NUR351: Evidence-Based Practice Test 1
When reviewing a journal article on pain, which statement would indicate to the nurse that it was taken from the Results section of a study? "Average pain score of the control group was 5.5 on a scale of 10." "Pain was measured on a numerical scale ranging from 0 to 10." "In a previous study, pain scores correlated strongly with anxiety." "Pain is defined as a subjective phenomenon."
"Average pain score of the control group was 5.5 on a scale of 10."
A nurse studies the potential impact of nursing research on the profession. Which statement best describes the value of research? "Research is only for people in research programs." "Research is too complicated for basic nurses to understand." "Research has little to do with day-to-day practice." "Research generates knowledge for a variety of roles."
"Research generates knowledge for a variety of roles."
A nurse reviews a PICO question in a report. Based on the nurse's knowledge of this method, what would represent the "P" in PICO? Kangaroo care (skin to skin contact) Weight gain over time 34 parents of premature infants Control group status
34 parents of premature infants
The nurse manager of a mother/baby unit is interested in presenting a qualitative research article at the next journal club. Which of the following article titles best describe a qualitative research study? A. "The Lived Experience of Single Mothers Caring for a Disabled Child" B. "The Effect of Swaddling on Infant Sleep Time" C. "An Infant Vaccine Education Program: An Intervention to Increase Immunization Rates" D. "The Relationship between Low Birth Weight Babies and Mothers Who Smoked During Pregnancy"
A
A nurse visits the local health care library and reviews literature related to cessation of smoking. Which publication would be considered the most scholarly? An essay written by a client about his experiences in quitting smoking. An informal book report published in a mainstream journal. A qualitative study published in The Journal of Nursing Research. A student essay published in the state nursing association newsletter.
A qualitative study published in The Journal of Nursing Research.
Peer reviewers evaluate manuscripts submitted to journals for: (Select all that apply.) A. Ethical considerations B. Methodology C. Style D. Significance of the problem E. Length of the manuscript
A, B, C, D
A nurse researcher has defined a clinical problem and is developing a plan for his study. This step in the quantitative research process involves identification of which of the following components? A. Sample design B. Data collection method C. Data analysis D. Research design E. Data collection
A, B, D
What skills would the bachelors-prepared nurse need to learn in order to bring evidence-based practice to the bedside? (Select all that apply.) A. How to appraise published literature. B. How to synthesize evidence. C. How to do statistical analysis of data. D. How to do an effective literature search. E. How to interview subjects. F. How to follow an institution's practice guidelines.
A, B, D
Which of the following are funding priorities for the National Institute of Nursing Research? (Select all that apply.) A. Advancing quality of life B. Palliative and end-of-life care C. Interprofessional collaboration D. Health promotion and disease prevention E. Innovation
A, B, D, E
Common barriers to making changes in practice include: (Select all that apply.) A. Difficulty in interpreting research B. Lack of support from those in leadership positions C. Lack of buy-in from public stakeholders D. Deciding between funding sources E. Lack of motivation to implement change
A, B, E
Which research methodology strategies would enhance the validity of a quantitative research study? (Select all that apply.) A. Clearly defining the variable in question and being able to measure it in quantitative terms. B. Talking to study subjects ahead of time, explaining the entire study, and reviewing risks of participation. C. Making sure the data collector and the subjects do not know which treatment group they were assigned to. D. Preventing outside, extraneous factors from influencing the data collection or responses of subjects. E. Assigning subjects by chance to treatment and control groups. F. Checking that the instrument to measure the variable is precise, accurate, and calibrated.
A, C, D, E
The nurse is aware that making changes in practice can be a difficult process. What are common barriers to making changes in practice? (Select all that apply.) A. Difficulty in interpreting research B. Lack of buy-in from public stakeholders C. Lack of motivation to implement change D. Deciding between funding sources E. Lack of support from those in leadership positions
A, C, E
Which are the best sources to find the highest level of evidence when searching literature for evidence-based research findings? (Select all that apply.) A. Cochrane Collection B. WebMD C. Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature D. WorldCat E. PubMed Central F. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality National Guideline Clearing House
A, C, E
Which of the following are research activities in which all nurses can engage? (Select all that apply) A. Collect research information B. Decide on an appropriate research method for the study C. Help develop an idea for a research study D. Perform data analysis on research data E. Offer information to patients about the research study
A, C, E
Which research methodologies use "informants" in the study design? (Select all that apply.) A. Phenomenology B. Non-experimental C. Grounded theory D. Experimental E. Ethnography
A, C, E
A nurse cites an article titled, "A Nurse Should Always Care: A Compassion Road Map." Which article title is formatted correctly, using APA style, in a reference list at the end of the article? A. A nurse should always care: A compassion road map B. A nurse should always care: A Compassion Road Map C. A Nurse Should Always Care: A Compassion Road Map D. A nurse should always care: a compassion road map
A. A nurse should always care: A compassion road map
Which of the references listed below represents correct APA format for a journal article? A. Cook, C. (2012). Email interviewing: Generating data with a vulnerable population. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 68(6), 1330-1339. B. Cook, C. (2012). Email interviewing: Generating data with a vulnerable population. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 68(6), pages 1330-1339. C. Cook, Carol. (2012). Email interviewing: Generating data with a vulnerable population. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 68(6), 1330-1339. D. Cook, Carol. (2012). Email interviewing: Generating data with a vulnerable population. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 68(6), 1330-1339.
A. Cook, C. (2012). Email interviewing: Generating data with a vulnerable population. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 68(6), 1330-1339.
A nurse practices writing PICO questions. Which question is written following the PICO format? A. In school-age children, is PCA (patient-controlled analgesia) more effective than intermittent medication to control pain? B. How do hospitalized young children perceive lab draws performed by lab technicians? C. What is the most effective way to educate Hispanic parents about fever control in infants and young children? D. Does humor reduce anxiety in preoperative clients who are having hip replacement surgery?
