Research & EBP
All the following statements appear in a study's informed consent form. Which statement violates the Code of Federal Regulations?
"I understand that the researcher is not responsible for negligence-caused injury."
Which statement about cross-sectional studies is most accurate?
More than one group can be compared
What threat to internal validity is most closely associated with a longitudinal design?
Mortality effects
The researcher used word of mouth to accrue a sample of participants. This is most accurately referred to as what?
Networking
The nurse researcher's use of a focus group interview with audio recording of group interactions would be considered to be an observational role of what?
No concealment without intervention
The nurse researcher is using a nursing degree as a variable in a research study. The level of measurement most appropriate in this case is what?
Nominal
The nurse researcher is using a research study that involved categories of patient weights. The level of measurement that would be most appropriate in this study is what?
Nominal
The nurse researcher is planning a study in which subjects will not be randomly assigned to groups. Which type of design would be appropriate for this study?
Nonequivalent control group design
How does an experimental research design differ from a nonexperimental research design?
Nonexperimental designs attempt to test differences among variables, and experimental designs attempt to establish cause-and-effect relationships.
When reporting results, investigators should demonstrate what?
Objectivity
Which data collection method is most vulnerable to researcher bias?
Observation methods
A nurse researcher administered a test anxiety questionnaire to a group of nursing students before they attended a test anxiety workshop and then administered a different questionnaire to the same nurses immediately following the workshop. This is indicative of which type of reliability?
Parallel form
The nurse researcher opts to group frequency data using large interval widths in a research study. Which problem may be encountered by using this type of interval widths?
Patterns can be obscured
Which data collection method can be assessed by asking, "Is there a provision for evaluating the accuracy of the instrument?"
Physiologic measurement
A nurse researcher is designing a quantitative research study involving a specific group of patients admitted to local hospitals. Which factor would negatively affect the feasibility of this study?
Potential study subjects represented less than 1% of hospital admissions during the year previous to the study.
What type of validity is demonstrated by examining the extent to which a passing grade in a nursing course is correlated with passing the registered nurse licensure examination?
Predictive validity
What type of research will assist a nurse researcher in focusing on the theory and development of measurement instruments?
Psychometrics
What type of study would be most appropriate if the nurse researcher is seeking to answer a question about the effectiveness of a particular treatment?
Quasi-experimental
Which data collection method can be assessed by asking, "Is there evidence that subjects were able to answer the questions?"
Questionnaires
Which method of data collection is most appropriate for a nurse researcher to use in a survey study?
Questionnaires
Compared with a quasi-experimental design, which of these characteristics should a nurse expect to see only in a true experimental design?
Random assignment
In a study using a true experimental design, which of these methods would control for antecedent variables?
Random assignment to groups
The primary characteristic of a probability sample is considered to be what?
Random selection of the sample
The nurse researcher opts to use a measure of variability. Which measure of variability does the researcher recognize as being most unstable?
Range
What is an example of a physiologic measurement?
Ranges of values on two consecutive arterial blood gas analyses
The nurse researcher is interested in having the greatest flexibility possible in choosing statistical procedures. The level of measurement used to achieve this is what?
Ratio
During a research project, the researcher notes that the subject completes each assigned task with a much higher level of performance than he normally exhibits. How should a nurse researcher most accurately describe this change in the subject's behavior?
Reactivity
In a true experimental study, the control group is the group that does what?
Receives the placebo treatment
The nurse researcher questions the strength, quality, and consistency of the evidence provided by the findings. This is described in which part of the discussion section?
Recommendations
Which data collection method can be assessed by asking, "Are the data examined in such a way as to provide new information?"
Records and databases
A nurse researcher should attempt to clearly specify exclusion criteria for a study sample because such criteria will do what?
Reduce the effect of extraneous variables on the accurate evaluation of the outcome variable
An ear temperature probe that consistently reports body temperature at a degree lower than the patient's actual temperature has what type of reliability or validity problem?
Reduced reliability, systematic error
Nurse researchers critiquing research reports should be concerned with the assessment of the validity and reliability of study instruments to do what?
To determine whether the concepts and variables were measured adequately
A nurse researcher can most accurately use the technique of power analysis to do what?
To estimate sample size
A nurse researcher would choose to use a correlational study of multiple variables for which purpose?
To examine relationships between or among variables
What is the overall purpose of the research design in a quantitative research study?
To provide the plan for answering the research question
A nurse researcher would opt to use factor analysis in which case?
