,NR 505 Exam 1 Advanced Research Methods I Questions And Answers 2026/2027
Chamberlain
1. A graduate nursing student is beginning the evidence-based practice (EBP) process.
According to the EBP paradigm, what is the correct order of the steps in the EBP process?
A) Apply, Ask, Acquire, Appraise, Assess
B) Ask, Acquire, Appraise, Apply, Assess
C) Assess, Ask, Acquire, Appraise, Apply
D) Acquire, Ask, Appraise, Apply, Assess
**Correct Answer:** B) Ask, Acquire, Appraise, Apply, Assess
**Rationale:** The EBP process follows a specific sequence: Ask the clinical question;
Acquire the best evidence; Appraise the evidence for validity and applicability; Apply the
evidence to practice; and Assess the outcomes of the practice change. This systematic
approach ensures that practice changes are grounded in the best available evidence.
2. A nurse researcher is developing a PICOT question to guide a literature search. What
does the "P" in PICOT represent?
A) Problem
B) Population
C) Patient
D) Practice
**Correct Answer:** B) Population
**Rationale:** The PICOT framework is used to formulate clinical questions. The "P" stands
for Population (or Patient/Problem), which describes the specific group of individuals of
interest. The "I" is the Intervention, "C" is the Comparison, "O" is the Outcome, and "T" is
the Time frame.
,3. A nurse practitioner is formulating a clinical question about the effectiveness of a new
wound care protocol. Which of the following is the best example of a well-written PICOT
question?
A) "Does the new protocol work better than the old one?"
B) "In adult patients with diabetic foot ulcers, how does a collagen-based dressing
compare to standard saline gauze in reducing healing time over 8 weeks?"
C) "Is the new wound care protocol effective?"
D) "What is the best treatment for diabetic foot ulcers?"
**Correct Answer:** B) "In adult patients with diabetic foot ulcers, how does a collagen-
based dressing compare to standard saline gauze in reducing healing time over 8 weeks?"
**Rationale:** A well-written PICOT question includes all five elements: Population (adult
patients with diabetic foot ulcers), Intervention (collagen-based dressing), Comparison
(standard saline gauze), Outcome (reducing healing time), and Time (over 8 weeks). Option
B is specific and searchable, unlike the vague or incomplete options.
4. A nurse researcher is conducting a literature review to answer a PICOT question. The
researcher locates a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. According to the
hierarchy of evidence, this source represents:
A) The lowest level of evidence
B) The highest level of evidence
C) A moderate level of evidence
D) Expert opinion
**Correct Answer:** B) The highest level of evidence
, **Rationale:** Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials
(RCTs) represent the highest level of evidence in the evidence hierarchy. They synthesize
findings from multiple high-quality studies, minimizing bias and increasing statistical
power.
5. Which of the following study designs provides the strongest evidence for establishing
causality in clinical research?
A) Case-control study
B) Cohort study
C) Randomized controlled trial (RCT)
D) Cross-sectional study
**Correct Answer:** C) Randomized controlled trial (RCT)
**Rationale:** The randomized controlled trial is considered the gold standard for
establishing causality because it involves random assignment to intervention and control
groups, which minimizes bias and confounding. RCTs provide the strongest evidence for
cause-and-effect relationships.
6. A nurse practitioner is critiquing a quantitative research study. The practitioner notes
that the study used a large, randomly selected sample. This characteristic enhances the
study's:
A) Internal validity
B) External validity
C) Reliability
D) Statistical power
**Correct Answer:** B) External validity
Chamberlain
1. A graduate nursing student is beginning the evidence-based practice (EBP) process.
According to the EBP paradigm, what is the correct order of the steps in the EBP process?
A) Apply, Ask, Acquire, Appraise, Assess
B) Ask, Acquire, Appraise, Apply, Assess
C) Assess, Ask, Acquire, Appraise, Apply
D) Acquire, Ask, Appraise, Apply, Assess
**Correct Answer:** B) Ask, Acquire, Appraise, Apply, Assess
**Rationale:** The EBP process follows a specific sequence: Ask the clinical question;
Acquire the best evidence; Appraise the evidence for validity and applicability; Apply the
evidence to practice; and Assess the outcomes of the practice change. This systematic
approach ensures that practice changes are grounded in the best available evidence.
2. A nurse researcher is developing a PICOT question to guide a literature search. What
does the "P" in PICOT represent?
A) Problem
B) Population
C) Patient
D) Practice
**Correct Answer:** B) Population
**Rationale:** The PICOT framework is used to formulate clinical questions. The "P" stands
for Population (or Patient/Problem), which describes the specific group of individuals of
interest. The "I" is the Intervention, "C" is the Comparison, "O" is the Outcome, and "T" is
the Time frame.
,3. A nurse practitioner is formulating a clinical question about the effectiveness of a new
wound care protocol. Which of the following is the best example of a well-written PICOT
question?
A) "Does the new protocol work better than the old one?"
B) "In adult patients with diabetic foot ulcers, how does a collagen-based dressing
compare to standard saline gauze in reducing healing time over 8 weeks?"
C) "Is the new wound care protocol effective?"
D) "What is the best treatment for diabetic foot ulcers?"
**Correct Answer:** B) "In adult patients with diabetic foot ulcers, how does a collagen-
based dressing compare to standard saline gauze in reducing healing time over 8 weeks?"
**Rationale:** A well-written PICOT question includes all five elements: Population (adult
patients with diabetic foot ulcers), Intervention (collagen-based dressing), Comparison
(standard saline gauze), Outcome (reducing healing time), and Time (over 8 weeks). Option
B is specific and searchable, unlike the vague or incomplete options.
4. A nurse researcher is conducting a literature review to answer a PICOT question. The
researcher locates a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. According to the
hierarchy of evidence, this source represents:
A) The lowest level of evidence
B) The highest level of evidence
C) A moderate level of evidence
D) Expert opinion
**Correct Answer:** B) The highest level of evidence
, **Rationale:** Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials
(RCTs) represent the highest level of evidence in the evidence hierarchy. They synthesize
findings from multiple high-quality studies, minimizing bias and increasing statistical
power.
5. Which of the following study designs provides the strongest evidence for establishing
causality in clinical research?
A) Case-control study
B) Cohort study
C) Randomized controlled trial (RCT)
D) Cross-sectional study
**Correct Answer:** C) Randomized controlled trial (RCT)
**Rationale:** The randomized controlled trial is considered the gold standard for
establishing causality because it involves random assignment to intervention and control
groups, which minimizes bias and confounding. RCTs provide the strongest evidence for
cause-and-effect relationships.
6. A nurse practitioner is critiquing a quantitative research study. The practitioner notes
that the study used a large, randomly selected sample. This characteristic enhances the
study's:
A) Internal validity
B) External validity
C) Reliability
D) Statistical power
**Correct Answer:** B) External validity