A. In school-age children, is PCA (patient-controlled analgesia) more effective than intermittent medication to control pain?
Consider the results of the study discussed in the previous question. Based on the results of this study being valid, reliable, and accurate, what is the clinical significance for other ICU nurses who are caring for trauma patients on a ventilator? If nurses in other ICUs use a strict protocol for oral care that includes the existing measures and the additional measures reported in this research, then what may occur? A. Nurses could decrease the risk of patient-acquired VAP by increasing the number of days it takes ventilated patients to acquire VAP. B. Nurses will see no change in the number of ventilator days for patients. C. Nurses may be able to increase the number of ICU days for patients. D. Nurses may be able to decrease the hospital length of stay for patients.
A. Nurses could decrease the risk of patient-acquired VAP by increasing the number of days it takes ventilated patients to acquire VAP.
Which of the following is an example of a nondirectional hypothesis? A. There is a relationship between fast-food intake and childhood obesity. B. The risk of childhood obesity increases with amount of fast food consumed. C. The higher the level of activity, the lower the risk of childhood obesity. D. Children who consume fast food are more likely to become obese than children who do not consume fast food.
A. There is a relationship between fast-food intake and childhood obesity.
The nurse reviews research reports to determine if they are related to a current clinical problem. Which section of the report would be most useful to give an overview of the study? Introduction Title Abstract Methods
Abstract
A nurse studies sources of research funding. Which source is a governmental agency that funds nursing research? National League for Nursing (NLN) Agency for Health Research and Quality (AHRQ) Robert Wood Johnson Foundation American Heart Association (AHA)
Agency for Health Research and Quality (AHRQ)
Which of the following agencies provides federal funding for research studies? Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality American Heart Association National League for Nursing
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
A nurse searches for a place to publish articles. What is true of a peer-reviewed journal? Articles are reviewed locally for accuracy and to maintain confidentiality. A peer-reviewed journal is always published by a professional organization. The author submits letters of recommendation along with the manuscript. Articles are evaluated by a panel of experts before being accepted for publication.
Articles are evaluated by a panel of experts before being accepted for publication.
The nurse examines characteristics of systematic reviews. Which quality would always be part of systematic reviews? A. They reduce sample size to manageable numbers. B. They are developed through standard sampling and data procedures. C. They allow merging of information from diverse studies into one report. D. They incorporate reviews of both research and non-research literature.
B
What is the purpose of a reference list in APA? A. Provides a list of databases where cited articles can be retrieved B. Provides information for the reader to be able to retrieve articles used in the paper C. Allows the author to give credit to others whose work was used in writing the paper D. Indicates the amount of research performed while writing the paper E. Allows the reader to find similar articles to those on the reference list
B, C
Which research terms align with the constructivist paradigm? (Select all that apply.) A. Quantitative method B. Naming a phenomenon C. Qualitative method D. Generalizability E. Predicting a phenomenon F. Empirical evidence
B, C
When selecting a problem for a quantitative study, which are most likely to be used as sources of information? (Select all that apply.) A. Clinical practices that result in positive client outcomes B. Existing nursing theories C. Creative questioning about practice D. Published research studies about topics of interest E. Clinical practices that are outdated
B, C, D
Which of the following are effective methods of knowledge dissemination? (Select all that apply.) Social media Poster presentations Journal articles Journal clubs Professional conferences
B, C, D, E
Nurses who seek federal funding for research need to attend to the research priorities of the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR). What are funding priorities of the NINR? (Select all that apply.) A. Advances in cancer chemotherapy B. Health promotion and disease prevention C. Palliative and end-of-life care D. Interprofessional collaboration E. Advancing quality of life through symptom management
B, C, E
The primary purpose of the research literature review is: (Select all that apply.) A. Develop recommendations for future research B. Suggest appropriate research methods C. Assist in developing the research question D. Collect data about the target population E. Construct a conceptual framework
B, C, E --- Rationale: Literature reviews lay the foundation for new research studies. During the process of conducting a literature review, information from peer-reviewed sources serve to inform the researcher about appropriate methods, conceptual frameworks, and research questions.
A nurse is trying to produce the best search results possible using keyword searches. What is an appropriate tip to provide in order to achieve this goal? (Select all that apply.) A. Create a presentation to summarize results. B. Use Boolean logic (e.g. AND/OR operators). C. Evaluate and analyze studies. D. Use wildcard characters. E. Create an abstract.
B, D
Sources of research problems often come from the interests of the researcher. Which of the following are commonly found sources of research problems? (Select all that apply.) A. Public opinion B. Clinical experience C. Blogs D. Nursing literature E. Social issues
B, D, E
When reviewing research terminology, the nurse defines major terms. When a variable can be manipulated to cause an effect on the dependent variable, what is it called? (Select all that apply.) A. Dependent variable B. Independent variable C. Control variable D. Intervention E. Treatment
B, D, E
Which statement best demonstrates that evidence-based practice improves patient outcomes? A. The Center for Disease Control reported that the incidence of central line associated blood stream infections (CLABSIs) outcome for patients in 2012 increased to 30,100. B. A research study found that patients who received evidence-based interventions had outcomes improved by 28% compared with those who did not. C. The American Nurses Credentialing Center has developed a Magnet Recognition program that requires nurses' demonstration of sustained commitment to use of evidence-based interventions. D. Hospitals across the nation report that the cost outcome for each patient who sustains a central line associated blood stream infection (CLABSI) has increased cost from $22,885 to $29,330.
B. A research study found that patients who received evidence-based interventions had outcomes improved by 28% compared with those who did not.
What will a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN)-level research course teach a student? A. How to collect research data and do statistical analysis. B. How to search literature and appraise it for best practice recommendations. C. How to logistically implement a clinical change in practice in the work setting. D. How to design a clinical research project for the nursing unit.