To take a large number of variables and group them into a smaller number of factors
What property is established when the results of two separately administered tests that measure the same domain or concept are highly correlated?
Validity
The issue of personal privacy may be more difficult for nurse researchers to protect in qualitative studies than it is in quantitative studies for which reason?
Verbatim quotations from participants may reveal personal information.
What can a nurse researcher use to restrict the study population to homogeneous groups of subjects?
What can a nurse researcher use to restrict the study population to homogeneous groups of subjects?
An after-only nonequivalent control group design would be appropriate to study which of these research questions?
What is the effect of preoperative teaching on vascular complications after orthopedic surgery?
What is the first question that should be asked in determining whether a cross-sectional design or a longitudinal design should be used in a quantitative study?
What is the nature of the problem being studied?
A research study is planned to determine the effect of nutritional supplementation and type of support surface on the rate of wound healing in sacral myocutaneous flap failures. Which is an independent variable in this study? (SATA) a. Rate of wound healing b. Sacral myocutaneous flap c. Retailer source of protein supplement d. Type of support surface e. Nutritional supplementation
d. Type of support surface e. Nutritional supplementation
The alpha level that is interpreted by the nurse researcher as a highly statistically significant result is what?
p = 0.0002
What are some advantages of using physiologic data collection methods? (SATA) a. Objectivity b. Precision c. Flexibility d. Inexpensive e. Sensitivity
a. Objectivity b. Precision e. Sensitivity
A nurse researcher is working with students experiencing test anxiety. The nurse has the Students take a test while she watches through a two-way mirror. What does this approach incorporate? (SATA) a. Observation b. Interviewing c. Reactivity d. Structured interviewing e. Concealment
a. Observation e. Concealment
When presenting results, it is essential that investigators avoid what? (SATA) a. Opinion b. Bias c. Reactionary statements d. Data
a. Opinion b. Bias c. Reactionary statements
The five human rights that are outlined in ANA guidelines include which rights? (SATA) a. Right to self-determination b. Right to privacy and dignity c. Right to legal consultation d. Right to anonymity and confidentiality e. Right to fair treatment f. Right to protection from discomfort and harm g. Right to comprehensive medical care
a. Right to self-determination b. Right to privacy and dignity d. Right to anonymity and confidentiality e. Right to fair treatment f. Right to protection from discomfort and harm
Which type of research findings are considered the strongest available evidence?
Meta-analysis
Which term represents the most frequent score in a frequency distribution?
Mode
Which measures of central tendency allow for rank ordering with equal intervals? (SATA) a. Mode b. Range c. Median d. Mean e. Semiquartile range f. Percentile g. SD
Mode Median Mean
The nurse researcher can most accurately determine sample size by considering what?
The design of the study
In which of these ways does the nurse researcher's literature review help select the appropriate study design?
By objectively assessing available knowledge of the area
Which type of validity is demonstrated by administering a test in which all items relate to wound care, and then evaluating student performance in caring for patients with wounds in the clinical setting?
. Criterion-related validity
In a study of nurses' willingness to care for patients with a contagious disease, it was found that the greater the nurses' spirituality, the greater the willingness to provide care. This finding represents what?
A positive correlation
How should a nurse researcher expect a sample to differ from a population?
A sample is a representative segment of a defined population.
What order would be most appropriate for these statements involving development of a focused clinical question, progressing from lowest level to highest level? A. What is the population of interest? B. To what will this intervention be compared? C. What is the intervention of interest? D. How will the intervention make things better or worse?
A, C, B, D What is the population of interest? What is the intervention of interest? To what will this intervention be compared? How will the intervention make things better or worse?
When reviewing a research report, the nurse determines that all aspects of a study systematically and logically follow from the research problem. Which condition has been met?
Accuracy
The nurse researcher is interested in describing the assignment of numbers to objects or events. This is best achieved in which way?
All objects assigned a specific measurement number are similar to all other objects assigned the same number.
A nurse researcher will choose to use a developmental study design to do what?
Allow exploration of the changing nature of relationships between variables over time
In which way is the independent variable handled differently in a study with a true experimental design compared with a study with a quasi-experimental design?
Although both designs identify an independent variable, the nature of the groups (randomized versus nonrandomized) means that manipulation may result in different results.
A researcher who is developing a new instrument to measure pain has been informed that the instrument has face validity. The researcher's next step should be to do what?
Assess the content validity of the instrument.
What is the initial phase in application of quality improvement (QI) steps to a clinical performance problem? Assessment
Assessment
The nurse researcher is planning a research study that will use human subjects and their choice to participate in a specific treatment. The ethical principle guiding the research study that describes the nurse researcher's obligation to benefit others is what?
