practice test
You are a new nurse working at XYZ hospital. Your preceptor tells you to dangle Ms. Jones' legs on the side of the bed before you attempt to assist her to a chair. You ask your preceptor why this is done and she answers, "Because I said so." This is an example of which type of evidence?
authority
The question "Is there a relationship between caffeine intake and intraocular pressure in patients with glaucoma?" is an example of:
Correlational
A researcher wanting to explore the lives of women newly diagnosed with breast cancer obtains a random sample of the population. What part of the study will be strengthened because of the random sample? a. Feasibility b. Reliability c. Statistical power d. Validity
Random samples increase the validity of a study.
Which of the following is the best definition of evidence-based practice (EBP)?
Use of theory-derived, research-based information in making decisions about health care delivery, with consideration of individual needs and preferences and the clinical expertise of the provider.
The advanced practice nurse can work to implement EBP by
Uses evidence to writes and modify practice standards. Locates relevant evidence and synthesizes evidence for practice. Serving as a coach and mentor in EBP.
What type of scholarly material can indicate upcoming "hot" topics and includes unpublished reports, conference papers, and grant proposals?
grey literature
Trial and error is not a preferred approach for delivering nursing care because
it is not based on systematic scientific approaches.
You are a new nurse working at XYZ hospital. Your preceptor tells you to dangle Ms. Jones' legs on the side of the bed before you attempt to assist her to a chair. You ask your preceptor why this is done and she answers, "This is what we have always done, so go do it." This is an example of which type of evidence?
tradition
The primary purpose of nursing research is to:
validate and refine existing knowledge and generate new knowledge that directly and indirectly influences nursing practice.
Outcomes research in health care is oriented toward establishing:
-The result of care or in determining the changes in health status of patient.
Feasibility is determined by examining which of the following? 1. Researcher's credibility 2. Significance of research problem 3. Availability of subjects 4. Previous studies
3. Availability of subjects
A researcher theorizes that walking three times per week will minimize the likelihood of premature labor in at-risk pregnant women. The researcher initiates a research program to test this theory. This research study is attempting to validate what aspect of theory? 1. Development 2. Explanation 3. Prediction 4. Strategies for controlling outcome
3. Prediction
In a research proposal, the investigator notes that written permission has been obtained from three local hospitals to access patients for the proposed study. This is an example of what aspect of a study? 1. Reliability 2. Methodology 3. Ethics 4. Feasibility (ethical considerations part of feasibility)
4. Feasibility (ethical considerations part of feasibility)
A researcher reports on a study conducted to determine if a new educational program has helped dialysis patients become more compliant with their fluid restrictions. The findings indicated that there was no difference. The report did include that a power analysis was performed to determine if the sample size (n = 100) was adequate. The power level was .5. What should the reader conclude? a. A sample of 100 is certainly adequate in a clinical study. The researcher should adjust the educational program. b. Chances are high that a Type I error has occurred. c. Findings of no difference are not surprising; it is difficult to make an impact on this population of patients. d. There is a high likelihood that the sample size was not adequate, and the study should be replicated using more subjects.
A power level needs to reach .8 to be acceptable, and this one had only .5. There is a good chance that a Type II error occurred, and the study should be replicated.
Which of the following is true about sample size in a qualitative study? a. "Adequate sample size" is of no concern to a qualitative researcher because there is no statistical analysis involved. b. Sample size is deemed to be adequate when the researcher is detecting no new knowledge from additional subjects. c. Subjects who have knowledge of a situation assist the researcher in determining whether the sample size is adequate. d. There is a test similar to the power analysis in a quantitative study that can be used to determine an adequate sample size for qualitative research.
ANS: B In qualitative research, the researcher looks for data saturation, which is reached when no new information is being discovered from additional subjects.
Which of the following definitions best describes rigor in quantitative research? 1. Time frame in which the research takes place 2. Degree of aggressiveness used in acquiring the data 3. Amount of control and precision exerted by the methodology 4. Process used to synthesize findings to form conclusions from a study
Amount of control and precision exerted by the methodology
Why do qualitative researchers need to be as concerned with sample size as quantitative researchers do? Qualitative researchers: a. are reaching the objectives of their study in a similar way. b. need subjects who are able and willing to share their knowledge, oftentimes in repeated and more in-depth interviews than subjects in quantitative studies. c. need to gain a narrow focus rather than a broad perspective as their research purpose. d. will be analyzing the data with statistical techniques that require certain numbers of subjects.
B. Qualitative research oftentimes requires the subjects to share their knowledge of the topic being studied in an in-depth level in repeated interviews. Therefore the researcher needs to ensure that the sample size is adequate to provide the depth and rich data that are required.
Florence Nightingale is most noted for which of the following contributions to nursing research? 1. Case study approach to research 2. Data collection and analysis 3. Framework and model development 4. Quasi-experimental study design
Data collection and analysis
A researcher is studying the relationship between age and involvement in social activities. This is what type of research?
Descriptive
Which of the following historical events had a major impact on the funding for nursing research? 1. Development of local, national, and international nursing research conferences by Sigma Theta Tau 2. Initiation of the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research 3. Formation of the National Institute for Nursing Research 4. Development of a Nursing Research Council as part of the American Nurses Association
Formation of the National Institute for Nursing Research
The research process differs from the nursing process on which of the following? 1. Identifies new information 2. Involves abstract, critical thinking 3. Has a broader focus 4. Utilizes complex thinking
Has a broader focus
What is one step a staff nurse can take to advance EBP at the point of care
Identify clinical questions related to current nursing practice.
To detect a significant difference between two groups when the effect size is small, what should the researcher do?
Increase the sample size.
Benner (1984) emphasizes the importance of acquiring clinical knowledge and expertise through:
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
A widely used EBP model consisting of four components for identifying clinical questions for specific patient problems is known as the ____________ model.
PICO
As a staff nurse, what steps can you take to advance EBP as part of your team or unit
Participate in QI initiatives Participate in implementing practice changes based on evidence. Participate as a member of an EBP project team.
Which of the following is the best definition of research?
Planned and systematic activity that leads to new knowledge and/or the discovery of solutions to problems or questions.
Apart from sample size, which of the following is typically not considered when determining the power of a study? a. Sensitivity of the instruments used b. Number of variables c. Skill of the researcher d. Data analysis techniques
The skill of the researcher does not affect the statistical power of a study. All other answers are correct.
Quantitative and qualitative research approaches are particularly useful in nursing because they: 1. are easy to implement. 2. require few resources. 3. are both process oriented. 4. balance each other by generating different types of nursing knowledge.
balance each other by generating different types of nursing knowledge.
A type of quantitative study is the ____________, which examines outcomes across a number of studies.
meta analysis
The following statement: "There will be no difference in practice of nurses after completion of an EBP program as compared to before the mentorship program," is an example of a
null hypothesis
A ____________ is a statement about the relationship between two or more concepts.
proposition
An example of inductive reasoning is: 1. reasoning from all chronically ill patients to a single chronically ill patient. 2. reasoning from a single diabetic patient to all diabetic patients.(specific to the genereal) 3. using a standard nursing care plan to care for a specific patient. 4. using a computerized nursing care plan to care for insulin-dependent diabetic patients.
reasoning from a single diabetic patient to all diabetic patients.(specific to the genereal)