Using theBloomfield and Fisher (PDF)(Links to an external site.)andCarpenter, Short, Willians, Yandell, and Bowers (PDF)(Links to an external site.)articles (attached) , discuss when to use or how you...

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Using theBloomfield and Fisher (PDF)(Links to an external site.)andCarpenter, Short, Willians, Yandell, and Bowers (PDF)(Links to an external site.)articles (attached) , discuss when to use or how you use quantitative researchin your clinical practice (my practice is in the ICU setting) how do you use quantitative research in the ICU setting?


Respond with ideas to help classmates increase their use of quantitative research.


Professionally challenge your fellow students about their thoughts and ideas in this post.


APA format, all references cited please, use and cite the two attached articles at least once.




ContentServer.asp.pdf 27JARNA Volume 22 Number 2 September 2019 Research methods Quantitative research design Jacqueline Bloomfield* PhD, MN, PGDip (Healthcare Ed), PGDip (Midwifery), BN, RN Associate Professor, Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Sydney, NSW 88 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW 2050 Email [email protected] Murray J Fisher RN, ICT Cert, DipAppSc (Nursing), BHSc (Nursing), MHPEd, PhD Associate Professor, Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Sydney and Nursing Scholar in Residence, Royal Rehab, Ryde NSW. *Corresponding author Introduction This paper is the third in a series of articles about research methods. Previous papers in this series have focused on research paradigms (Davies & Fisher, 2018) and the research process (Fisher & Bloomfield, 2019). The aim of this article is to explain what is meant by research design and to discuss the four different types of research design that are commonly used in quantitative research. How a researcher designs, structures and implements a study can affect the research findings and is an important consideration regarding bias. It is therefore important that nurses reading and critiquing research papers have a sound understanding of the concept of research design and are able to identify any flaws in the study design that may interfere with reported study findings. Research design In simple terms, a research design can be described as the overall strategy that is used to conduct a research study. More specifically, a research design is the blueprint or plan that will be used by researchers to answer a specific research question. Essentially, a research design comprises three distinct elements – a plan, a structure and a strategy (Burns, Grove, & Gray, 2015). Consideration of these three elements will assist the researcher in determining the hypothesis, conducting the study, and analysing and interpreting the data. In quantitative research, it is imperative that control is maintained. Control refers to the methods the researcher will use to prevent or minimise any factors that may influence or bias the findings. To understand more about the importance of control in quantitative research design, Key words Evidence-based practice, research process, nursing, research For referencing Bloomfield J & Fisher MJ. Quantitative research design. JARNA 2019; 22(2):27-30. DOI https://doi.org/10.33235/jarna.22.2.27-30 it is relevant to revise the key characteristics or assumptions that underpin quantitative research. Quantitative research Quantitative research can be defined as a “formal, objective, systematic process used to describe variables, test relationships between them, and examine cause and effect associations between variables” (Burns et al., 2015, p. 510). Quantitative research generates numerical data, is predominantly informed by positivist or post-positivist paradigms, and is underpinned by a number of assumptions (Davies & Fisher, 2018). These include, among others, the belief in a single truth or reality, objectivity, and deduction. As such, quantitative research seeks to find the true answer by testing hypotheses using objective and impartial scientific methods (Davies & Fisher, 2018). Quantitative research tests a hypothesis – usually the null hypothesis, the assumption about the relationships between dependent and independent variables – by drawing a representative sample of participants from a known population, measuring the variables, and testing them using statistical analyses. The null hypothesis assumes that there is no relationship between dependent and independent variables. The null hypotheses is then either accepted or rejected based on the outcomes of the statistical analyses. Inferences or generalisations can then be applied to the population of interest. In order to have confidence in the ability to make generalisations about a population, the research design must be reliable, and have internal and external validity. Collectively, these factors are known as rigour. 28 Volume 22 Number 2 September 2019 JARNA Rigour in quantitative research can be described as the amount of control the researcher exerts to prevent the effects of extraneous or confounding variables on the dependent (test or outcome) variable (Shields & Smyth, 2016). In order to determine the effect of an independent variable, the researcher should control for outside effects (confounding effects) of any other variables or phenomena that may have an influence on the dependent (outcome) variable. For example, to create a falls risk profile, a researcher needs to compare the characteristics of a sample of patients who have experienced a fall with those of a sample of patients who have not had a fall. In this situation if there is an error in sample selection of the non-falling patient group and this group accidently consists of a higher mean for age, then the difference – or not – between the two groups may be due to age as a result of the sampling error. Types of quantitative research design A range of different study designs are used in quantitative research – these may vary in the ways in which these are categorised according to different textbooks and reference materials. For the purpose of this article, the authors have adopted the classification system utilised by authors such as Burns et al. (2015) and Borbasi & Jackson (2012) who describe