Beneficence
What advantage is shared by both interview and questionnaire data collection methods?
Both seek to understand the attitudes, beliefs, and feelings of participants.
A research consumer should evaluate sample size in a research report by doing what?
By asking how representative the sample is relative to the target population
Which is an electronic database for clinical problems and evidence-based research?
Cochrane
What source contains information on studies published in conference proceedings and other sources not available in other databases?
Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials
What is known to contain bibliographic information on articles and books on reviewing research and methodological studies?
Cochrane Methodology Register
Which database is most likely to yield the highest-level evidence for a nurse researcher?
Cochrane Review
Which data collection method would be most appropriate in studying bullying behavior in elementary school-aged girls?
Concealment of the researcher without intervention in children's behavior
Which observational role would be most appropriate if the nurse researcher wants to identify maternal response behaviors to cries of infants with colic?
Concealment without intervention
What is the basic human right that is violated when a nurse researcher allows an unauthorized person access to study data containing information about subject identity and responses?
Confidentiality
What is the nurse researcher's primary concern in data collection for research?
Consistency in data collection
Which type of validity is most difficult to establish?
Construct validity
A staff nurse overhears a health care professional use coercion to make a patient agree to participate in a research study. What should the staff nurse do?
Contact the hospital's Institutional Review Board.
Which type of validity is demonstrated when a nurse researcher submits items of an instrument to a panel of experts to evaluate item clarity?
Content validity
During development of an instrument to measure self-esteem, the nurse researcher administered the instrument to individuals who were substance abusers and to individuals who were not substance abusers and anticipated a significant difference in scores. This method of establishing construct validity is categorized as what?
Contrasted-groups approach
The measures used by a nurse researcher to maintain uniformity of conditions in a quantitative research study refer to which aspect of the study?
Control
Which type of sampling is most at risk for sample bias?
Convenience
Which type of study should be used when data are collected at only one point in time?
Cross-sectional
The results section of a research report includes what?
Data
What should the nurse researcher expect to be the difference between data collection for patient care and data collection for the purposes of research?
Data collection for research purposes must be objective and systematic.
A nurse researcher would choose physiologic data collection methods for which reason?
Data collection of patient body weights
A quasi-experimental research design would be preferable to an experimental design in which of these situations?
Data will need to be collected in a real-world setting.
Random assignment of subjects to experimental and control groups has which of these effects?
Decreases systematic bias
In testing an instrument consisting of 25 items for homogeneity using the "item-to-total" correlation, 8 items were found to have a low correlation to the total. The nurse researcher interprets this information to mean that the researcher should do what?
Delete the 8 items with low correlation and retain the other 17 items.
The nurse researcher is interested in describing and summarizing the characteristics of the sample used in the research study. In order for this to occur, the researcher should use what?
Descriptive statistics
The nurse researcher is using the percentage of nurses holding various nursing degrees as a variable in a research study. Which type of statistics is most appropriate in this case?
Descriptive statistics
In which section of the report does the nurse researcher address supported and unsupported data?
Discussion
In which section of the report will the nurse researcher address applicability to practice and future research?
Discussion
The nurse researcher can determine if the sampling size was adequate in which section of the report?
Discussion
The section of the report in which the nurse researcher determines if the theoretical thinking used was correct is called what?
Discussion
Which section of the report allows the nurse researcher to address support of the theoretical framework?
Discussion
Which section of the report allows the nurse researcher to determine if bias arose during the study?
Discussion
Which section of the report allows the nurse researcher to determine if data collection was consistent?
Discussion
Which section of the report allows the nurse researcher to determine if instruments were reliable and valid?
Discussion
Which section of the report allows the nurse researcher to discuss the analysis choices?
Discussion
The longitudinal study and the prospective study are similar for which reason?
Each moves forward in time
A study of a program to help people quit cigarette smoking had three groups of subjects. The first group received one supportive phone call 10 days after attending a program on strategies to resist smoking. A second group received a supportive phone call every week for 6 weeks after attending the program. A third group received no supportive phone calls after attending the program.
Elimination of cigarette smoking
What type of study would be most appropriate if a nurse researcher wants to determine if historical exposure to a specific water source is associated with later development of inflammatory bowel disease?
Ex post facto design
Which is considered an essential element of the informed consent form for a research study?
Explanation of whom to contact regarding any area of the study
A nurse researcher assesses the degree to which individual items on a scale cluster together around multiple dimensions using what?