B. How to search literature and appraise it for best practice recommendations.
A nurse reviews a study on nutrition in children. Which phrase describes the following statement: "Children who watch an average of two or more hours of television per day will have higher BMIs than children who watch less than two hours of television per day?" A. It is a non-directional research question. B. It is a directional research hypothesis. C. It is a non-directional hypothesis. D. It is a directional research question.
B. It is a directional research hypothesis.
The nurse learns to identify qualities of refereed publications. What are characteristics of a peer-reviewed journal? (Select all that apply.) A. Aim for general application and readers B. Provided free of charge to the general public C. Written in technical language D. Author affiliation is provided E. Sources are clearly referenced
C, D, E
The reference section of a research study includes all of the following. (Select all that apply.) A. Statistical analysis B. Statement of the research problem C. Books referenced in the study D. Target population E. Articles referenced in the study
C, E
When beginning a literature search for relevant evidence, the researcher selects databases to review. Which database is most likely to include nursing studies? PubMed MEDLINE CINAHL Google Scholar
CINAHL
When the nurse searches for nursing topics, what electronic database includes the most nursing literature? MedPub ERIC MEDLINE CINAHL
CINAHL
A nurse cites the title of a journal. Which journal name is formatted correctly, using APA style, in a reference list at the end of the article? A care compassion journal Care compassion journal Care Compassion Journal
Care Compassion Journal
Which database contains a collection of systematic reviews that can be used to answer clinical questions? MEDLINE Cochrane Collection Database Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) PsycINFO
Cochrane Collection Database
When engaging in the implementation phase of research, which action is the nurse likely to take? Develop a poster to share at a research conference. Collect study data. Complete the statistical analysis. Assess the feasibility of the study.
Collect study data
Which of the following statements is true regarding the discussion section of a research study? The research question is introduced. All articles and books referred to in the study are noted. Conclusions are presented about the meaning of the study. Tables and graphs representing data are presented.
Conclusions are presented about the meaning of the study.
Careful planning by nurse researchers can help to eliminate barriers. Which approach decreases barriers in the category of research methodology and measures? Persistence despite discouragement and burnout Encouragement by co-workers to engage in research process Consultation with other researchers and colleagues on study design Support from unit manager to develop a dissemination poster
Consultation with other researchers and colleagues on study design
Nurses prepared at all levels of education have a role to play in research. Which role is expected of all registered nurses? Subjects Consumers Educators Designers
Consumers
The nurse locates a meta-analysis study on a clinical topic. When evaluating the research question or hypothesis for the individual studies, what characteristic is to be expected? A. The research questions and hypotheses should be different across studies. B. There should be general similarities between studies' questions and hypotheses. C. Some studies may have research questions and other studies have hypotheses D. The questions or hypotheses across studies should be essentially identical.
D
When reading a research journal, the nurse examines quantitative and qualitative studies for differences. Which components would be unique to a quantitative study? A. Findings are organized by themes or quotes B. APA guidelines are used for references C. Research title focuses on client experiences D. Names of statistical tests are included
D
Which of the following is an example of research utilization? A. A nurse attends a strategic planning meeting and proposes increasing the unit budget to purchase gel pillows for premature infants. B. A nurse attends a lecture given by an expert pediatrician about the use of gel pillows for premature infants and then approaches the unit manager to ask about using gel pillows on their newborn intensive care unit. C. A nurse does a thorough literature search about the use of gel pillows for premature infants and reports synthesized findings of all the literature to the nurse manager. D. A nurse reads a research article describing a randomized control trial testing the use of gel pillows for premature infants; since the research article had such good results, the nurse asks the nurse manager if their newborn intensive care unit can begin using gel pillows.
D. A nurse reads a research article describing a randomized control trial testing the use of gel pillows for premature infants; since the research article had such good results, the nurse asks the nurse manager if their newborn intensive care unit can begin using gel pillows.
Which results section from an article reports statistically significant findings? A. A multivariate analysis of variance was performed comparing the three study years on age, injury severity score, and systolic blood pressure for the three population groups; ANOVA showed (F 2, 19) = 5.784, p = 0.501). B. Chi-square analyses did not support any differences for any of the demographic variables within the patient population, suggesting that there were no differences within the patient population demographics that would interfere with detection of changes in outcome after the protocol's implementation. C. These patients (N = 3713) were compared across the three study years (2007-2009). Most patients were men (57.8%, 57.3%, and 54.7%, respectively) and White (92.2%, 91.1%, and 91.1%, respectively). D. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) of patients who developed a VAP showed (F 2, 19= 5.413, p = 0.05; with an observed power of 0.72).
D. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) of patients who developed a VAP showed (F 2, 19= 5.413, p = 0.05; with an observed power of 0.72).
When learning about reference citations, the nurse studies the digital object identifier (DOI). What is the purpose of a DOI? A. To follow standards of APA style B. To temporarily label journal articles for use in a publication C. To differentiate books from journal articles D. To permanently identify electronic documents
D. To permanently identify electronic documents
Which of the following is an example of a qualitative research question? A. What is the effect of a vaccine education program on the vaccination rates in urban preschool children? B. What is the relationship between staffing levels and patient satisfaction on a telemetry unit in a tertiary care hospital? C. Is there a difference in health promoting activities between traditional and nontraditional nursing students? D. What is the lived experience of adult children caring for a parent who experienced a stroke within the last 6 months?
D. What is the lived experience of adult children caring for a parent who experienced a stroke within the last 6 months?
Which nursing question would most likely need to be based on current evidence to ensure positive patient outcomes? A. Why do we reinforce a surgical dressing site that is showing signs of saturation? B. What kind of diet is best for a patient who is weak and having trouble chewing? C. How should a patient who is immobile and bedridden be bathed? D. Who should determine when is it appropriate to remove an indwelling catheter?