four major types of quantitative research – descriptive, correlational, quasi- experimental and experimental. A summary of the main features of these are presented in Table 1 and are discussed below. Descriptive research design The purpose of a descriptive quantitative study is to examine variables in a single sample and to systematically measure, describe and interpret them. Descriptive research design is typically used to obtain information about a particular phenomenon or characteristic of interest in an identified sample or population in their natural setting. For example, a researcher might conduct a descriptive quantitative research study, using a validated survey, to quantify how many people in a sample of patients hospitalised with severe spinal cord injury reported feelings of depression and anxiety during the past week. Importantly, this type of research does not involve the control or manipulation of variables in any way. R e s e arch s tu di e s that are u s e d to d e s c r ib e v ar i ab l e s and e x amine v ar i ab l e s in t w o or more g roup s are re f e r re d to a s c omp arat iv e d e s c r ip t iv e d e s ig n Research studies that are used to describe variables and examine variables in two or more groups are referred to as comparative descriptive design (Burns et al., 2015). The variable/s of interest are measured and described in both groups and are then compared. For example, researchers might conduct a comparative descriptive study to describe the differences in educational qualifications in male nurses and female nurses employed at a local hospital. Findings from descriptive research studies are most valuable in determining the frequency to which something exists. They are also useful for describing a particular phenomenon which is new, or about which very little is known. However, while findings cannot be used to establish cause and effect, they may be useful Table 1. Types, features and examples of quantitative research design (Burns et al, 2015). Type of quantitative research design Features Example Descriptive Is used to describe a phenomenon in a real-life setting. Quantifies characteristics of identified individuals, groups or situations. Is typically conducted with large numbers. Does not involve manipulation of variables . A description of patients treated in a hospital ward over a 12-month period. Correlational Investigates the relationship between or among selected variables in a sample by using correlational statistics. Determines the degree, strength and type of the relationship between variables. Does not determine cause and effect. A study of the relationship between exercise levels and obesity in male nurses. Quasi-experimental Examines causal relationships or determines the effect of one variable on another. Lacks the level of control achieved in experimental studies. A study of the effect of patient discharge education on hospital re- admission rates. Experimental Examines causal relationships between dependent and independent variables under highly controlled conditions. Involves the manipulation of independent variable/s, random assignment of subjects to the experimental or control group, and exposure of the experimental group to at least one intervention and the control group to none. A study of a new anti-hypertensive medication in middle-aged females diagnosed with hypertension. 29JARNA Volume 22 Number 2 September 2019 in the development of hypotheses that can be tested in future studies. It is imperative that researchers use methods to ensure that the data collected is both reliable and valid. This includes the use of a sample that is of adequate size and that accurately represents the target population by using a probability sampling technique. Instruments and methods most commonly used to collect data in descriptive studies include surveys, checklists, observations, interviews or equipment to measure physiological variables such as weight scales and thermometers. It is also important that these are calibrated, standardised and piloted prior to use to ensure internal validity. Correlational research design Correlational research aims to determine whether two or more variables are related and, if so, to discover the nature of the relationship. In other words, it seeks to establish associations or correlations between variables. Like descriptive research, the variables being investigated in correlational studies are not manipulated and the research does not seek to determine cause or effect. Instead, correlational studies can be used to describe or predict relationships or to test theoretical models of relationships (Shields & Smyth, 2016). T he f inding s f rom c or re l at i onal s tu di e s are e x pre s s e d u s ing s tat i s t i c s and c an b e e x p l aine d in thre e w ay s – p o s i t iv e c or re l at i on , neg
Answered 1 days AfterApr 06, 2021

Answer To: Using theBloomfield and Fisher (PDF)(Links to an external site.)andCarpenter, Short, Willians,...

Sunabh answered on Apr 07 2021
149 Votes
Running Head: HEALTHCARE                                1
HEALTHCARE                                         2
HEALTHCARE
As evident from the name, ‘quantitative rese
arch’ refers to an ‘objective, formal and systematic process, which is used to describe variables, test the relationship between them along with examining the effect and cause of association between the chosen research variables. Likewise, one of the major aspects to consider is the fact that quantitative research generates numerical data, which can then be analyzed accordingly in order to present the results or outcomes.
It would be essential to consider that quantitative research methods fall under two distinct categories that is, descriptive as well as hypothesis driven. Application of quantitative research in healthcare and applied health research opens up new horizons for researchers. Likewise, descriptive studies are used to examine the patterns and trends in healthcare for planning and monitoring.
On the other hand, hypothesis driven studies fall under two broad categories that are, observational and experimental. Therefore, both the prior presented study types are used to test a hypothesis and mostly in healthcare...
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