Factor analysis
A study was conducted to determine if videotaped instruction was more effective than written instruction (a pamphlet) to teach menopausal women the benefits of regular Mammograms. Which condition would be considered an antecedent variable?
Four members of the pamphlet group had mothers who had been diagnosed with breast cancer, but no members of the videotape group had mothers who had been diagnosed with breast cancer.
A quasi-experimental study design would be a better choice for a research study than an experimental study design in which of these situations?
Full experimental control is not possible.
The nurse researcher's data contain extremes of high and low scores. The measure of central tendency that should be used in order to be least affected by extremes of high and low scores is what?
Mean
A researcher makes generalizations beyond the population being studied. This is known as what?
Inappropriate
A nurse researcher should be concerned about establishing clear eligibility criteria for inclusion in a study sample because such criteria will do what?
Increase the homogeneity of the sample
The nurse researcher selects matching as a technique in a research study. What does the technique of matching in a sampling strategy contribute to the research?
Increased equivalency of the comparison group
The training of data collectors to adhere strictly to a standard protocol for a research project will affect the ultimate outcome of the study by doing what?
Increasing consistency in data collection
The experimental treatment initiated by a researcher can be described as what kind of variable?
Independent
The nurse researcher is interested in estimating how reliably data can be used to generalize the findings of a study. In order for this to occur, the researcher should use what?
Inferential statistics
Why would a nurse researcher choose not to use a survey study design?
Information collected is relatively superficial
The nurse researcher informs subjects that he or she would like to include them in a research study and that they can refuse to participate through what?
Informed consent
Which type of reliability exists when consistency of observation, measured by a correlation coefficient, is noted between two or more research assistants who record their observations of an event at the same time?
Interrater
Two data collectors scored pressure ulcers similarly using the Braden Scale for pressure ulcer assessment. This finding indicates what?
Interrater reliability between the two data collectors was high.
The nurse researcher opts to use interval-level data. The researcher's primary concern will be what?
Intervals between data categories must be equal.
Which data collection method can be assessed by asking, "Is there clear indication that the subjects understood the task and the questions?"
Interviews
A new instrument has been determined to be highly valid. The nurse researcher should interpret this finding to mean what?
It accurately measures level of mentation
A nurse researcher would select the interview method of data collection for which reason?
It allows subjects to provide more detailed answers
Control is important in an experimental research study for which of these reasons?
It introduces one or more constants into the experimental situation.
Randomization strengthens an experimental study in which of these ways?
It introduces one or more constants into the experimental situation.
A nurse researcher would decide to use a longitudinal or prospective design for which reason?
It is associated with data that are focused and deep
How should a completed and signed informed consent form be handled?
It is copied, with one given to the participant and the other held by the researcher.
How is PICO [Patient/population/problem; Intervention/treatment; Comparison/intervention/treatment; Outcome(s)] used in EBP?
It is used to formulate the practice question.
Why would a nurse researcher choose to use a correlational design for a nonexperimental study?
It represents an efficient and effective method of collecting a large amount of data about a problem.
A nurse researcher would hesitate to use nonprobability sampling because:
It will result in reduced or limited generalizability.
A person gives consent to participate in a study, is assigned to an intervention group, and is expected to remain in the study for 1 year. What ethical principle is violated if after 6 months the subjects in the treatment group have more problems than the control subjects, and the nurse researcher does not allow the members of the treatment group to stop treatment?
Justice
A problem with the study's validity would be classified as what?
Limitation
Data collection instruments were sent to the same sample of women at six different times during the first year of living with breast cancer. What type of study design does this exemplify?
Longitudinal
What study design allows study participants to serve as their own controls, allowing early trends in the data to emerge?
Longitudinal
The reliability coefficient of a new instrument is established at 0.86. The nurse researcher should interpret this finding to mean what?
Low error variance; high reliability
A study of a program to help people quit cigarette smoking had three groups of subjects. The first group received one supportive phone call 10 days after attending a program on strategies to resist smoking. A second group received a supportive phone call every week for 6 weeks after attending the program. A third group received no supportive phone calls after attending the program.
Manipulation of the treatment dose
The nurse researcher is interested in using nominal level data. The object or event that could be used if nominal-level data are of primary interest is what?
Marital status
Both the problem statement and the purpose of a quantitative research study report should address what?
Relationship between the variables
A nurse researcher describes an instrument that is administered repeatedly and obtains the same results as having what?
Reliability
Which statement regarding informed consent is most accurate?