D. Who should determine when is it appropriate to remove an indwelling catheter?
Nurses working in an intensive care unit (ICU) wanted to assess the outcome of implementing a multipronged ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) prevention protocol. The nurse researchers hypothesized that existing and additional interventions would decrease incidence of VAP in a trauma population. During 2007 and 2008, the researchers implemented the existing protocol. During 2009, the additional interventions to prevent VAP were implemented. The table from the study findings shows the following variables: hospital days (length of stay), ICU days (length of stay), mechanical-ventilation days, and number of days to VAP. Based on the results reported in the table, which variable comparison is reported as statistically significant, or as a difference found between 2007, 2008, and 2009? Ventilator days Hospital days ICU days Days to VAP
Days to VAP
All of the following are barriers to research except: Level of knowledge Dedicated release time Methodology and measures Access to funding
Dedicated release time
What is the purpose of phenomenological research? Study phenomena that contribute to theory development. Describe experiences as they are lived. Examine events of the past. Observe and document interactions within a culture.
Describe experiences as they are lived.
The nurse is learning to review research reports. Interpretation of the results, step 4 of the research process, will appear in which section of the research report? Discussion Review of literature Methods Introduction
Discussion
Where should this excerpt belong in a research report for a qualitative study? "Given the findings from this study, health providers should provide this population with effective incentives to modify their eating habits for health purposes." Methods Discussion Introduction Results
Discussion
The nurse links the research process with the research report. The actual publication of a journal article signifies which step of the research process? Analysis Implementation Interpretation Dissemination
Dissemination
At the completion of a study, a researcher prepares a poster to display at an upcoming professional conference. Which research phase is described by this activity? Conceptual phase Analytic phase Dissemination phase Empirical phase
Dissemination phase
A researcher who conducts original research studies independently with the goal of expanding nursing knowledge is educated at what level? Baccalaureate Master's Doctorate Associate degree
Doctorate
To encourage staff nurses' development of research knowledge, which strategy is likely to be the most economical and practical? Apply for grants from NINR. Send nurses back to school. Hire a doctorally prepared researcher. Establish journal clubs.
Establish journal clubs
Nurses on a surgical unit are concerned about the high rate of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI). Which factor provides the best guidance for changes in practice? Instructions on catheter packaging Evidence-based practice guidelines A survey of nurses involved in care Preferences of family members
Evidence-based practice guidelines
In which type of research does the researcher have a high level of control over independent variables for a treatment and control group, random sampling of subjects, and a controlled setting for the data collection? Non-Experimental Phenomenology Grounded theory Ethnography Experimental
Experimental
In APA style, a bibliography is a listing of all sources cited within a document and listed alphabetically by the author's last name. False True
False
It is not necessary to include a citation and reference for a YouTube video because this is not considered to be a reference source. False True
False
Peer reviewers are told the name of the author and the author's affiliation. False True
False
A poster presentation is the most effective dissemination method for sharing ideas related to disease processes in an interdisciplinary manner. False True
False ---- Rationale: Nursing grand rounds is the most effective method for sharing ideas related to disease processes
The significance of the study findings is found in which section of the research study? Discussion Literature review References Findings
Findings
A nurse receives an overview of research. The statements "to improve the care of people in a clinical setting" and "to develop greater autonomy and strength as a profession" are both examples of which aspect of nursing research? Goals Outcomes Findings Problems
Goals
A nursing researcher wants to understand and describe how patients become motivated to stop smoking. The researcher plans to interview patients who smoke and explore their motivation to stop smoking, and then interview patients who have stopped smoking and explore their motivation and the process they went through. The researcher will gather data until saturation is reached and then analyze the data from the interviews so as to develop a diagram that describes and demonstrates the influencing factors and the process. Nurses who are working with patients who smoke can then use this diagram to plan smoking cessation interventions. What research design is this? Grounded theory Non-experimental Phenomenology Experimental
Grounded theory
Identify the dependent variable in the following research question: In a group of female adolescents, what is the effect of a web-based HPV vaccine educational program in comparison to a face-to-face HPV vaccine educational program on HPV immunization rates? Face-to-face HPV vaccine program HPV immunization rates Female adolescents Web-based HPV vaccine program
HPV immunization rates
One way the nurse remembers research information is with acronyms. Which acronym represents the four main sections of a research report in the correct order? IDDM IRMD IMRD IDRM
IMRD
When conducting a qualitative research study, the term used for people who make up the study sample are known as: Informants Respondents Subjects Participants
Informants
Which method of communication has had a significant impact on dissemination of research findings? Newspapers Webinars Videos Internet
Internet
When reading a study in a journal, which components of the research report would the nurse looking for? (Select all that apply.) Dissemination Introduction Implementation Problem identification Methods
Introduction, Methods
Why do nurse researchers find the PICO method of framing a clinical question effective? It ensures the researcher is asking theoretical questions. It ensures the literature search is more effective. It ensures the question is as broad as possible. It ensures the collection of data is more effective.
It ensures the literature search is more effective.
