NURS 500 ALL IN ONE TEST BANK,100% CORRECT

Chapter 1: Discovering the World of Nursing Research Test Bank MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. Nurses with a bachelor’s degree in nursing can participate in the implementation of evidence-based protocols in practice. This means that the BSN nurse a. Develops evidence-based guidelines b. Designs research studies, on which protocols may be based c. Evaluates and revises evidence-based protocols d. Contributes practice wisdom when applying protocols in patient settings e. Mentors PhD researchers in the clinical setting during protocol development ANS: D Nurses with a BSN degree have knowledge of the research process and skills in reading and critically appraising studies. They assist with the implementation of evidence-based guidelines, protocols, algorithms, and policies in practice. This implies that nurses provide their point of view, from the clinician’s vantage, when new protocols are being put into practice, and continue to provide feedback, regarding the positive and negative aspects of those protocols. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 4 2. Research is designed to test the idea of providing companion dogs to elders in a major hospital, in order to determine the effect upon the elders’ level of orientation. (The dogs’ level of orientation will not be a focus of the research.) This type of study can do which of the following? a. Control b. Describe c. Explain d. Predict ANS: A Control is the ability to manipulate the situation to produce the desired outcome. Description involves identifying and understanding the nature of nursing phenomena and, sometimes, the relationships among them. Explanation clarifies the relationships among phenomena and identifies the reasons why certain events occur. The ability to estimate the probability of a specific outcome in a given situation in nursing practice is known as prediction. The researcher’s focus is on predicting what is likely. DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: Page 13 3. A researcher wants to find out whether children with autism who are hospitalized on a pediatric ward will require more hours of nursing care than average children when the parents or caregivers are not present. What type of research outcome does this provide? a. Control b. Description c. Explantation d. Prediction ANS: D Control is the ability to manipulate the situation to produce the desired outcome. Description involves identifying and understanding the nature of nursing phenomena and, sometimes, the relationships among them. Explanation clarifies the relationships among phenomena and identifies the reasons why certain events occur. The ability to estimate the probability of a specific outcome in a given situation in nursing practice is known as prediction. The researcher’s focus is on predicting what is likely. DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: Page 16 4. A researcher who desires to determine the cause-and-effect relationship between requiring that all children under the age of 8 will ride in special care harnesses and the subsequent rate of children’s spinal cord injury will consequently utilize which form of nursing research? a. Descriptive research b. Outcomes research c. Qualitative research d. Quantitative research ANS: D Quantitative research, the most frequently used method, is a formal, objective, systematic methodology to describe variables, test relationships, and examine cause-and-effect interactions. Quantitative research includes experimental research, which is the method for testing cause-and-effect relationships between and among specific variables. Qualitative research methods are used for explaining meanings and describing experiences in context. Descriptive research involves identifying and understanding the nature of phenomena and, sometimes,the relationships among them. Outcomes research examines the end result of care in huge populations, most often retrospectively, using a database. DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: Page 3 5. Despite the presence of an intraventricular drain, the intracranial pressure of an ICU neuro patient remains increased. The nurse recalibrates the machine, makes sure the monitor is on the same level as the drain, checks all connections, and then notifies the physician, who comes to the unit and inserts a new drain. What type of reasoning prompts the nurse to recalibrate, ensure proper placement, and check connections? a. Abstract reasoning b. Concrete thinking c. Logistic reasoning d. Reality testing ANS: C Logistic reasoning is used to break a whole into parts that can be carefully examined. Concrete thinking is oriented toward and limited by tangible things or by events that are observed and experienced in reality. Abstract reasoning is oriented toward the development of an idea without application to, or association with, a particular instance. Reality testing is used to validate what is observed in the empirical world. DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: Page 6 6. A nurse with considerable clinical expertise develops a policy for managing agitated patients in the emergency department. The resultant policy emanates from a. Abstract reasoning b. Concrete thinking c. Logistic reasoning d. Reality testing ANS: A Abstract reasoning is oriented toward the development of an idea without