Researchers must obtain voluntary participation of subjects after informing them of possible risks and benefits.
The nurse researcher is planning a research study that will use human subjects and their choice to participate in a specific treatment. The ethical principle that describes a prospective subject's freedom to choose whether or not to participate in the research study is what?
Respect for persons
What is the ethical principle that is violated if doctors inject aged and senile patients with their cancer cells to study their rejection responses?
Respect for persons
Which section of the report allows a nurse researcher to interpret the evidence provided?
Results
Which section of the report allows a nurse researcher to review critical summary numbers for each test?
Results
Which section of the report allows a nurse researcher to review the descriptive and inferential statistics for each hypothesis or research question?
Results
Where in a report of a quantitative research study would a nurse researcher expect the gaps or conflicts about the phenomenon studied to be identified?
Review of the literature
What basic human right is considered to be equitable selection of subjects and their treatment during the research study?
Right to anonymity and confidentiality
What is the basic human right that exists when the subject's identity cannot be linked, even by the researcher, with his or her individual responses?
Right to anonymity and confidentiality
What basic human right is considered to be equitable selection of subjects and their treatment during the research study?
Right to fair treatment
A patient newly diagnosed with breast cancer is asked to participate in a clinical trial for a new chemotherapy agent. This patient's freedom to participate or not participate in the study exercises protection of which of her human rights?
Right to self-determination
What basic human right exists when subjects have the right to withdraw from a study without penalty? a.
Right to self-determination
What is the process of selecting representative units of a population for study in a research investigation?
Sampling
A nurse researcher would decide to use a retrospective or ex post facto study for which reason?
The dependent variable has already been affected by the independent variable.
A nurse researcher determines an instrument's homogeneity using which type of reliability?
Split-half reliability
A nurse researcher describes an instrument that produces the same result when it is administered to the same subjects under similar conditions on two or more occasions as possessing what?
Stability
The nurse researcher is attempting to answer specific questions about families' perceptions of caring for elderly parents with dementia. What would be the most appropriate method of data collection for this study?
Structured interview
Which statement regarding sample size is most accurate?
Studies with larger sample sizes are more likely to be representative of the target population.
When the nurse researcher demonstrates that an instrument is highly reliable, which type of error is reduced?
Systematic error
What terms means a summation and assessment of research studies found in the literature based on a clearly focused question?
Systematic review
When discussing the results, what facilitates presentation of large amounts of data?
Tables and figures
What type of threat to validity is minimized by the use of a Solomon four-group design?
Testing
The nurse researcher knows that a sample is representative of a population when which statement is true?
The characteristics of the sample closely approximate those of the population.
A nurse researcher has made a generalization on the basis of the experience of a small number of participants. What will the result of this be?
The data obtained from a small number will inadequately represent the phenomenon.
What is the significance of concurrent validity to a nurse researcher?
The degree of correlation of two measures of the same concept administered at the same time
Which factor should be the primary consideration when determining the validity of experimental study findings?
The extent to which the researcher controlled intervening variables
A nurse researcher should be concerned about an instrument's degree of internal consistency because it means what?
The instrument is appropriate to use to measure a single concept.
Testing of a new instrument demonstrates that it has a high degree of internal consistency. What does this indicate to the nurse researcher?
The instrument is appropriate to use to measure a single concept.
The nurse is critiquing a research study that involves subjects undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer. Which finding would meet a criterion for inferring causality between performance of exercise and adaptive behavior of the subjects receiving chemotherapy?
The level of adaptive behavior increased in direct proportion to an increase in the intensity of the exercise.
Why would a nurse researcher choose to use research studies that examine the associations or relationships between variables?
There is application in clinical settings and a foundation for future experimental studies.
A nurse researcher should be particularly concerned about having a small sample size for which reason?
There is increased risk of obtaining a nonrepresentative sample.
The nurse researcher opts to use ratio-level data. The researcher's primary concern will be what?
The rank of zero (0) represents the absence of the measured variable.
Which statement is most accurate regarding inclusion and exclusion criteria?
These criteria serve to ensure that the characteristics of the sample and the population are congruent.
How are threats to validity affected when studies are conducted in laboratory settings?
Threats to internal validity are decreased, whereas threats to external validity are increased.
How are threats to validity affected when studies are conducted in real-world settings?
Threats to internal validity are increased, while threats to external validity are decreased.
The nurse is critiquing a research study that used an experimental design. How can the nurse determine if the study's results are able to infer causality?
The relationship between independent and dependent variables must not be explainable by any other variable.