Which is a participative and less rigorous type of research dissemination setting that is suitable for all educational levels of nurses? Oral presentation Poster Journal club Grand rounds
Journal club
The nurse explores theoretical models of change. Which model focuses on concepts of unfreezing, moving, and freezing? Lewin's Model Ottawa Model of Research Utilization Iowa Model Stress and Coping Model
Lewin's Model
In the knowledge transmission phase of research dissemination, it is important to identify which characteristic of the target audience? Literacy level Gender Income Health insurance status
Literacy level
Which section of a research study has information about the study design, sample plan, and study procedures? Results Discussion Introduction Method
Method
The nurse skims the journal article to find information on the sample used in the study. In which section of the report would the sampling plan appear? Results Methods Discussion Introduction
Methods
A nurse researcher is working with several patients who are involved in a research study. The nurse knows to practice beneficence throughout the process. What does the term beneficence refer to? Maximizing due diligence Maximizing protection under law Minimizing benefits Minimizing harm
Minimizing harm
The nurse explores major agencies that focus purely on research in nursing. Which is the primary funder of nursing research? National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) U.S. Federal Government National Institutes of Health (NIH) Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
A nurse studies how to bring about change on a medical unit. Determining why and when to initiate change is best based on which factors? Financial considerations New research findings Directives from the chief nursing officer The opinions of the nursing staff
New research findings
Determining why and when to initiate change is based on: Need for financial support New research findings Opinions of the nursing staff Directive from the chief nursing officer
New research findings
A researcher surveyed 500 patients diagnosed with anxiety to determine which non-pharmacological anxiety-reducing measures patients prefer. Variables on the survey included breathing exercises, chamomile tea, lavender essential oil, television, calming music, clothes shopping, eating chocolate, or massage. Statistical analysis revealed that most of them ranked massage and calming music the highest in helpfulness. What is this type of research? Experimental Grounded theory Ethnography Phenomenology Non-experimental
Non-experimental
A researcher wants to identify the benefits of ambulation after cesarean section. The researcher plans to monitor 300 mothers from the time of arrival to the postpartum unit until the time of discharge to home. The researcher will observe and record patients' walking minutes and distance and time spent holding their infant, and will also ask patients to rate pain levels every 4 hours. What research design is this? Non-experimental Experimental Ethnography Grounded theory Phenomenology
Non-experimental
What is the focus of ethnographic research? Observe and document interactions within a culture. Describe experiences as they are lived. Study phenomena that contribute to theory development. Examine events of the past.
Observe and document interactions within a culture.
Which of the following is an appropriate method for nurses to use in developing a suitable research question for a clinical problem? Qualitative method Quantitative method PICO method Collaboration method
PICO method
A new staff nurse believes that doing research will help the nurse get promoted in the organization. What type of barrier is actually represented by this situation? Research methodology Organizational factors Resources Personal
Personal
Which dissemination strategy should take less than 5 minutes to read, accentuated by tables and graphics in a visually appealing format? Publication Journal club Poster presentation Oral presentation
Poster presentation
The nurse differentiates between public (governmental) and private funding sources. Why do many experienced researchers prefer private funding over public funding sources? Private funding is seldom specialized and covers more general topics. Private funding usually has less red tape and less requirements. Public funding will not fund topics that are covered by professional organizations. Public funding has less rigorous requirements regarding researcher experience.
Private funding usually has less red tape and less requirements.
Nurse researchers working with patients in a qualitative research study will need to acquire ongoing consent. What type of consent is this known as? Half-way consent Implied consent Process consent Informed consent
Process consent
The role of the peer reviewer is to: Contact the authors of the manuscript to discuss manuscript issues Report concerns about the manuscript to legal authorities Collaborate with other peer reviewers to compare reviews Provide feedback to the journal editors about the merits of the study
Provide feedback to the journal editors about the merits of the study
What is the most effective dissemination strategy to use for the goal of improved client care and cost containment? Nursing grand rounds Publications Quality and process improvement initiatives Oral presentations
Quality and process improvement initiatives --- Rationale: Quality and process improvement initiatives improve client care and aim to contain costs. Therefore, disseminating research findings through these initiatives best meets this goal. Other dissemination strategies are less focused on the goal.
In order to effectively answer a clinical research question, the nurse must: Form a team of expert researchers Obtain textbooks on the research topic Access grant money to support research Read and understand research reports
Read and understand research reports
In terms of generalizability of findings for quantitative research, which would be most important? Representativeness of the population Willingness of subjects to participate Method chosen for sample selection Size of the total population
Representativeness of the population
When critically evaluating research, it is important to objectively assess the: Length of the article Database where the study was published Research method Number of authors
Research method
A nurse is learning about the peer-review process. Which individual would be considered a peer-reviewer? Staff nurses who work in the same area of nursing Researchers or experts in the field Staff working at the same institution Physicians or medical practitioners
Researchers or experts in the field
A nurse works in an organization that is hierarchical and averse to change. What organizational barrier is likely to be encountered? Dedicated release time for staff to do research Networking between staff and administrators Stipends to pay for data collection materials Resistance to practicing in a different way
Resistance to practicing in a different way
In which category of research barrier does lack of equipment belong? Knowledge Organizational Research methodology and measures Resources
Resources
The nurse considers equipment and technology needs required for a physiological study. Lack of equipment belongs in which category of research barrier? Organizational Knowledge Research methodology and measures Resources
Resources
The nurse questions, "What is meant by a blind review?" Which statement best answers this question? Reviewers are not told the name or affiliation of the authors. The journal selects reviewers who know little about the topic. Authors can select no more than 1 out of 3 reviewers for their paper. The author is not told which journal has accepted the article for publication.
Reviewers are not told the name or affiliation of the authors.
A nurse researcher should adhere to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) when caring for patients involved in a research study. HIPAA refers to what type of patient right? Right to fair treatment Right to privacy Right to full disclosure Right to human dignity
Right to privacy
The nurse reviews nongovernmental agencies and organizations that fund research. Which source is a philanthropic organization? Robert Wood Johnson Foundation American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) National Institute of Nursing Research National Institutes of Health
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
A nurse researcher is interested in finding information about pancreatic cancer on an electronic database. One of the first tasks she must undertake to begin the database search for the desired information is: Read study abstracts Document search decisions Select key words Identify references
Select key words
A nursing student studies data collection in nursing research. What is the most widely used data collection method by nurse researchers? Records Biophysiologic measures Observation Self-reports
Self-reports
According to the evidence hierarchy pyramid, what would be the level of evidence of this article? Twiss, J. J., Waltman, N. L., Berg, K., Ott, C. D., Gross, G., J. L., and Lindsey, A. M. (2009). A randomized control trial testing an exercise intervention for breast cancer survivors with bone loss. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 4(1), 20-27. Systematic review Single RCT Expert opinion, case report Single cross-sectional study
Single RCT
In bringing about change to improve practice, which aspect of the practice environment would be most facilitative of change? Staff are bored with the way they are currently practicing Staff are motivated to make the change, and believe change is needed Staff feel challenged because they need to learn new techniques Staff have the skills to practice differently
Staff are motivated to make the change, and believe change is needed
A nurse wants to become more involved in the research process. What does it mean to be a consumer of nursing research? Conduct statistical analysis to determine study results. Collect data for a clinical research study. Put together a proposal to do a research study. Take time to read and critique research reports.