application to, or association with, a particular instance. Concrete thinking is oriented toward and limited by tangible things or by events that are observed and experienced in reality. Logistic reasoning is used to break a whole into parts that can be carefully examined. Reality testing is used to validate what is observed in the empirical world. DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: Page 7 7. A nurse with considerable clinical expertise develops a policy for managing agitated patients in the emergency department. The type of reasoning the nurse uses to do this is _____ reasoning. a. Problematic b. Operational c. Logistic d. Inductive ANS: D Inductive reasoning involves reasoning that moves from the specific to the general, whereby particular instances are observed and then combined into a larger whole or general statement. Problematic reasoning involves (1) identifying a problem and factors influencing it, (2) selecting solutions to the problem, and (3) resolving the problem. Operational reasoning involves the identification of and discrimination among many alternatives and viewpoints. Logistic reasoning is used to break the whole into parts that can be carefully examined, as the relationships among the parts can also be. DIF: Cognitive Level: Synthesis REF: Page 7 8. What is the best explanation of intuition that forms a legitimate source of knowledge in nursing? a. It is based on knowledge thoroughly incorporated into thought but seldom articulated. b. It is based on a gift from the universe and should be honored when it arrives. c. It is never inaccurate. d. It is a revisiting of old knowledge, accompanied by deep reflection. ANS: A Intuition is the revisiting of old knowledge accompanied by deep reflection. DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: Page 5 9. Why is operational reasoning necessary for research? a. Abstract concepts are of no use to nursing. b. Standard interventions are obtained from operational reasoning. c. It allows the researcher to measure the concepts studied. d. It facilitates the researcher’s rapport with families. ANS: C Operational reasoning involves the identification of and discrimination among many alternatives and viewpoints. It focuses on the process (debating alternatives) rather than on the resolution. Nurses use operational reasoning to develop realistic, measurable health goals. Thus, operational reasoning takes abstract concepts and makes them focused, concrete, and, therefore, researchable. DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: Page 6 MULTIPLE RESPONSE 1. What are the connections between evidence-based practice and nursing research? (Select all that apply.) a. Evidence-based care cannot be provided to patients without the nurse understanding something of research. b. A synthesis of current research within an area of nursing is used to improve care in that area. c. All patients with a given diagnosis should be cared for based solely on research knowledge. d. Nursing diagnosis and management depend on a practitioner’s exploration of best research evidence. e. Nursing research provides evidence that allows us each to practice with the same style and capability. ANS: A, B, D Evidence-based practice in nursing requires a strong body of research knowledge that nurses must synthesize and use to promote quality care for their patients, families, and communities. In order to synthesize and use research appropriately, a nurse must understand it. A nurse must explore the best research evidence about a practice problem before using his or her clinical expertise to diagnose and manage an individual patient’s health problem. Not all patients are treated in the same way, however. Because reality can vary with perception, and because the facts can be relative, nurses do not impose their views on patients. Rather, nurses help patients seek health from within the patients’ worldviews. This is a critical component of evidence-based practice. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 11 2. What is the hospitalized patient’s place in evidence-based practice? (Select all that apply.) a. The patient is the recipient of the total of formal research evidence and the nurse’s practice wisdom, and these represent the patient’s care plan. b. The patient brings values to the clinical encounter, which the nurse considers in providing evidence-based care. c. The patient provides a valuable source of knowledge, since each patient cared for contributes to the nurse’s total practice wisdom. d. The patient is the focus of research. The patient serves both as a recipient of evidence-based research and the subject of future evidence, based on data collected now from the patient. e. The patient may always refuse to participate—in evidence-based care, in therapies, in research participation—and this refusal must be honored. ANS: B, C, E Because reality can vary with perception, and because the facts can be relative, nurses do not impose their views on patients. Rather, nurses help patients seek health from within the patients’ worldviews. This is a critical component of evidence-based practice. The nurse’s individual wisdom is based upon the nurse’s actual practice, over time. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 11 3. In nursing mentorship, as opposed to authority, the novice nurse fills which of the following roles? (Select all that apply.) a. Counselor b. Student c. Sponsor d. Disciplinarian e. Teacher f. Questioner g. Apprentice ANS: B, F, G An intense form of role-modeling is mentorship. In a mentorship, the expert nurse—or mentor—serves as a teacher, sponsor, guide, exemplar, and counselor for the novice nurse. Over time, the relationship morphs into a colleague relationship in which both mentor and mentee share information and exchange ideas in a cooperative spirit. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 10 4. How are dialectic reasoning and holistic practice similar? (Select all that apply.) a. They are both based on intuition, not facts. b. They both consider the whole, rather than one part of the picture. c. Dialectic reasoning emphasizes truth and holistic practice accepts untruth. d. They both ignore the main idea or diagnosis and concentrate on different entities. e. They both honor context and the interactions among ideas and people. f. They both break down concepts into understandable parts. g. Dialectic reasoning can be used to validate a study design, whereas holistic practice does not contribute to research. ANS: B, E, F Dialectic reasoning involves looking at situations in a holistic way. A dialectic thinker believes that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts and that the whole organizes the parts. DIF: Cognitive Level: Synthesis REF: Page 6 5. Which of the following statements synopsize the relationship between research and practice? (Select all that apply.) a. Practice limits nursing research to issues that are client-centered. b. Research participation helps nurses to meet re-licensure requirements for evidence-based practice. c. Research knowledge, combined with experiential wisdom, constitutes the base for practice. d. Research emphasizes what can be done in practice, rather than what has been done in practice. e. Practice does not affect research: research affects practice. f. Practice provides inspiration for meaningful nursing research. g. Practice helps a nurse differentiate between rigorous, well-designed research and useless research. ANS: C, F Evidence-based practice in nursing requires a strong body of research knowledge that nurses must synthesize and use to promote quality care for their patients. Research is a way to test reality and generate the best evidence to guide nursing practice. Practice problems inspire meaningful clinical research. Evidence-based practice evolves from the integration of the best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient needs and values. DIF: Cognitive Level: Evaluation REF: Page 3 6. Realistically, what might be done in a situation in which a nurse does not know the appropriate way to use a new ultrasonic bladder scanner (a non-invasive, painless procedure) but has an order to scan? (Select all that apply.) a. Refuse to carry out the order. b. Ask a co-worker who has used the equipment for help. c. Access the instructions on the company’s web site. d. Try to scan the bladder and see if the value obtained makes sense. e. Notify the manager that a formal inservice is needed. f. Read the instruction booklet. ANS: B, C, D, F Trial and error is an approach with unknown outcomes that is used in a situation of uncertainty, when other sources of knowledge are unavailable. The profession evolved through a great deal of trial and error before knowledge of effective practices was codified in textbooks and journals. The trial-and-error way of acquiring knowledge can be time-consuming, because multiple interventions might be implemented before one is found to be effective. DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: Page 9 7. Which of the following sources generates new knowledge for nurses? (Select all that apply.) a. Editorials in nursing journals b. Qualitative research c. Adhering to hospital policies d. Research that tests a new sling scale for safety of patients and nurses e. Quantitative research f. Comparison of two different insulin dosing protocols ANS: B, D, E Nursing research is defined as a scientific process that validates and refines existing knowledge and generates new knowledge that directly and indirectly influences the delivery of evidence-based nursing. Nurses use a variety of research methods to test their reality and generate nursing knowledge, including quantitative research, qualitative research, outcomes research, and intervention research. DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: Page 2 8. Which of these are suitable focuses for a nursing research study? (Select all that apply.) a. How clinical nurse specialists contribute to patient outcomes b. Which elements of a nursing school curriculum remain useful for current practice after students graduate c. Whether requiring nurse managers to supervise more than four units is cost-effective d. What styles of physician teaching produce better diabetic compliance e. Whether patients with exacerbation of CHF are best managed with inpatient treatment or with outpatient treatment f. What the personality characteristics are of nurses in various inpatient areas ANS: A, B, C, F Many nurses hold the view that nursing research should focus on acquiring knowledge that can be directly implemented in clinical practice, which is sometimes referred to as applied research or practical research. However, another view is that nursing research should include studies of