A nurse researcher opts to use a stratified sample in a research study for which reason?
The sample population is divided into subsets that are homogeneous for a particular trait or feature.
Which statement most accurately evaluates a quantitative research study report's scientific merit?
The sample size was appropriate for the statistical tests used
The nurse researcher finds that the data include a score reported to be in the 75th percentile. The researcher interprets this to mean what?
The score is exceeded by only 25% of the cases
A planned quasi-experimental study using a nonequivalent control group design has several extraneous variables that threaten its internal validity. The nurse researcher's actions should be based on which understanding?
The study should be strengthened by controlling intervening variables.
Which factor is most likely to be a mediating variable in a study to determine if high doses of vitamin C help reduce the subjects' susceptibility to influenza?
The subjects' use of influenza vaccine
How can a nurse researcher tell the difference between an accessible population and a target population?
The target population represents the entire set of cases the researcher wishes to study, and the accessible population represents that part of the target population that could feasibly be included in the study.
Which of these criteria is most important when evaluating the results of an experimental research study?
The validity that the experimental treatment caused the desired effect on the outcome.
When researchers write the Discussion section of a study, which section of the report is used to evaluate the findings?
Theoretical framework
A nurse researcher will choose an ex post facto design over more a correlational design for which reason?
There is a greater degree of control in the design
A nurse researcher would want to use a Kuder-Richardson (KR-20) coefficient to establish the internal consistency of an instrument in which case?
When multiple choice tests are analyzed
The nurse researcher should report the mean, mode, and median of a variable in a research study in which case?
When the distribution is symmetrical
Use of records or data-available methods of data collection would be most appropriate in which case?
When the goal of research is to analyze trends and change over time
A nurse researcher would want to use a Cronbach's alpha coefficient to establish the internal consistency of an instrument in which case?
When the instrument uses a Likert-type response scale
A nurse researcher would opt to use measures of central tendency in which case?
When there is a need to describe the average member of the sample
Which question should a nurse researcher consider in identifying key stakeholders?
Who can influence the decision to proceed with implementation of an EBP?
How should researchers and reviewers accept statistical significance?
With the cautious regard for how results might apply to practice
What features identify a study as methodologic in design? (SATA) a. A description of how the tool's items were formulated b. A description of the experimental treatment c. A clear definition of how the construct was measured d. A reporting on the tool's tested reliability and validity e. A statistical table showing the effect of the independent variable
a. A description of how the tool's items were formulated c. A clear definition of how the construct was measured d. A reporting on the tool's tested reliability and validity
Which statements are accurate regarding the assent process for pediatric research? (SATA.) a. A parental signature is required for a child to participate in a study. b. The study protocol is reviewed with the parent and not the child. c. The child should be able to express a preference for participation. d. A child older than age 16 does not require a parent's signature for consent. e. The child should understand the purpose of the study.
a. A parental signature is required for a child to participate in a study. c. The child should be able to express a preference for participation. e. The child should understand the purpose of the study.
External drivers of quality improvement include what? (SATA) a. Accreditation b. Financial incentives c. Performance measurement d. Public reporting
a. Accreditation b. Financial incentives c. Performance measurement d. Public reporting
To effectively influence improvements in the work setting and ensure that all patients consistently receive excellent care, it is important to do what? (SATA) a. Align national, organizational, and unit level goals for QI b. Recognize external drivers of quality c. Develop skills to apply QI models and tools d. Review previous attainment of predetermined standards
a. Align national, organizational, and unit level goals for QI b. Recognize external drivers of quality c. Develop skills to apply QI models and tools
A nurse researcher is designing a study on objective analysis of vital sign monitoring before, during, and after trauma care in the emergency department. To analyze trends in this process, which types of measurements could the nurse consider incorporating? (SATA) a. Available data (records of vital signs) b. Paper and pencil scales c. Questionnaires d. Physiologic instruments readouts e. Interviews
a. Available data (records of vital signs) d. Physiologic instruments readouts
What are the steps involved in instrument development? (SATA) a. Clarify the target population b. Define concept to be measured c. Develop items d. Estimate reliability and validity e. Statistically analyze individual items f. Develop implications from the item analysis
