Assignment: Critiquing Quantitative, Qualitative, or Mixed Methods Studies

Critiquing the validity and robustness of research featured in journal articles provides a critical foundation for engaging in evidence-based practice. In Weeks 5 and 6, you explored quantitative research designs. In Week 7, you will examine qualitative and mixed methods research designs. For this Assignment, you will critique a quantitative and either a qualitative or a mixed methods research study and compare the types of information obtained in each.

To prepare:

· Select a health topic of interest to you that is relevant to your current area of practice- (Pediatric Nursing). The topic may be your Course Portfolio Project or a different topic of your choice.

· Using the Walden Library, locate two articles in scholarly journals that deal with your portfolio topic: 1) Select one article that utilizes a quantitative research design and 2) select a second article that utilizes either a qualitative OR a mixed methods design. These need to be single studies not systematic or integrative reviews (including meta-analysis and metasynthesis). You may use research articles from your reference list. If you cannot find these two types of research on your portfolio topic, you may choose another topic.

· Locate the following documents in this week’s Learning Resources to access the appropriate templates, which will guide your critique of each article:

• Critique Template for a      Qualitative Study
• Critique Template for a      Quantitative Study
• Critique Template for a      Mixed-Methods Study

· Consider the fields in the templates as you review the information in each article. Begin to draft a paper in which you analyze the two research approaches as indicated below. Reflect on the overall value of both quantitative and qualitative research. If someone were to say to you, “Qualitative research is not real science,” how would you respond?

To complete this Assignment:

· Complete the two critiques using the appropriate templates.

· Write a 2- to 3-page paper that addresses the following:

· Contrast the types of information that you gained from examining the two different research approaches in the articles that you selected.

• Describe the general advantages      and disadvantages of the two research approaches featured in the articles.      Use examples from the articles for support.
• Formulate a response to the      claim that qualitative research is not real science. Highlight the general      insights that both quantitative and qualitative studies can provide to      researchers. Support your response with references to the Learning      Resources and other credible sources.

· As you complete this Assignment, remember to:

· Submit your paper to Grammarly and SafeAssign through the Walden Writing Center. Based on the Grammarly and SafeAssign reports, revise your paper as necessary.

· Reminder: The School of Nursing requires that all papers submitted include a title page, introduction, summary, and references. The School of Nursing Sample Paper provided at the Walden Writing Center provides an example of those required elements (available from the Walden University website found in this week’s Learning Resources). All papers submitted must use this formatting.

· Combine all three parts of this assignment into one Word document including both critique templates and the narrative with your references. Submit this combined document.

Required Readings

Polit, D. F., & Beck, C. T. (2017). Nursing research: Generating and assessing evidence for nursing practice (10th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer.

• Chapter 10, “Rigor and      Validity in Quantitative Research”

This chapter introduces the concept of validity in research and describes the different types of validity that must be addressed. Key threats to validity are also explored.

• Chapter 11, “Specific Types      of Quantitative Research”

This chapter focuses on the specific types of quantitative research that can be selected. The focus is on the purpose of the research rather than the research design. These include such approaches as clinical trials, evaluation research, health services and outcomes research, needs assessments, or replication studies.

Cantrell, M. A. (2011). Demystifying the research process: Understanding a descriptive comparative research design. Pediatric Nursing, 37(4), 188–189.

Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

The author of this article discusses the primary aspects of a prominent quantitative research design. The article examines the advantages and disadvantages of the design.

Schultz, L. E., Rivers, K. O., & Ratusnik, D. L. (2008). The role of external validity in evidence-based practice for rehabilitation. Rehabilitation Psychology, 53(3), 294–302.

Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

This article details the results of a study that sought to balance concern for rigor with concern for relevance. The authors of the article derive and determine a rating format for relevance and apply it to cognitive rehabilitation.

Walden University. (n.d.a.). Paper templates. Retrieved July 23, 2012, from http://writingcenter.waldenu.edu/57.htm

This resource provides you access to the School of Nursing Sample Paper, which will serve as a template for formatting your papers.

Document: Critique Template for a Qualitative Study (Word document) ATTACHED

Note: You will use this document to complete this week’s Assignment.

Document: Critique Template for a Quantitative Study (Word document) ATTACHED

Note: You will use this document to complete this week’s Assignment.

Document: Critique Template for a Mixed-Methods Study (Word document) ATTACHED

Note: You will use this document to complete this week’s Assignment.

 

March 21, 2010, was not EBP’s date of birth, but it may be the date the approach “grew up” and left home to take on the world.

When the Affordable Care Act was passed, it came with a requirement of empirical evidence. Research on EBP increased significantly. Application of EBP spread to allied health professions, education, healthcare technology, and more. Health organizations began to adopt and promote EBP.

In this Discussion, you will consider this adoption. You will examine healthcare organization websites and analyze to what extent these organizations use EBP.

To Prepare:

• Review the Resources and reflect on the definition and goal of EBP.
• Choose a professional healthcare organization’s website (e.g., a reimbursing body, an accredited body, or a national initiative).
• Explore the website to determine where and to what extent EBP is evident.

By Day 3 of Week 1

Post a description of the healthcare organization website you reviewed. Describe where, if at all, EBP appears (e.g., the mission, vision, philosophy, and/or goals of the healthcare organization, or in other locations on the website). Then, explain whether this healthcare organization’s work is grounded in EBP and why or why not. Finally, explain whether the information you discovered on the healthcare organization’s website has changed your perception of the healthcare organization. Be specific and provide examples. PROPER APA FORMATE

The increased use of unlicensed assistive personnel presents both opportunities and challenges for the American health care system. The nurse manager has to deal with the challenge that unlicensed assistive personnel only be used to provide personal care needs or nursing tasks that do not require the skill and judgment of the RN.

1. The nurse manager reviews the national effort to define the scope of practice for unlicensed assistive personnel. In 2007, the American Nurses Association made recommendations for a national and/or state policy for nursing assistive personnel. What are the six actions that should be taken to create a national and/or state policy agenda about the educational preparation of unlicensed assistive personnel and the competencies they should have for safe practice?

2. The need in health care today is for today’s nurses to have highly developed delegation skills in working effectively and efficiently with unlicensed assistive personnel. This is critical to ensure the clients’ needs are met and their safety is not jeopardized. What are the key general principles that the nurse manager needs to review with professional registered nurses in delegating to unlicensed assistive personnel?

 

Refer to Ch. 3 of Fundamentals of Early Childhood Education and the University Library to choose six early childhood theorists.
 

Research the Internet for the definition of a matrix.  

Create a matrix of six theorists that briefly describes the following for each theorist: His or her major contributions to the field

The theory for which he or she is known

How his or her work has influenced early childhood today.

Please share practicum experiences with classmates by addressing the following information:

• Type of practicum setting
• Average number of patients seen by you and the preceptor on a daily basis
• Most common diagnosis treated
• Available resources (low cost meds, social services, community resources, etc.)
• Most interesting patient presentation
• Comfort level with history-taking, physical exam, medical diagnosing, Management plans including prescribing medications and health education.