Research Article Appraisal, Part One
Authors, Title, and Abstract
1. Discuss author(s) qualifications to conduct the study, including educational preparation
(PhD, MSN, etc.) and clinical experience of author[s].
The study was conducted by four authors with a PhD educational level. Two of the
authors are advance practice nurses and researchers, one is a professor and statistician, and
the last one a professor of medicine. The authors educational level, backgrounds, and
clinical expertise on palliative-care, family oriented supportive interventions, and
community-based research projects supports their qualifications to conduct the study.
2. Discuss the clarity of the article title (type of study, variables, and population stated).
The article title clearly states the study type is a Longitudinal Quasi-Experimental
study, the population is family cancer caregivers, and the variable is the nurse-led family-
oriented intervention sessions (Petursdottir, et al., 2021).
3. Discuss the quality of the abstract (purpose, design, sample, intervention, and key results
presented).
The authors satisfactorily describe the study on the abstract as a longitudinal
quasi-experimental design with a sample of 24 care givers over a 42-month period
(Petursdottir, et al., 2021). The intervention identified is a therapeutic conversation
intervention to a family member of someone with cancer, starting with a pre-loss
intervention and extending with a post-loss period intervention (Petursdottir, et al., 2021)
The abstract included the results of the study and highlighted key findings related to how
the nursing intervention proved to decrease anxiety and stress levels on cancer caregivers
(Petursdottir, et al., 2021).
Literature Review/Background
1. Briefly state the clinical problem that prompted the study.
The clinical problem that prompted the study is the psychological distress that
relatives’ caregivers of those that undergo critical illness like cancer experience during
the illness and after their loved one’s death
2. Discuss the data provided for the significance of the clinical problem, and why you
believe it is an important problem for nursing science. If you believe it is not an
important problem, then explain why not.
, . The authors discuss how research has shown a high prevalence of anxiety and
depression from 2 to 6 months after losing someone (Petursdottir, et al., 2021). I believe
it is important to nursing science to find evidence-based practices on how to support
caregivers, and at the same time identify, treat, and reduce any potential development of
mental illness
3. Identify the major topics discussed in the background section and evaluate whether there
were any missing ideas or topics.
The background discussed the distress that families of terminally ill patients
experience during the illness and after their loved one’s death. The main topic is to
understand how some people experience more high periods of grief that can lead to
mental disorders complications.
4. Briefly explain whether the background section included sources current at the time of
the study (i.e. within 5 years of publication).
The study cited 48 sources. 24 were from within five years of the publication.
The articles used in the review of literature provided with examples on the prevalence of
anxiety and depression symptoms among family caregivers and emphasized a gap in
family-oriented palliative nursing care literature that addresses the effect of pre- and post-
loss supportive interventions. (Petursdottir, et al., 2021).
5. Discuss whether previous studies were critically evaluated by the study authors to
provide a clear summary of the current knowledge about the problem of interest.
Different articles were reviewed by the authors in the review of literature which
provided examples on the prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms among family
caregivers and emphasized a gap in family-oriented palliative nursing care literature that
explores the effect of pre- and post-loss supportive interventions. (Petursdottir, et al.,
2021).
6. Evaluate whether the background section provided enough support for the current
research study. In other words, whether gaps in research knowledge were clearly
described.
The gap on research mentioned above, connects with previous studies discussed
by the authors were participants report having a felling of abandonment after their family
member passes away. All the support provided to patient and families, stop and little
interventions are in place in order to help the caregiver families.
Research Purpose & Research Questions/Hypotheses
Authors, Title, and Abstract
1. Discuss author(s) qualifications to conduct the study, including educational preparation
(PhD, MSN, etc.) and clinical experience of author[s].
The study was conducted by four authors with a PhD educational level. Two of the
authors are advance practice nurses and researchers, one is a professor and statistician, and
the last one a professor of medicine. The authors educational level, backgrounds, and
clinical expertise on palliative-care, family oriented supportive interventions, and
community-based research projects supports their qualifications to conduct the study.
2. Discuss the clarity of the article title (type of study, variables, and population stated).
The article title clearly states the study type is a Longitudinal Quasi-Experimental
study, the population is family cancer caregivers, and the variable is the nurse-led family-
oriented intervention sessions (Petursdottir, et al., 2021).
3. Discuss the quality of the abstract (purpose, design, sample, intervention, and key results
presented).
The authors satisfactorily describe the study on the abstract as a longitudinal
quasi-experimental design with a sample of 24 care givers over a 42-month period
(Petursdottir, et al., 2021). The intervention identified is a therapeutic conversation
intervention to a family member of someone with cancer, starting with a pre-loss
intervention and extending with a post-loss period intervention (Petursdottir, et al., 2021)
The abstract included the results of the study and highlighted key findings related to how
the nursing intervention proved to decrease anxiety and stress levels on cancer caregivers
(Petursdottir, et al., 2021).
Literature Review/Background
1. Briefly state the clinical problem that prompted the study.
The clinical problem that prompted the study is the psychological distress that
relatives’ caregivers of those that undergo critical illness like cancer experience during
the illness and after their loved one’s death
2. Discuss the data provided for the significance of the clinical problem, and why you
believe it is an important problem for nursing science. If you believe it is not an
important problem, then explain why not.
, . The authors discuss how research has shown a high prevalence of anxiety and
depression from 2 to 6 months after losing someone (Petursdottir, et al., 2021). I believe
it is important to nursing science to find evidence-based practices on how to support
caregivers, and at the same time identify, treat, and reduce any potential development of
mental illness
3. Identify the major topics discussed in the background section and evaluate whether there
were any missing ideas or topics.
The background discussed the distress that families of terminally ill patients
experience during the illness and after their loved one’s death. The main topic is to
understand how some people experience more high periods of grief that can lead to
mental disorders complications.
4. Briefly explain whether the background section included sources current at the time of
the study (i.e. within 5 years of publication).
The study cited 48 sources. 24 were from within five years of the publication.
The articles used in the review of literature provided with examples on the prevalence of
anxiety and depression symptoms among family caregivers and emphasized a gap in
family-oriented palliative nursing care literature that addresses the effect of pre- and post-
loss supportive interventions. (Petursdottir, et al., 2021).
5. Discuss whether previous studies were critically evaluated by the study authors to
provide a clear summary of the current knowledge about the problem of interest.
Different articles were reviewed by the authors in the review of literature which
provided examples on the prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms among family
caregivers and emphasized a gap in family-oriented palliative nursing care literature that
explores the effect of pre- and post-loss supportive interventions. (Petursdottir, et al.,
2021).
6. Evaluate whether the background section provided enough support for the current
research study. In other words, whether gaps in research knowledge were clearly
described.
The gap on research mentioned above, connects with previous studies discussed
by the authors were participants report having a felling of abandonment after their family
member passes away. All the support provided to patient and families, stop and little
interventions are in place in order to help the caregiver families.
Research Purpose & Research Questions/Hypotheses
