NR 585 EXAM PREP
Research Methods and Evidence-Based
Practice for Advanced Nursing Practice
ANSWERED
2023/2024
,1. What is the difference between quantitative and qualitative research methods? Give an example of each.
- Quantitative research methods use numerical data to test hypotheses, measure outcomes, and establish
generalizability. Qualitative research methods use non-numerical data to explore meanings, experiences, and contexts.
An example of a quantitative research method is a randomized controlled trial, while an example of a qualitative
research method is a focus group interview.
2. What are the steps of the evidence-based practice (EBP) process? Explain each step briefly.
- The steps of the EBP process are: ask, acquire, appraise, apply, and audit. Ask means to formulate a clear and focused
clinical question based on a patient or population problem. Acquire means to search for the best available evidence
from relevant and reliable sources. Appraise means to critically evaluate the quality, validity, and applicability of the
evidence. Apply means to integrate the evidence with clinical expertise, patient preferences, and values. Audit means
to monitor and evaluate the outcomes of the EBP implementation and make adjustments as needed.
3. What are the types of research questions that can be answered by systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and meta-
syntheses? How are they different from each other?
- Systematic reviews can answer questions that synthesize the results of multiple primary studies on a specific topic or
intervention using a predefined protocol and explicit criteria. Meta-analyses can answer questions that combine the
statistical data from multiple primary studies using a quantitative method to produce a pooled estimate of effect. Meta
syntheses can answer questions that integrate the findings from multiple qualitative studies using a qualitative method
to generate new insights or theories.
4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using secondary data analysis as a research method? Give an example
of a secondary data source that can be used for nursing research.
- Secondary data analysis is a research method that uses existing data that were collected for another purpose to answe
a new research question. The advantages of using secondary data analysis are: it is cost-effective, time-saving, and
allows access to large and diverse samples. The disadvantages of using secondary data analysis are: it may have
limitations in data quality, availability, and suitability for the research question. An example of a secondary data source
that can be used for nursing research is the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI).
5. What are the ethical principles that guide nursing research? How can they be applied in practice?
- The ethical principles that guide nursing research are: respect for persons, beneficence, justice, and fidelity. Respect
for persons means to protect the autonomy, dignity, and privacy of research participants and obtain their informed
consent. Beneficence means to maximize the benefits and minimize the harms of research for participants and society.
Justice means to ensure fair distribution of risks and benefits of research and avoid exploitation or discrimination.
Fidelity means to uphold honesty, integrity, and accountability in conducting and reporting research.
,6. What are some of the barriers and facilitators to implementing EBP in nursing practice? How can they be addressed?
- Some of the barriers to implementing EBP in nursing practice are: lack of time, resources, skills, knowledge, support,
motivation, or organizational culture. Some of the facilitators to implementing EBP in nursing practice are: availability
of evidence, education, training, mentorship, leadership, collaboration, incentives, or feedback. They can be addressed
by identifying the specific needs and gaps in each setting, developing tailored strategies and interventions, engaging
stakeholders and champions, and evaluating outcomes and impacts.
7. What are some of the common types of bias that can affect the validity and reliability of research findings? How can
they be minimized or controlled?
- Some of the common types of bias that can affect the validity and reliability of research findings are: selection bias,
measurement bias, confounding bias, information bias, recall bias, publication bias, or reporting bias. They can be
minimized or controlled by using appropriate study designs, sampling methods, measurement tools,
data collection procedures,
data analysis techniques,
data interpretation guidelines,
and reporting standards.
8. What are some of the criteria that can be used to appraise the quality and strength of evidence? Give an example of
tool or framework that can be used for this purpose.
- Some of the criteria that can be used to appraise the quality and strength of evidence are: relevance,
rigor,
validity,
reliability,
consistency,
precision,
generalizability,
applicability,
and impact.
An example of a tool or framework that can be used for this purpose is
the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation) approach.
9. What are some of the strategies that can be used to disseminate research findings to different audiences? Give an
example of each
1. What is an intervention group? Where is it found?
a. The intervention group is the group in a randomized control trial that receives the treatment.
2. Can you explain a retrospective versus a prospective study design? What are the pros and cons of each?
a. Prospective
i. A prospective study watches for outcomes, such as the development of a disease, during the
study period and relates this to other factors such as suspected risk or protection factor(s).
The study usually involves taking a cohort of subjects and watching them over a long period.
The outcome of interest should be common; otherwise, the number of outcomes observed will
be too small to be statistically meaningful (indistinguishable from those that may have arisen
by chance). All efforts should be made to avoid sources of bias such as the loss of individuals
to follow up during the study. Prospective studies usually have fewer potential sources of bias
and confounding than retrospective studies.