Take time to read and critique research reports.
After completing a research study, the researcher develops a dissemination plan. Which factor is part of a dissemination plan? Method of data collection Target audience Type of study design Generalizability of sample
Target audience
A patient is unsure about his or her rights while participating in a research study. The nurse should explain that the patient has the right to self-determination. What does this term refer to? The right to opt out of a study once it has begun The right to opt in to a study after it has begun The right to euthanasia while participating in the study The right to full disclosure of the study at any time
The right to opt out of a study once it has begun
The introduction section of a research study describes which of the following components? Study limitations Theoretical or conceptual framework Clinical and research implications Name of statistical tests used
Theoretical or conceptual framework
A nurse studying the problem of ventilator-acquired pneumonia plans for data collection in the intensive care unit. What statement is most accurate regarding measuring biophysiologic variables? These variables historically conflict with other measures. These variables are difficult to measure with accuracy. These measures often prove insignificant. These measures are reliable when measured correctly.
These measures are reliable when measured correctly.
As a nurse learns more about being a consumer of research, questions about application arise. What is the value of being a consumer of research? To enhance nursing practice To decrease time required to read the literature To work with a research mentor To practice conducting research
To enhance nursing practice
When learning about research and publication, the nursing student gains a better understanding of the value of APA style. What is the purpose of formatting published references in APA style? To differentiate nursing from other professions To make reports easier to write To ensure uniformity in published reports To minimize creativity in scientific writing
To ensure uniformity in published reports
An advantage of using biophysiologic measures to assess clinical variables is the accuracy and precision of the data. False True
True
Establishing a journal club is one method of overcoming barriers to research. False True
True
Many researchers prefer private funding as opposed to federal funding because there are fewer requirements for obtaining financial support. False True
True
Once the nurse researcher has devised a search strategy and retrieved potential primary source materials, the next step is to discard irrelevant or inappropriate references. False True
True
The MEDLINE database uses a vocabulary called MeSH to index articles. False True
True
When considering change at an organizational level, it is important to determine whether the change is a priority for the organization. False True
True
Peer reviewers of manuscripts submitted to a nursing research journal are usually nurse researchers. False True
True --- Rationale: Nurse researchers would be considered experts in their field and best qualified to review articles submitted to a nursing research journal.
In the dissemination phase of the research process, the final task is the preparation of the research report. False True
True --- Rationale: The final activity in the research project is to complete a research report so that findings can be shared with others.
A nurse performed a literature review on client satisfaction and found that The Institute for Caring in Healthcare released an article that covers the research topic. The nurse is unable to find an author for the article. How should the article be cited in APA style? A. Type "Anonymous Author" where the author's name should be. B. Type "The Institute for Caring in Healthcare" where the author's name should be. C. Leave the author portion blank in the citation. D. Type "(Author unknown)" where the author's name should be.
Type "The Institute for Caring in Healthcare" where the author's name should be.
Which research activity would be expected of a nurse who had taken a research course at the baccalaureate level? Develop research protocols and new research designs. Develop evidence-based practice guidelines. Understand the research process and identify researchable problems. Lead interdisciplinary research teams to solve clinical problems.
Understand the research process and identify researchable problems.
A large number of patient satisfaction surveys indicate inadequate pain control on a surgical unit in an acute care hospital. The chief nursing officer needs to address this issue and asks the nurses on the surgical unit to measure their patient's pain once per shift. Which scale is the most appropriate to use to gather this data? Likert scale Rating scale Visual analog scale Faces scale
Visual analog scale
When conducting a literature review, a nurse researcher locates a systematic review that includes quantitative studies. This design is considered a high-level, primary source because it: provides brief summaries of expert opinion articles and research. primarily summarizes qualitative research studies. supplements searches that have not yielded adequate research results. follows a predetermined and rigorous research method of analysis.
follows a predetermined and rigorous research method of analysis.
The nurse reviews the Sources of Evidence Pyramid. Rank order the list of types of evidence from top (highest level) to bottom (lowest level). i. Randomized controlled trial ii. Systematic review iii. Quasi-experimental study iv. Single qualitative study v. Case report
ii, i, iii, iv, v
The nurse must compensate for barriers that arise when doing research. Which barrier would occur during the implementation phase? A. Staff not adequately trained to collect data B. Lack of researcher skill in interpreting results C. Difficulty identifying an available sample D. Inadequate resources to complete data analysis
A
In a quantitative study, the method section includes which of the following? (Select all that apply.) A. Sampling plan B. Data analysis methods C. Results of data analysis D. Research design E. Clinical and research implications
A, B, D
A researcher is planning a quantitative study on the effect of early ambulation in hip replacement clients. What data collection methods are appropriate for this quantitative study? (Select all that apply.) A. Biophysiologic measures B. Self-reports C. Open-ended interviews D. Observation E. Focus groups
A, B, D --- Rationale: Quantitative and qualitative researchers use different types of data collection methods. Quantitative researchers use self-reports, observations, and biophysiologic measures to collect data for research.
