NSG 324A Exam 2 V3 | NSG 324A
Research and Evidence-Based Practice |
Actual Q&A with Rationale (NSG324A
Exam 2) | Grand Canyon University
1. A nurse researcher is evaluating a study for evidence of internal validity. Which factor, if
present, would most likely pose a threat to the internal validity of the study?
A. Participants dropped out of the experimental group at a higher rate than the control
group.
B. The researcher utilized random assignment to groups.
C. The study was conducted in a naturalistic clinical setting.
D. The intervention was consistently applied to all participants.
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: The loss of participants from a study, known as attrition or mortality, is a
significant threat to internal validity because it can bias the results if those who drop out
differ from those who remain. Internal validity refers to the extent to which the
independent variable, rather than extraneous variables, caused the change in the
dependent variable. Ensuring that attrition is minimized or accounted for is vital for the
integrity of the research findings.
,2. When constructing a clinical question using the PICOT format, which elements should the
nurse include? (Select all that apply)
A. Population of interest
B. Intervention or area of interest
C. Comparison intervention or group
D. Outcome
E. Time
F. Sample size calculation
Correct Answer: ABCDE
Explanation: The PICOT format is a structured approach used to frame clinical questions
to guide evidence-based practice searches. It stands for Patient/Population, Intervention,
Comparison, Outcome, and Time. Sample size calculation is a component of research design
and methodology, but it is not part of the standardized PICOT mnemonic used for framing
questions.
3. A nurse is reviewing a research article that uses a Likert scale to measure patient
satisfaction. This type of measurement scale is considered:
A. Ordinal
B. Nominal
C. Interval
,D. Ratio
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: Ordinal scales involve data that can be ranked or ordered, but the exact
mathematical distance between the ranks is not necessarily equal. Likert scales, commonly
used in nursing research to measure attitudes or perceptions, are the most frequent
examples of ordinal data. Understanding the level of measurement is crucial because it
dictates the type of statistical analysis that can be performed on the data.
4. Which of the following research designs is considered the ‘gold standard’ for determining
the effectiveness of a specific intervention?
A. Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)
B. Qualitative phenomenological design
C. Correlational design
D. Case-control study
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) are positioned at the top of the
hierarchy of evidence for intervention studies because they minimize bias through
randomization and control groups. These designs allow researchers to establish a cause-
and-effect relationship between the intervention and the outcome. In evidence-based
practice, RCTs provide the strongest evidence for clinical decision-making regarding
treatments.
, 5. A researcher is using a non-probability sampling method where participants are chosen
because they are convenient and available. This is known as:
A. Simple random sampling
B. Purposive sampling
C. Snowball sampling
D. Convenience sampling
E. Stratified random sampling
Correct Answer: D
Explanation: Convenience sampling involves selecting participants who are easily
accessible to the researcher, which is common in clinical nursing research due to time and
resource constraints. While practical, this method increases the risk of sampling bias and
limits the generalizability of the findings to the broader population. Researchers must
acknowledge this limitation when discussing the external validity of their study.
6. The Belmont Report outlines three ethical principles for human subjects research. Which
principle involves ‘doing no harm’ and maximizing possible benefits while minimizing possible
harms?
A. Justice
B. Respect for persons
C. Beneficence
Research and Evidence-Based Practice |
Actual Q&A with Rationale (NSG324A
Exam 2) | Grand Canyon University
1. A nurse researcher is evaluating a study for evidence of internal validity. Which factor, if
present, would most likely pose a threat to the internal validity of the study?
A. Participants dropped out of the experimental group at a higher rate than the control
group.
B. The researcher utilized random assignment to groups.
C. The study was conducted in a naturalistic clinical setting.
D. The intervention was consistently applied to all participants.
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: The loss of participants from a study, known as attrition or mortality, is a
significant threat to internal validity because it can bias the results if those who drop out
differ from those who remain. Internal validity refers to the extent to which the
independent variable, rather than extraneous variables, caused the change in the
dependent variable. Ensuring that attrition is minimized or accounted for is vital for the
integrity of the research findings.
,2. When constructing a clinical question using the PICOT format, which elements should the
nurse include? (Select all that apply)
A. Population of interest
B. Intervention or area of interest
C. Comparison intervention or group
D. Outcome
E. Time
F. Sample size calculation
Correct Answer: ABCDE
Explanation: The PICOT format is a structured approach used to frame clinical questions
to guide evidence-based practice searches. It stands for Patient/Population, Intervention,
Comparison, Outcome, and Time. Sample size calculation is a component of research design
and methodology, but it is not part of the standardized PICOT mnemonic used for framing
questions.
3. A nurse is reviewing a research article that uses a Likert scale to measure patient
satisfaction. This type of measurement scale is considered:
A. Ordinal
B. Nominal
C. Interval
,D. Ratio
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: Ordinal scales involve data that can be ranked or ordered, but the exact
mathematical distance between the ranks is not necessarily equal. Likert scales, commonly
used in nursing research to measure attitudes or perceptions, are the most frequent
examples of ordinal data. Understanding the level of measurement is crucial because it
dictates the type of statistical analysis that can be performed on the data.
4. Which of the following research designs is considered the ‘gold standard’ for determining
the effectiveness of a specific intervention?
A. Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)
B. Qualitative phenomenological design
C. Correlational design
D. Case-control study
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) are positioned at the top of the
hierarchy of evidence for intervention studies because they minimize bias through
randomization and control groups. These designs allow researchers to establish a cause-
and-effect relationship between the intervention and the outcome. In evidence-based
practice, RCTs provide the strongest evidence for clinical decision-making regarding
treatments.
, 5. A researcher is using a non-probability sampling method where participants are chosen
because they are convenient and available. This is known as:
A. Simple random sampling
B. Purposive sampling
C. Snowball sampling
D. Convenience sampling
E. Stratified random sampling
Correct Answer: D
Explanation: Convenience sampling involves selecting participants who are easily
accessible to the researcher, which is common in clinical nursing research due to time and
resource constraints. While practical, this method increases the risk of sampling bias and
limits the generalizability of the findings to the broader population. Researchers must
acknowledge this limitation when discussing the external validity of their study.
6. The Belmont Report outlines three ethical principles for human subjects research. Which
principle involves ‘doing no harm’ and maximizing possible benefits while minimizing possible
harms?
A. Justice
B. Respect for persons
C. Beneficence