a. Clarify the target population b. Define concept to be measured c. Develop items d. Estimate reliability and validity
Which types of research designs are considered to be developmental studies? (SATA) a. Cross-sectional b. Comparative c. Exploratory d. Longitudinal e. Prospective f. Cohort g. Descriptive
a. Cross-sectional d. Longitudinal e. Prospective f. Cohort
Which types of research designs are considered to be survey studies? (SATA) a. Descriptive b. Exploratory c. Correlational d. Developmental e. Comparative f. Cross-sectional
a. Descriptive b. Exploratory e. Comparative
Advantages to use of correlational design for a study include what? (SATA) a. Efficiency and effectiveness in data collection b. Flexibility for investigating complex relationships c. Multivariate manipulation of variables d. Strong potential for clinical (real-world) application e. Increased potential for generalizability
a. Efficiency and effectiveness in data collection b. Flexibility for investigating complex relationships d. Strong potential for clinical (real-world) application
A research study in a laboratory setting incorporates four groups (two control and two experimental) in which only one experimental group and one control group are pretested, while all four groups are posttested. Which descriptions of the design are accurate? (SATA) a. Experimental design b. After-only experimental design c. Real-world experimental design d. Quasi-experimental design e. Solomon four-group design
a. Experimental design Solomon four-group design
What can a nurse researcher address in a study using a survey design? (SATA) a. Interrelationships of variables b. Description of variables c. Assessment of differences between variables d. Determination of causation e. Prediction of treatment outcomes
a. Interrelationships of variables b. Description of variables c. Assessment of differences between variables
Characteristics of a good table include what? (SATA) a. It supplements and economizes the text. b. It repeats text frequently for added emphasis. c. It has precise titles and headings. d. It does not repeat the text. e. There is creativity in the presentation of data.
a. It supplements and economizes the text. c. It has precise titles and headings. d. It does not repeat the text.
Which measures of central tendency allow for relative rankings? (Select all that apply.) a. Mode b. Range c. Median d. Mean e. Semiquartile range f. Percentile g. SD
a. Mode c. Media
Which data measurement scales typically use nonparametric tests of significance? (SATA) a. Nominal b. Ordinal c. Interval d. Ratio
a. Nominal b. Ordinal
What are types of nonprobability of sampling? (SATA) a. Purposive b. Quota c. Stratified random d. Multistage (cluster) e. Convenience
a. Purposive b. Quota e. Convenience
How should the nurse researcher describe variability in test scores attributed to error rather than to actual differences in behavior? (SATA) a. Random error b. Variance error c. Persistent error d. Systematic error
a. Random error d. Systematic error
What are ethical principles that are illustrated by obtaining IRB approval? (SATA) a. Respect b. Beneficence c. Trust d. Justice e. Anonymity f. Confidentiality
a. Respect b. Beneficence d. Justice
Which research designs could be classified as experimental? (SATA) a. Solomon four-group design b. After-only design c. Nonequivalent control group design d. After-only nonequivalent control group design e. One-group pretest-posttest design f. True experimental pretest-posttest control group design g. Time series design
a. Solomon four-group design b. After-only design f. True experimental pretest-posttest control group design
Tables and figures assist in presenting the findings of studies by doing what? (SATA) a. Supplementing the text b. Repeating the text c. Representing the results d. Reproducing the results
a. Supplementing the text c. Representing the results
What factors might influence whether it is ethical to require an older adult to participate in a research study? (SATA) a. The relevance of the research to issues important to older adults b. The ethnic background of the potential participant c. The age of the potential participant d. The cognitive capacity of the potential participant e. The degree of risk associated with the study
a. The relevance of the research to issues important to older adults d. The cognitive capacity of the potential participant e. The degree of risk associated with the study
The nurse researcher is attempting to develop a purposive sampling strategy as part of a research study. What criteria will be used to determine whether the strategy is purposive? (SATA) a. Validation of scale with a known-group technique b. Focus of study population relates to specific diagnosis c. Focus of study population relates to broad, general topic d. Effective posttesting of instruments e. Collection of exploratory data f. Collection of descriptive data
a. Validation of scale with a known-group technique b. Focus of study population relates to specific DX e. Collection of exploratory data f. Collection of descriptive data
A nurse researcher is designing a study examining the construct of anxiety. The researcher could operationalize anxiety through what? (SATA) a. Vital signs readouts b. Observation c. Sweat-level measurements d. Interview e. Paper and pencil scale
a. Vital signs readouts b. Observation c. Sweat-level measurements d. Interview e. Paper and pencil scale