In determining a problem statement, the nurse considers several ideas. What is a major source of ideas for research problems? (Select all that apply.) A. Theories or conceptual frameworks B. Personal nursing experience C. Nursing code of ethics D. American Nurses Association policy statements E. Nursing literature
A, B, E
Primary sources are those conducted directly with patients or sample groups. Which of the following are considered to be primary sources? (Select all that apply.) A. Randomized control trial B. Systematic review C. Expert opinion D. Textbook E. Nonrandomized control trial
A, B, E
Which of the following data collection methods are commonly used in qualitative studies? (Select all that apply.) A. In-depth interviews B. Participant observation C. Surveys D. Self-report E. Photographs
A, B, E --- Rationale: Participant observation and photographs are used in ethnographic studies to gather information about a culture and participants within that culture. In-depth interviews are used primarily in phenomenological studies to obtain data about the lived experience of a participant experiencing a particular phenomenon.
A nurse researcher is interested in using a qualitative approach to examine relationships between nursing home residents. Which of the following research designs represent a qualitative approach to collecting information about the research topic? (Select all that apply.) A. Grounded theory B. Experimental C. Ethnography D. Phenomenology
A, C, D
When a nurse conducts a literature search, what is the advantage of having a well-thought-out search strategy? (Select all that apply.) A. Decreases frustration B. Expands the scope of the search C. Saves time D. Locates a larger number of general references E. Locates more relevant and useful resources
A, C, E
When engaging in a research study, in what order does the nurse organize the steps of the research process? A. Problem, planning, implementation, dissemination, analysis and interpretation B. Problem, planning, implementation, analysis and interpretation, dissemination C. Planning, problem, analysis and interpretation, implementation, dissemination D. Planning, implementation, analysis and interpretation, dissemination, problem
B
After entering a key word into the MEDLINE database, the search results yielded 10,100 results. One method to restrict search results is to use a: New research question Boolean operators Mapping Different database
Boolean operators
A nurse is looking across all of the studies reviewed to date and asks questions such as, "What is the pattern of evidence?", "How much evidence is there?", and "How consistent is the evidence?" The nurse is in what stage of the literature review process? Formulate and refine primary and secondary questions. Evaluate and analyze the studies. Read and screen sources. Devise a search strategy.
Evaluate and analyze the studies. --- Rationale: The questions the nurse is asking imply that this researcher is at the stage of analyzing and evaluating the studies already reviewed. Formulating and refining primary and secondary questions, revising a search strategy, and reading and screening sources would occur earlier in the literature review process.
A nurse researcher plans to study the effect of an innovative educational intervention on teaching adults with chronic lung disease to take their medications. Clinic clients will be randomly assigned to treatment or control groups. Which design would be selected? Quasi-experimental Cross-sectional Non-experimental Experimental
Experimental
A staff nurse works with clients receiving chemotherapy as part of a blind study. What design type would always be used in a blind study? Experimental Quasi-experimental Correlational Non-experimental
Experimental
Researchers conducted a randomized control trial to determine the effectiveness of a new drug for depression. What type of research design was used in this study? Quasi-experimental Experimental Descriptive Correlational
Experimental
When planning to test the effect of an intervention to improve blood glucose outcomes in diabetes, the nurse would select which study design? Ethnographic Non-experimental Experimental Grounded theory
Experimental
A nurse researcher reviews the literature on fall prevention on the hospital medical surgical unit. Which type of literature presents the strongest evidence for practice? Expert opinion Case study Experimental study Descriptive study
Experimental study
A correlational research design has both a control group and an experimental group. True False
False
A major assumption of the constructivist paradigm is that the researcher is independent from those being researched. True False
False
In a blind study, only data collectors have information about participants and intervention agents. True False
False
In qualitative research studies, the researcher never participates in any way with the social group being observed. False True
False
Secondary sources can be substituted for primary sources when conducting a literature review if the researcher does not have enough time or resources to find primary sources. True False
False
The discussion section of a research study noted several limitations. These limitations indicate the study is flawed, and therefore, the results are not meaningful. False True
False
The research hypothesis states that there is no relationship between the study variables. False True
False
A nurse is completing a literature review. The nurse has several ideas for a focus, but has not nailed down a specific topic to examine. Which step would be most helpful to follow at this stage of the process? Screen and read articles. Review abstracts for articles. Retrieve and print source materials. Formulate a clear research question.
Formulate a clear research question.
A nurse researcher develops a problem statement for a study. What component is included in a well-structured problem statement for nursing research? Sustainability of the problem Difficulties in collecting data for the study Gap in knowledge about the problem Anticipated study findings
Gap in knowledge about the problem
A nurse researcher develops a purpose statement for a quantitative study. Which component is included in a well-structured purpose statement for nursing research? Suggests the consequences of the study Identifies key study variables Identifies the research method used Indicates the data collection method
Identifies key study variables
A researcher begins the searching process by entering key terms. The search yields over 180 potential articles. Which action in the screening process would be the most appropriate next step in identifying useful articles? Review some of the studies for alternate keywords. Read the abstract of each article to narrow the number of articles. Identify MeSH terms in making keywords more specific. Leave out keywords in the next search phase.
Identify MeSH terms in making keywords more specific.
In order for statistical results to be useful to clinicians and researchers, the results must be: Interpreted Formatted Experimental Conceptual
Interpreted
A nurse researcher learns to identify secondary sources in the literature. Which source would be considered secondary? Randomized controlled trial Meta-synthesis Meta-analysis Literature review
Literature review
A researcher is studying self-efficacy in a sample of new mothers. Data will be collected at 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year after birth to determine the level of self-efficacy. What type of research design is most appropriate for this study? Longitudinal Quasi-experimental Experimental Cross-sectional
Longitudinal
According to assumptions of positivists, which of the following is the best method for obtaining evidence? Inductive process Flexible, emergent designs Measured, quantitative information Narrative evidence
Measured, quantitative information
The nurse differentiates between types of systematic reviews. Which type includes only qualitative studies? Narrative reviews Meta-analysis Meta-synthesis Case control reports
Meta-synthesis
A nurse researcher is looking for a research instrument to measure patient satisfaction after nursing rounds were implemented on the medical-surgical unit. In which section of the research studies selected by the nurse would she find the study instruments? Methods Discussion Results Introduction
Methods
In which section of a research report would the nurse reading a research report find a description of the research design, sampling plan, and study procedures? Discussion Introduction Methods Results
Methods
When conducting a research literature search, which activity is the most reliable way to identify new scholarly references? Change topics and use new key search terms. Search novel Internet websites for up-to-date information. Note relevant citations in the articles being reviewed. Review materials in commercial websites.