, b. Pros- High Quality Data, Future Proof, Strong Validity, Cons- Expensive and time consuming.
i. A retrospective study looks backwards and examines exposures to suspected risk or
protection factors in relation to an outcome that is established at the start of the study. Many
valuable case-control studies, such as Lane and Claypon's 1926 investigation of risk factors
for breast cancer, were retrospective investigations. Most sources of error due to confounding
and bias are more common in retrospective studies than in prospective studies. For this
reason, retrospective investigations are often criticized. If the outcome of interest is
uncommon, however, the size of prospective investigation required to estimate relative risk is
often too large t
ii.
iii. o be feasible. In retrospective studies the odds ratio provides an estimate of relative risk. You
should take special care to avoid sources of bias and confounding in retrospective studies.
c. Pros: Inexpensive, Quick Results ------ Cons- Missing Data (potential bias), definitions adapted to bias,
Unmeasured confounder (Afterthoughts)
3. How are groups selected for each of the study designs?
a. Case- Control- Used to study rare diseases. Used to study multiple exposures that may have a
single outcome. Participants are selected based on outcome status. Case- subjects have the
outcome of interest. Control- subjects do not have the outcome of interest. Used when the outcome
of interest is rare, multiple exposures may have a single outcome, and funding or time is limited.
b. Cohort- A well-defined group of individuals who share a common characteristic or experience.
Participants classified according to exposure status and followed-up over time to ascertain outcome.
Can be used to find multiple outcomes from an exposure. Appropriate for rare exposures or defined
cohorts. Ensures temporality (exposure occurs before observed outcome). Used when an exposure is
rare and outcome is common (agricultural pesticide and cancer). Used to learn about multiple
outcomes from a single exposure (health effects of a nuclear power plant exposure).
c. Randomized Control Trial- is a type of scientific (often medical) experiment which aims to reduce
bias when testing a new treatment. The people participating in the trial are randomly allocated to
either the group receiving the treatment under investigation or to a group receiving standard
treatment (or placebo treatment) as the control. Randomization minimizes selection bias and the
different comparison groups allow the researchers to determine any effects of the treatment when
compared with the no treatment (control) group, while other variables are kept constant. The RCT is
often considered the gold standard for a clinical trial. RCTs are often used to test the efficacy or
effectiveness of various types of medical intervention and may provide information about adverse
effects, such as drug reactions. Random assignment of intervention is done after subjects have been
assessed for eligibility and recruited, but before the intervention to be studied begins
d. Cross- Sectional- To learn about the characteristics of a population at one point in time like a
snapshot (photo). No comparison group. All members of a small, defined group or a sample from a
large group. Produces estimates of the prevalence of the population characteristic of interest.
Example is measuring the magnitude and patterns of violence among pregnant women. Used to:
i. Estimate prevalence of a health condition or prevalence of a behavior, risk factor, or potential
for disease
Research Methods and Evidence-Based
Practice for Advanced Nursing Practice
ANSWERED
2023/2024
,1. What is the difference between quantitative and qualitative research methods? Give an example of each.
- Quantitative research methods use numerical data to test hypotheses, measure outcomes, and establish
generalizability. Qualitative research methods use non-numerical data to explore meanings, experiences, and contexts.
An example of a quantitative research method is a randomized controlled trial, while an example of a qualitative
research method is a focus group interview.
2. What are the steps of the evidence-based practice (EBP) process? Explain each step briefly.
- The steps of the EBP process are: ask, acquire, appraise, apply, and audit. Ask means to formulate a clear and focused
clinical question based on a patient or population problem. Acquire means to search for the best available evidence
from relevant and reliable sources. Appraise means to critically evaluate the quality, validity, and applicability of the
evidence. Apply means to integrate the evidence with clinical expertise, patient preferences, and values. Audit means
to monitor and evaluate the outcomes of the EBP implementation and make adjustments as needed.
3. What are the types of research questions that can be answered by systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and meta-
syntheses? How are they different from each other?
- Systematic reviews can answer questions that synthesize the results of multiple primary studies on a specific topic or
intervention using a predefined protocol and explicit criteria. Meta-analyses can answer questions that combine the
statistical data from multiple primary studies using a quantitative method to produce a pooled estimate of effect. Meta
syntheses can answer questions that integrate the findings from multiple qualitative studies using a qualitative method
to generate new insights or theories.
4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using secondary data analysis as a research method? Give an example
of a secondary data source that can be used for nursing research.
- Secondary data analysis is a research method that uses existing data that were collected for another purpose to answe
a new research question. The advantages of using secondary data analysis are: it is cost-effective, time-saving, and
allows access to large and diverse samples. The disadvantages of using secondary data analysis are: it may have
limitations in data quality, availability, and suitability for the research question. An example of a secondary data source
that can be used for nursing research is the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI).
5. What are the ethical principles that guide nursing research? How can they be applied in practice?
- The ethical principles that guide nursing research are: respect for persons, beneficence, justice, and fidelity. Respect
for persons means to protect the autonomy, dignity, and privacy of research participants and obtain their informed
consent. Beneficence means to maximize the benefits and minimize the harms of research for participants and society.
Justice means to ensure fair distribution of risks and benefits of research and avoid exploitation or discrimination.
Fidelity means to uphold honesty, integrity, and accountability in conducting and reporting research.