A nurse researcher is planning a quantitative (experimental) research study to test the effect of a new wound product on wound healing. Which of these factors is necessary to implement an experimental pretest-posttest design? (SATA) a. Inclusion of a second control group b. Ability to collect pretest data c. Use of two posttreatment data collection times d. Subjects randomized to the control group only e. Random assignment of subjects to treatment and control groups
b. Ability to collect pretest data e. Random assignment of subjects to treatment and control groups
The findings of a study include what? (SATA) a. Methods b. Conclusions c. Interpretations d. Theories
b. Conclusions c. Interpretations d. Theories
Which are characteristics of quasi-experimental research designs that are considered weaknesses, compared with experimental designs? (SATA) a. Cost of implementation b. Confidence in making causal assertions c. Subject to contamination of internal validity d. Disruptive to the usual routine of the setting e. Difficult to perform in a particular clinical setting f. Findings due to interference of extraneous variables
b. Confidence in making causal assertions c. Subject to contamination of internal validity f. Findings due to interference of extraneous variables
The role of an IRB includes which actions? (SATA) a. Assisting researchers in maintaining rigor during the data analysis phase of a study b. Ensuring that human subjects are protected from undue risks c. Providing approval for studies to be conducted at an institution d. Interviewing subjects for the informed consent process e. Ensuring that HIPAA privacy rules are maintained in a study
b. Ensuring that human subjects are protected from undue risks c. Providing approval for studies to be conducted at an institution e. Ensuring that HIPAA privacy rules are maintained in a study
Which measures used to test reliability are specific for homogeneity? (SATA) a. Test-retest reliability b. Item-to-total correlation c. Parallel or alternate form d. Split-half reliability e. Kuder-Richardson coefficient f. Cronbach's alpha g. Interrater reliability
b. Item-to-total correlation d. Split-half reliability e. Kuder-Richardson coefficient f. Cronbach's alpha
Which are methods for searching and integrating the literature related to a specific clinical issue? (SATA) a. Meta-analysis b. Systematic review c. Cochrane collaboration d. Integrative review
b. Systematic review d. Integrative review
An adult participant receives an informed consent form to participate in a study on breast cancer in women younger than the age of 35. The study's informed consent process should include which elements? (SATA) a. The participant's meeting the IRB members who approved the study b. The participant's being informed of risks associated with the study c. The participant's being informed of the study protocol d. The participant's being given the right to decline participation at any time e. The participant's being assured that her confidentiality will be maintained
b. The participant's being informed of risks associated with the study c. The participant's being informed of the study protocol d. The participant's being given the right to decline participation at any time e. The participant's being assured that her confidentiality will be maintained
Which types of research designs are considered to be relationship-difference studies? (SATA) a. Descriptive b. Exploratory c. Correlational d. Developmental e. Comparative f. Cross-sectional
c. Correlational d. Developmental f. Cross-sectional
When validity of an instrument is determined, the nurse researcher assesses what? (SATA) a. Stability b. Variance c. Accuracy d. Precision
c. Accuracy d. Precision
Which characteristic is an essential criterion for categorizing an object, event, or fact as nominal level data? (SATA.) a. The degree of the characteristic must be positively related to the number assigned. b. Rank orders must be calculated for meaningful interpretation. c. Categories must be mutually exclusive. d. Category ranges cannot overlap.
c. Categories must be mutually exclusive d. Category ranges cannot overlap
Which measures used to test reliability are specific for equivalence? (SATA) a. Test-retest reliability b. Item-to-total correlation c. Parallel or alternate form d. Split-half reliability e. Kuder-Richardson coefficient f. Cronbach's alpha g. Interrater reliability
c. Parallel or alternate form g. Interrater reliability
Which of these research designs could be classified as quasi-experimental? (SATA) a. Solomon four-group design b. After-only design c. Nonequivalent control group design d. After-only nonequivalent control-group design e. One-group pretest-posttest design f. True experimental pretest-posttest group design g. Time series design
c. Nonequivalent control group design d. After-only nonequivalent control-group design e. One-group pretest-posttest design g. Time series design
The nurse researcher is deciding on a sampling strategy for the research study. Which type(s) of strategies would be considered to be probability sampling strategies? (SATA) a. Convenience b. Quota c. Simple random d. Cluster e. Purposive f. Stratified random
c. Simple random d. Cluster f. Stratified random
Which statements regarding measures of central tendency are accurate? (SATA) a. This classification of levels of measurement is scientifically inaccurate. b. Having the mean, mode, and median exactly the same indicates the measures have been correctly applied. c. They have great flexibility with regard to the amount of mathematical manipulation possible. d. They vary from sample to sample, even when the same trait or characteristic is measured.
c. They have great flexibility with regard to the amount of mathematical manipulation possible. d. They vary from sample to sample, even when the same trait or characteristic is measured.