Note relevant citations in the articles being reviewed.
A nurse researcher plans to study the effect of a nurse residency program on job retention in newly graduated nurses. The study involves a control group of new graduates who did not participate in the residency program. What is the independent variable in this study? Nurse residency program Job retention New-graduate status New-graduate nurses
Nurse residency program
One advantage of meta-analysis as an integration is: Objectivity Rigor Complexity Significance
Objectivity
A nurse researcher studies the effect of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) on post-operative adult clients' pain levels. What is the dependent variable in this study? Pain level Post-operative status Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) Adult clients
Pain level
When reading research reports, which terms is the nurse most likely to find in a qualitative report? Experiments, deductive process, statistics Variables, subjects, numerical data Phenomena, verbal data, inductive process Control, objectivity, predictive
Phenomena, verbal data, inductive process
The nurse reviews a research report that describes the experience of parenting a child with a heart transplant. The data in the study was primarily collected through interviews. Based upon this information, what type of study is this? Experimental Non-experimental Phenomenological Quasi-experimental
Phenomenological
In the process of conducting a literature review, the nurse researcher is using studies written by the researchers who conducted the studies. This type of information source is known as: Meta-analysis Secondary Primary Evidence-based
Primary
Which statement is an example of a goal of nursing research? Provide evidence based nursing practice Develop cures for medical conditions Cross-train nurses to work in multiple disciplines Educate all nurses to become producers of research
Provide evidence based nursing practice
Meta-synthesis is defined as the critical appraisal of what type of research? Case study Qualitative Quantitative Historical
Qualitative
When reviewing a research journal, the nurse is aware that this research method involves collection of numerical data: Systematic Constructivist Qualitative Quantitative
Quantitative
A researcher has narrowed a search of electronic databases to 15 potential references. Which action in the screening process would be the most appropriate next step in identifying useful articles? Evaluating search terms Reading the reports in their entirety Comparing databases for duplicate-referenced reports Reviewing the abstracts
Reading the reports in their entirety
The nurse is functioning in what role when he uses systematic inquiry to develop evidence about issues of importance to nurses and their patients? Leader Advocate Communicator Researcher
Researcher
A researcher is gathering data for a quantitative study. He knows what information he needs to obtain and can develop appropriate questions to gain this information. What type of data collection method is best to use to collect the necessary information? Biophysiologic measures Focus group Observations Self-reports
Self-reports
After planning his research study, the nurse is ready for the implementation phase. During this step, data will be collected from study participants. Which of the following are considered to be appropriate methods of data collection for quantitative studies? Narratives Focus groups Self-reports Face-to-face interviews
Self-reports
Which type of evidence based on the evidence hierarchy is considered to be the strongest? Systematic review Single randomized control trial Expert opinion Qualitative study
Systematic review
A nurse summarizes the pattern of levels of evidence for practice. Which type of report would likely contain the strongest evidence? Single qualitative study Reports by clinical experts Single randomized controlled trial Systematic review of quantitative studies
Systematic review of quantitative studies
In differentiating between quantitative and qualitative research, what is a component of the purpose statement in a qualitative study? Cause and effect statement Study variables and concepts Background of the study The phenomenon
The phenomenon
A nurse researcher plans a qualitative study on the experience of miscarriage. Why would interviews be preferable to questionnaires when studying this topic? Interviews require less training of research personnel. Interviews yield data that are easier to analyze. The quality of the data tends to be higher with interviews. Interviews are less expensive.
The quality of the data tends to be higher with interviews.
A nurse researcher differentiates between primary and secondary sources of literature. Which source would be considered primary? An article written by clinical experts on how to care for heart failure clients The research report of a clinical trial in a research journal A chapter in a textbook on orthopedic nursing A quick reference guide on care of the client with heart failure
The research report of a clinical trial in a research journal
The empirical phase of a qualitative research study involves collecting and preparing data for analysis. True False
True
The level of the researchers experience may be a barrier to implementing a research study. False True
True
The purpose statement of a research study identifies the population of interest and the relationship between study variables. False True
True
When conducting a literature review, a researcher should use mostly primary sources in order to ensure the quality of the evidence used to support the study is strong and relevant. False True
True
When conducting a literature review, it is important to locate relevant studies. One bibliographic database that is particularly helpful to nurse researchers is CINAHL. True False
True
A researcher is planning a study in which pain levels are measured. What is the name of a self-report pain scale that utilizes a straight line measuring 100 mm? 0-10 scale Likert scale Faces scale Visual analog scale
Visual analog scale
The nurse explores the differences between the paradigms used in quantitative and qualitative research. Which clinical or research question would most likely fall under the constructivist paradigm? What is the meaning of being diagnosed with breast cancer? How does test anxiety affect test scores? How is urine output affected in renal failure? Which drugs are most effective in treating lung cancer?
What is the meaning of being diagnosed with breast cancer?
In conducting a subject search in an electronic database, the nurse would most likely initiate the search by typing in: a research design. a keyword or phrase. an author's name. the name of a journal.
a keyword or phrase.
The nurse determines the strength of evidence for application to practice, based on study design. Rank order these types of reports based on the Hierarchy of Evidence. i. Evidence from controlled trials without randomization ii. Evidence obtained from well-designed RCTs iii. Systematic review of all relevant RCTs iv. Evidence from single descriptive studies v. Evidence from the opinion of experts
iii, ii, i, iv, v
