, do research on the medical conditions your patients have.