29 Jan 1. Explain the purpose of

NU 560 Research Methods and Evidence-Based Practice

Week 1 Discussion

DQ1 Healthcare is changing rapidly and ideas and methods that had value in the past need to be re-evaluated as we move towards healthcare reform, integrate evidence-based practice and/or best practices and work towards achieving positive patient outcomes and educate nurses who will be prepared to practice in this ever changing health care environment. Recall a situation when you were asked to perform a specific intervention and/or practice idea based on authority or tradition. Describe the the intervention or practice. Based on your knowledge of evidence-based practice, does this practice still hold value now? Use an Evidence-Based Guideline or nursing specialty organization Standard of Practice to support your answer.

DQ 2 According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing the Masters prepared nurse ” Recognizes that the master’s-prepared nurse applies research outcomes within the practice setting, resolves practice problems, works as a change agent, and disseminates results.” Many research ideas emerge from practice and/or the educational environment. Formulating a well-built research question is challenging. Asking the right question facilitates the search process when conducting a review of the literature. Read the article “Asking the clinical question: A key step in evidence-based practice found in the supplemental activities folder and review the slide presentation included in this unit. After reading the article and reviewing the slide presentation use the PICOT framework and practice creating a PICOT question. Create a PICOT question for a quantitative study and a PICOT question for a qualitative study that relate to your area of interest. Obtain an Evidence-Based Guideline (EBG), Standard of Practice, or Best practice in nursing education that pertains to your question. In responding to your colleagues’ postings offer alternative questions and rationales for your suggestions.

NU 560 Research Methods and Evidence-Based Practice

Week 2 Discussion

DQ1 Review the slide presentation on reliability, validity and trustworthiness. Describe the scientific rigor associated with quantitative and qualitative research and the importance of reliability, validity in quantitative research, and trustworthiness in qualitative research. What are the differences among these concepts? Discuss types of validity and reliability and the components of trustworthiness. Provide some suggestions that will improve them when conducting quantitative and qualitative research studies.

DQ2 How do the sampling methods and sample sizes vary for the different types of quantitative and qualitative research? Using your research questions (qualitative and quantitative), what sampling method would you use to conduct your study? Why? How would you determine the sample type and size?

NU 560 Research Methods and Evidence-Based Practice

Week 3 Discussion

DQ1 Locate a research study (2012 or later) on your topic of interest. Review the participants, procedures (methods section) of the article. Utilize the analysis questions below to guide your review of the overall risk/ benefits ratio. Be sure to provide a link to your article on the discussion board for your classmates(post your response to message box and attach a PDF file of artcile to this discussion board).

Do you think the benefits of this research outweighed the costs to participants-what is the overall risk/benefit ratio?

Does the report indicate that the study procedures were reviewed by an IRB or other similar institutional ethical review committee?

Would the participants in this study be considered “vulnerable”?

Were participants subjected to any physical harm or discomfort or psychological distress as part of the study? What efforts did the researchers make to minimize harm and maximize good?

Were participants deceived in any way?

Were participants coerced into participating in the study?

Were appropriate informed consent procedures used?

Was there full disclosure, and was participation voluntary?

Does the report discuss steps that were taken to protect the privacy and confidentiality of study participant?

DQ2 Adhering to ethical principles and protection of human subjects are important considerations in all forms of research. How stringent or similar should these ethical principles be to the standards placed on the conduction of clinical and/or educational research? Offer examples where controversy exists regarding application of ethical principles in evidence-based practice projects, best practices in education versus clinical research? Be sure to address HIPAA and FERPA depending on your focus – clinical practice vs academic education.

NU 560 Research Methods and Evidence-Based Practice

Week 4 Discussion

DQ1 The literature review is key to any research study or article development. It is important to review the literature within your own discipline, but also other disciplines which may confront similar issues or have related concerns. For example, practice issues in other health related fields often correspond to those confronted in nursing. Nursing education concerns may also be found in academic research within other disciplines outside of the health care field. What is the purpose of conducting an organized literature review? How will you approach this aspect of your research? What literature other than nursing literature do you feel may offer useful information? How might you incorporate these ideas into your proposal?

DQ2 Critical appraisals are used to broaden understanding and summarize evidence. This helps determine if research evidence is ready for practice. There are certain steps to conducting critical appraisals. Locate a scholarly journals article(s) and apply the steps of critical analysis found in your textbook.

NU 560 Research Methods and Evidence-Based Practice

Week 5 Discussion

DQ1 Select one of the Models presented in this unit. Describe how this model would be effective for implementing EBP and/or Best practices in the practice, administration, or education setting. Consider how you might introduce this change. What barriers might you confront?

DQ2 According to Porter O’Gradey and Malloch (2015), “In the twentieth century the focus of work was on performing the right processes. In the twenty-first-century the focus is on obtaining the right outcomes” (p. 4). The purpose of using evidence to guide practice is to promote positive outcomes. How do you see yourself as a change agent guiding others to move from a process focus to an outcomes focus? Discuss this in relationship to your area of concentration – practice and/or education. Elaborate the rationale behind the change from process to outcomes.

NU 560 Research Methods and Evidence-Based Practice

Week 6 Discussion

DQ1 Obtaining grants is an important aspect of research and provides funding for various projects that promote better patient outcomes and/or better educational outcomes. Based on your area of interest, conduct a search for possible grants that may be available to assist in funding your research idea and/or project. Describe your search strategy and discuss how you might go about applying for this grant.

DQ2 What is an “RFP?” How do you go about completing and submitting an RFP? Discuss the criteria for the RFP in the grant you selected for Week 6 DB#1.

NU 560 Research Methods and Evidence-Based Practice

Week 7 Discussion

DQ1 Read the article by Aiken and associates. She has been exploring the topic of patient safety for a number of years and has been applying her research findings across international boundaries. Consider your topic of interest and the purpose for exploring this topic. What outcomes would you like to see emerge from this? How would you measure these outcomes? Include in your discussion an analysis of how Aiken measured her selected outcomes.

DQ2 Part I

Present your Final Research proposal PPT presentation to this discussion forum. The PPT needs to include your voice. You may do a voice over PPT presentation or use screen cast o matic for your presentation. Here is the link to the free version: https://screencast-o-matic.com/home. This presentation also needs to be submitted through the submission link for grading.

Part II

Provide peer reviews to two other scholarly research proposals.

NU 560 Research Methods and Evidence-Based Practice

Week 8 Reflective Discussion

Reflect back over the term. What one thing did you learn in the course that you were able to apply in your work during the term? What one thing are you most looking forward to applying to your career in the future. What future trends may influence how nurses use evidence to improve the quality of patient care?

A reminder of the course objectives may help you reflect on this term:

1. Explain the purpose of nursing research in an evidence-based practice environment.

2. Differentiate qualitative and quantitative research in terms of philosophy, methodology, and outcome.

3. Critically analyze various types of research methods, designs, for scientific merit.

4. Investigate the literature to gain knowledge related to a select problem in education, administration or practice.

5. Evaluate the reliability, validity, and typical outcomes of instruments commonly used for nursing research.

6. Explore ethical principles as they relate to research and evidence-based practice

7. Design a research proposal that incorporates scholarly inquiry applicable to a select problem in nursing practice, education or administration.