,6. What are some of the barriers and facilitators to implementing EBP in nursing practice? How can they be addressed?
- Some of the barriers to implementing EBP in nursing practice are: lack of time, resources, skills, knowledge, support,
motivation, or organizational culture. Some of the facilitators to implementing EBP in nursing practice are: availability
of evidence, education, training, mentorship, leadership, collaboration, incentives, or feedback. They can be addressed
by identifying the specific needs and gaps in each setting, developing tailored strategies and interventions, engaging
stakeholders and champions, and evaluating outcomes and impacts.
7. What are some of the common types of bias that can affect the validity and reliability of research findings? How can
they be minimized or controlled?
- Some of the common types of bias that can affect the validity and reliability of research findings are: selection bias,
measurement bias, confounding bias, information bias, recall bias, publication bias, or reporting bias. They can be
minimized or controlled by using appropriate study designs, sampling methods, measurement tools,
data collection procedures,
data analysis techniques,
data interpretation guidelines,
and reporting standards.
8. What are some of the criteria that can be used to appraise the quality and strength of evidence? Give an example of
tool or framework that can be used for this purpose.
- Some of the criteria that can be used to appraise the quality and strength of evidence are: relevance,
rigor,
validity,
reliability,
consistency,
precision,
generalizability,
applicability,
and impact.
An example of a tool or framework that can be used for this purpose is
the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation) approach.
9. What are some of the strategies that can be used to disseminate research findings to different audiences? Give an
example of each
1. What is an intervention group? Where is it found?
a. The intervention group is the group in a randomized control trial that receives the treatment.
2. Can you explain a retrospective versus a prospective study design? What are the pros and cons of each?
a. Prospective
i. A prospective study watches for outcomes, such as the development of a disease, during the
study period and relates this to other factors such as suspected risk or protection factor(s).
The study usually involves taking a cohort of subjects and watching them over a long period.
The outcome of interest should be common; otherwise, the number of outcomes observed will
be too small to be statistically meaningful (indistinguishable from those that may have arisen
by chance). All efforts should be made to avoid sources of bias such as the loss of individuals
to follow up during the study. Prospective studies usually have fewer potential sources of bias
and confounding than retrospective studies.
, b. Pros- High Quality Data, Future Proof, Strong Validity, Cons- Expensive and time consuming.
i. A retrospective study looks backwards and examines exposures to suspected risk or
protection factors in relation to an outcome that is established at the start of the study. Many
valuable case-control studies, such as Lane and Claypon's 1926 investigation of risk factors
for breast cancer, were retrospective investigations. Most sources of error due to confounding
and bias are more common in retrospective studies than in prospective studies. For this
reason, retrospective investigations are often criticized. If the outcome of interest is
uncommon, however, the size of prospective investigation required to estimate relative risk is
often too large t
ii.
iii. o be feasible. In retrospective studies the odds ratio provides an estimate of relative risk. You
should take special care to avoid sources of bias and confounding in retrospective studies.
c. Pros: Inexpensive, Quick Results ------ Cons- Missing Data (potential bias), definitions adapted to bias,
Unmeasured confounder (Afterthoughts)
3. How are groups selected for each of the study designs?
a. Case- Control- Used to study rare diseases. Used to study multiple exposures that may have a
single outcome. Participants are selected based on outcome status. Case- subjects have the
outcome of interest. Control- subjects do not have the outcome of interest. Used when the outcome
of interest is rare, multiple exposures may have a single outcome, and funding or time is limited.
b. Cohort- A well-defined group of individuals who share a common characteristic or experience.
Participants classified according to exposure status and followed-up over time to ascertain outcome.
Can be used to find multiple outcomes from an exposure. Appropriate for rare exposures or defined
cohorts. Ensures temporality (exposure occurs before observed outcome). Used when an exposure is
rare and outcome is common (agricultural pesticide and cancer). Used to learn about multiple
outcomes from a single exposure (health effects of a nuclear power plant exposure).
c. Randomized Control Trial- is a type of scientific (often medical) experiment which aims to reduce
bias when testing a new treatment. The people participating in the trial are randomly allocated to
either the group receiving the treatment under investigation or to a group receiving standard
treatment (or placebo treatment) as the control. Randomization minimizes selection bias and the
different comparison groups allow the researchers to determine any effects of the treatment when
compared with the no treatment (control) group, while other variables are kept constant. The RCT is
often considered the gold standard for a clinical trial. RCTs are often used to test the efficacy or
effectiveness of various types of medical intervention and may provide information about adverse
effects, such as drug reactions. Random assignment of intervention is done after subjects have been
assessed for eligibility and recruited, but before the intervention to be studied begins
d. Cross- Sectional- To learn about the characteristics of a population at one point in time like a
snapshot (photo). No comparison group. All members of a small, defined group or a sample from a
large group. Produces estimates of the prevalence of the population characteristic of interest.
Example is measuring the magnitude and patterns of violence among pregnant women. Used to:
i. Estimate prevalence of a health condition or prevalence of a behavior, risk factor, or potential
for disease
