Chapter 2 - Theory, Research, and Evidence Based Practice

Who is considered to be the first nursing theorist who conceptualized nursing in terms of manipulating the environment?

Florence Nightingale

One of the primary reasons for conducting nursing research is to:

generate knowledge to guide practice

Which are goals of nursing theory?

-Provide knowledge and a rationale for client interventions -Provide a rationale for appropriate nursing actions in a given situation -Identify and define concepts that are important to nursing -Increase the nursing body of knowledge

Which could be considered an example of a qualitative research project?

A PhD nursing student is collecting data on how Somali immigrants perceive the care they receive in one community clinic. The nursing student is taping and analyzing interviews with clients that have been in the country and community 2 years or less and who have sought care at least once at this clinic Qualitative research is the systematic collection of subjective data. Information such as thoughts or feelings that this population might have regarding the care that they receive cannot be quantified, and very little control is imposed on the research participants by the researcher. The PhD nursing student working with Somali immigrants is a good example of this type of research. Although the BSN student has not placed a lot of control over the research subjects (nurses), the student is collecting numeric data that can be analyzed statistically. This would be considered a quantitative research project. Because the nurse on the wound care team is measuring a change in knowledge by analyzing quiz scores, this would be considered a quantitative experiment. The member of the nursing research team is relying on serum levels to look for a statistical correlation between Crohn disease and iron deficiency anemia, which would be considered quantitative

A nurse is reading a research article from a nursing journal. The nurse is aware that the opening paragraph summarizing the article and the research findings is a good place to start. What part of the article is the nurse reading?

Abstract

A nurse develops the following foreground question using the PICOT format in preparation for a research study: "In overweight clients, how do chromium supplements compared to no supplements help with weight loss?" Which part of the question reflects the intervention?

Chromium supplements In this question, the intervention (I) would be the use of chromium supplements. The population (P) would be overweight clients. The comparison (C) would be no supplements. The outcome (O) would be weight loss. The T is for time, which is not reflected in this scenario.

A nurse researcher develops a foreground question in preparation for conducting a research study. The question is: "In clients with intravenous catheters, how does replacing administration sets every 72 hours (h) compared with other frequent intervals (24h, 48h, or 96h) decrease infection rates?" Applying the PICO framework, which part of the statement reflects the "O"?

Decrease infection rates The "O" of PICO indicates the outcome, which in this instance is "decrease infection rates." The "P" refers to patients, who in this case have intravenous catheters; "I" refers intervention, which in this case is replacing the administration set every 72 hours; "C" refers to comparison or control group, which in this case is those who have the administration set replaced at other frequencies.

Which is a focus of medical research rather than nursing research?

Drug metabolism Drug metabolism is an example of a focus of medical research. Nursing research is defined as a systematic inquiry into the problems encountered in nursing practice and into the modalities of client care such as health appraisal, prevention of trauma, promotion of recovery, and coordination of health care (Gortner, 1975).

When looking at a model for evidence-based practice, what is the final step of the process?

Evaluating practice change The fifth and final step in the process of implementing evidence-based practice is to evaluate and critically appraise the change in practice. Formulating a clinical question and searching and appraising the literature precede this step.

What nursing activity forms the bridge between theory and practice?

Evidence-based research

Which activity best helps the nurse apply theory to practice?

Evidence-based research

A nurse is planning to conduct a nursing research study and is seeking federal funding. Which institution would be most helpful for the nurse to contact regarding acquiring funding?

National Institute of Nursing Research

Which theory describes, explains, predicts, and controls outcomes in nursing practice?

Nursing Theory Nursing theory describes, explains, predicts, and controls outcomes in nursing practice. Systems theory describes how parts interact together. Adaptation theory describes adjustment of living things to other living things and the environment. Developmental theory describes maturation of humans through stages.

Nurses in an ICU noticed that their clients required fewer interventions for pain when the ICU was quiet. They then asked a researcher to design a study about the effects of noise on the pain levels of hospitalized clients. How does this demonstrate the ultimate goal of expanding the nursing body of knowledge?

Nursing research helps improve ways to promote and maintain health. Nursing research expands knowledge to learn improved ways to promote and maintain health. The other answers are incorrect because they are not the primary purpose of nursing research.

A nurse is preparing to conduct a research study and uses the PICO format to develop the foreground question which is: "In adults, does reducing salt intake, compared to no change in salt intake, lower blood pressure?" The nurse identifies the "P" as:

Patient Using the PICO(T) format, "P" refers to the population, which in this case is adults. "I" refers to the intervention, which is reducing salt intake. "C" refers to comparison, which is no change in salt intake. "O" refers to the outcome, which would be lower blood pressure. "T" refers to the time of interest, if relevant.

The focus of nursing is always on which of the four common concepts in nursing theory?

Person All of these concepts are important in nursing theory; however, the focus of nursing is on the person (client).

A nurse researcher is planning to test the effect of a breathing exercise on older adults' stamina. What type of research study should the nurse conduct?

Quantitative Stamina would be measured quantitatively, likely in the form of time or distance. As such, this is quantitative research. Qualitative research is focused on narratives and interviews, not numbers. Holism is a characteristic of nursing research in general, as opposed to a type of research. Ordinal refers to ranking and is not a type of research.

A nurse researcher must decide on the method for conducting the research. The researcher that plans to emphasize collection of numerical data and analysis would select which method of research?

Quantitative research Quantitative research utilizes numerical values and statistical analysis of data. Basic research is utilized to generate or refine theory. Applied research is utilized for its application in clinical practice. The stem of the question did not provide information as to the application of the study. Qualitative research utilizes words or narrative for data rather than numbers.

A nurse working in a long-established hospital learned a specific approach to administering intravenous injections from the previous generation of nurses at the hospital. This is an example of which type of knowledge?

Traditional knowledge

Evidence-based care emphasizes decision making based on the best available evidence and:

use of outcome studies to guide decisions Evidence-based care emphasizes decision making based on the best available evidence and the use of outcome studies to guide decisions. The other answers do not represent the primary emphasis of evidence-based care but represent other approaches (specialty or expert knowledge, traditional medical model, and economic concerns).