nursing education, nursing administration, health services, and nurses’ characteristics and roles, as well as clinical situations, education, practice, and service. Research is needed to identify teaching-learning strategies to promote nurses’ management of practice. Thus, nurse researchers are involved in building a science for nursing education so that the teaching-learning strategies used are evidence-based. Nurse administrators are involved in research to enhance nursing leadership and the delivery of quality, cost-effective patient care. DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: Page 1 9. What might a nursing research study address? (Select all that apply.) a. Whether having a nurse practitioner manage care is effective in decreasing length-of-stay b. Whether students learn better in an online course format or by actual lecture attendance c. Comparing four types of leadership used by nurse managers and comparing their employees’ job satisfaction, absenteeism rates, and error rates d. Different common surgical procedures and the mortality rate of each e. Learning specific things about the liver failure patient that can be applied to nursing practice ANS: A, B, C, E Many nurses hold the view that nursing research should focus on acquiring knowledge that can be directly implemented in clinical practice, which is sometimes referred to as applied research or practical research. However, another view is that nursing research should include studies of nursing education, nursing administration, health services, and nurses’ characteristics and roles, as well as clinical situations, education, practice, and service. Research is needed to identify teaching-learning strategies to promote nurses’ management of practice. Thus, nurse researchers are involved in building a science for nursing education so that the teaching-learning strategies used are evidence-based. Nurse administrators are involved in research to enhance nursing leadership and the delivery of quality, cost-effective patient care. DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: Page 1 Chapter 2: Evolution of Research in Building Evidence-Based Nursing Practice Test Bank MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. In which way did Florence Nightingale contribute to evidence-based practice? a. She conducted research on outcomes and the power of nursing for change. b. She was the first woman elected to the Royal Statistical Society. c. She gathered data that changed the care of hospitalized soldiers. d. She calculated mortality rates under varying conditions. ANS: C Nightingale gathered data on soldier morbidity and mortality rates and the factors influencing them and presented her results in tables and pie charts, a sophisticated type of data presentation for the period. Nightingale’s research enabled her to instigate attitudinal, organizational, and social changes. She changed the attitudes of the military and society toward the care of the sick. The military began to view the sick as having the right to adequate food, suitable quarters, and appropriate medical treatment, which greatly reduced the mortality rate. DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: Page 17 2. If a nurse manager wants to study how well last year’s policies governing implementation of a “bundle” of interventions to prevent cross-contamination of MRSA have been working in her units, which of the following strategies would she use? a. Outcomes research b. Intervention research c. Ethnographic research d. Experimental research ANS: A Outcomes research emerged as an important methodology for documenting the effectiveness of health care services in the 1980s and 1990s. This type of research evolved from the quality assessment and quality assurance functions that originated with the professional standards review organizations (PSROs) in 1972. During the 1980s, William Roper, the director of the Health Care Finance Administration (HCFA), promoted outcomes research for determining the quality and cost-effectiveness of patient care. Intervention research investigates the effectiveness of a nursing intervention in achieving the desired outcome or outcomes in a natural setting. Through the use of ethnographic research, different cultures are described, compared, and contrasted to add to our understanding of the impact of culture on human behavior and health. Experimental studies have three main characteristics: (1) a controlled manipulation of at least one treatment variable (independent variable), (2) administration of the treatment to some of the subjects in the study (experimental group) and not to others (control group), and (3) random selection of subjects or random assignment of subjects to groups, or both. Experimental studies usually are conducted in highly controlled settings, such as laboratories or research units in clinical agencies. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 22 3. A researcher publishes a paper describing how faith, pain, adherence to therapy, and meditation interact during the rehabilitation process. The description of the process is based on many interviews the researcher conducted with persons during and following rehabilitation experiences. The methodology is a. Ethnography b. Phenomenology c. Historical research d. Grounded theory ANS: D Grounded theory methodology emphasizes observation and the development of practice-based intuitive relationships among variables. Throughout the study, the researcher formulates, tests, and redevelops propositions until a theory evolves. The theory developed is “grounded,” or has its roots in, the data from which it was derived. DIF: Cognitive Level: Synthesis REF: Page 27 4. A panel of researchers conducts several studies, all drawn from an existent hospital and clinic database. The studies focus on quality and effectiveness within that system. The specific studies address mortality rates in elders within a year after hip fracture, functional outcomes six months after admission to a neurosurgical ICU after traumatic brain injury, rate of nurse injuries in an emergency department, and number of patient falls on various floors of the hospital. What type of research is this? a. Experimental research b. Outcomes research c. Ethnographic research d. Grounded theory research ANS: B The spiraling cost of health care has generated many questions about the quality and effectiveness of health care services and the patient outcomes. Consumers want to know what services they are buying, and whether these services will improve their health. Health care policy makers want to know whether the care is cost-effective and of high quality. These concerns have promoted the development of outcomes research, which examines the results of care and measures the changes in health status of patients. It can also examine costs related to care delivery within a hospital system. DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: Page 27 5. A researcher designs a study. It depends on questionnaires for data, it has a clear purpose statement, it provides its results as a narrative without statistical analysis, and it makes general suggestions for practice. What type of research is this? a. Qualitative research b. Outcomes research c. Intervention research d. Quantitative research ANS: D Quantitative research is a formal, objective, systematic process in which numerical data are used to obtain information about the world. Qualitative research is also systematic, but it is a holistic, interactive, and subjective approach to describe life experiences and identify their meaning. Both types of research have a purpose statement and can use a survey instrument; however, neither depends on surveys for data. Both can contain suggestions for practice. Qualitative research results are presented as a narrative, without statistical analysis. Outcomes research examines the results of care and measures the changes in health status of patients. Intervention research investigates the effectiveness of a nursing intervention in achieving the desired outcome or outcomes in a natural setting. DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: Page 23 6. A newly employed nurse administrator wants to know more about the employees on the units the administrator supervises. The manager accesses the managerial database and gathers data about all of the current employees on the unit, including work shift, number of years employed, age, gender, educational preparation, certifications, work history, and professional accomplishments. What type of research is this? a. Descriptive research b. Correlationalresearch c. Quasi-experimental research d. Experimental research ANS: A The quantitative research methods are classified into four categories: (1) descriptive, which defines the magnitude of a concept and its characteristics, (2) correlational, which determines association between or among variables, (3) quasi-experimental, which tests an intervention and lacks control in at least one of three areas, and (4) experimental, which tests an intervention and includes both a control group and random assignment. This is a research study, even though it depends upon existent data, collected by another manager. Its purpose is to describe the employees. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 26 7. A human resources employee performs research focusing on the professional lifespan within the institution of nurses, and trying to discover whether their choice of work area is connected with the number of years they work in the institution. What type of research is this? a. Descriptive research b. Correlationalresearch c. Quasi-experimental research d. Experimental research ANS: B The quantitative research methods are classified into four categories: (1) descriptive, which defines the magnitude of a concept and its characteristics, (2) correlational, which determines association between or among variables, (3) quasi-experimental, which tests an intervention and lacks control in at least one of three areas, and (4) experimental, which tests an intervention and includes both a control group and random assignment. This study investigates the connection or association between work area and length of time worked. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 26 8. In an attempt to assess whether selection of a same-gender psychiatrist leads to better mental health outcomes, clients newly referred for mental health services are told they may choose their mental health physicians. Later, measures of mental health are performed. What type of research is this? a. Descriptive research b. Correlationalresearch c. Quasi-experimental research d. Experimental research ANS: C The quantitative research methods are classified into four categories: (1) descriptive, which defines the magnitude of a concept and its characteristics, (2) correlational, which determines association between or among variables, (3) quasi-experimental, which tests an intervention and lacks control in at least one of three areas, and (4) experimental, which tests an intervention and includes both a control group and random assignment. This research study is designed to test an intervention but does not include random assignment. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 26 9. In a rehabilitation unit, patients are randomly assigned to high fiber diets versus ordinary fiber diets, in order to measure the effect on constipation. What type of research is this? a. Descriptive research b. Correlationalresearch c. Quasi-experimental research d. Experimental research ANS: D The quantitative research methods are classified into four categories: (1) descriptive, which defines the magnitude of a concept and its characteristics, (2) correlational, which determines association between or among variables, (3) quasi-experimental, which tests an intervention and lacks either a control group or random assignment, and (4) experimental, which tests an intervention and includes both a control group and random assignment. This research study tests an intervention and includes both a control group and random assignment. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 26 10. A researcher uses interviews with two or three open-ended questions to study women in the staging phase of breast cancer treatment, in order to understand their experiences and the meanings they attribute to those experiences. What type of research is this? a. Phenomenologic research b. Grounded theory research c. Ethnographic research d. Historicism ANS: A Phenomenologic research examines the lived experiences of participants and the meanings those experiences hold for them, drawing its results only from the participants’ views. Grounded theory research defines under-researched concepts and explains them within a social framework, building on both observation and the perceptions of the persons who are familiar with the concepts, and sometimes generating theory; it emphasizes interaction, observation, and development of relationships among concepts. Ethnography defines shared characteristics of members of a culture or participants who share in a common characteristic, and explains commonalities, often within a cultural framework, using observation, interview, and other data collection strategies; through the use of ethnographic research, different cultures are described, compared, and contrasted to add to our understanding of the impact of culture on the human experience. Historicism tells the story of past events, reconstructing these from other historical references, interviews, artifacts, art, and other sources that reflect the time of interest. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 27 11. A researcher uses interviews with eight open-ended questions to study women in a new staging phase of breast cancer treatment, which includes serial biopsies and necessitates weekly closed biopsy, in order to understand more about social factors that impinge upon their experience. What type of research is this? a. Phenomenologic research b. Grounded theory research c. Ethnographic research d. Historicism ANS: B Grounded theory research defines under-researched concepts and explains them within a social framework, building on both observation and the perceptions of the persons who are familiar with the concepts, and sometimes generating theory; it emphasizes interaction, observation, and development of relationships among concepts. Phenomenologic research examines the lived experiences of participants and the meanings those experiences hold for them, drawing its results only from the participants’ views. Ethnography defines shared characteristics of members of a culture or participants who share in a common characteristic, and explains commonalities, often within a cultural framework, using observation, interview, and other data collection strategies; through the use of ethnographic research, different cultures are described, compared, and contrasted to add to our understanding of the impact of culture on the human experience. Historicism tells the story of past events, reconstructing these from other historical references, interviews, artifacts, art, and other sources that reflect the time of interest. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 27 12. A researcher conducts many interviews, over a one-year period, with women in the treatment phase of breast cancer, all of whom are attending a breast cancer support group, in order to understand what happens in the support group, how the members are affected by membership, and how the members contribute to the group. The researcher herself is also in treatment for breast cancer and is a member of the group. What type of research is this? a. Phenomenologic research b. Grounded theory research c. Ethnographic research d. Historicism ANS: C Ethnography defines shared characteristics of members of a culture or participants who share in a common characteristic, and explains commonalities, often within a cultural framework, using observation, interview, and other data collection strategies; through the use of ethnographic research, different cultures are described, compared, and contrasted to add to our understanding of the impact of culture on the human experience. Phenomenologic research examines the lived experiences of participants and the meanings those experiences hold for them, drawing its results only from the participants’ views. Grounded theory research defines under-researched concepts and explains them within a social framework, building on both observation and the perceptions of the persons who are familiar with the concepts, and sometimes generating theory; it emphasizes interaction, observation, and development of relationships among concepts. Historicism tells the story of past events, reconstructing these from other historical references, interviews, artifacts, art, and other sources that reflect the time of interest. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 27 13. A researcher reviews the twenty years that a breast cancer clinic has been in operation in a small Midwestern city. The researcher interviews many of the women who have been treated in the clinic during this period and reviews the records of the clinic, along with its survival rates and the emergence of several of its innovative support programs for women and their families. The researcher ultimately writes a story of the clinic over those twenty years. What type of research is this? a. Phenomenologic research b. Grounded theory research c. Ethnographic research d. Historicism ANS: D Phenomenologic research examines the lived experiences of participants and the meanings those experiences hold for them, drawing its results only from the participants’ views. Grounded theory research defines under-researched concepts and explains them within a social framework, building on both observation and the perceptions of the persons who are familiar with the concepts, and sometimes generating theory; it emphasizes interaction, observation, and development of relationships among concepts. Ethnography defines shared characteristics of members of a culture or participants who share in a common characteristic, and explains commonalities, often within a cultural framework, using observation, interview, and other data collection strategies; through the use of ethnographic research, different cultures are described, compared, and contrasted to add to our understanding of the impact of culture on the human experience. Historicism tells the story of past events, reconstructing these from other historical references, interviews, artifacts, art, and other sources that reflect the time of interest. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 27 MULTIPLE RESPONSE 1. Florence Nightingale researched mortality and morbidity rates in soldiers during the Crimean War and investigated various factors that influenced both, presenting her results as pie charts and graphs. Consequently, it is known that she conducted which types of research? (Select all that apply.) a. Phenomenologic research b. Causational research c. Descriptive research d. Correlational research e. Ethnographic research ANS: C, D Nightingale is noted for her data collection and statistical analyses during the Crimean War. She gathered data on soldier morbidity and mortality rates and the factors influencing them and presented her results in tables and pie charts, a sophisticated type of data presentation for the period. There is no evidence that she designed causational (experimental or quasi-experimental) research or any type of qualitative research. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 17 2. Which of the following statements about quantitative research is accurate? (Select all that apply.) a. The results of quantitative research should be generalized back to the population from which the sample was drawn. b. Quantitative research is always easy and straightforward to read and understand. c. Quantitative research addresses quantities, connections, and causes. d. Quantitative research predominates in the nursing research literature. e. Quantitative research is always experimental. f. Quantitative research provides answers to “What?” and “Who?” questions. ANS: A, C, D, F The quantitative approach to scientific inquiry emerged from a branch of philosophy called logical positivism, which operates on strict rules of logic, truth, laws, axioms, and predictions. Quantitative research requires the use of structured interviews, questionnaires, or observations, scales, or physiological measures that generate numerical data. Statistical analyses are conducted to reduce and organize data, describe variables, examine relationships, and determine differences among groups. Control, instruments, and statistical analyses are used to ensure that the research findings accurately reflect reality so that the study findings can be generalized. Generalization involves the application of trends or general tendencies (which are identified by studying a sample) to the population from which the research sample was drawn. Researchers must be cautious in making generalizations, because a sound generalization requires the support of many studies with a variety of samples. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 24 3. Which of the following statements about qualitative research is accurate? (Select all that apply.) a. Qualitative research deals exclusively with humans. b. Qualitative research’s principal purpose is to inform the reader. c. Qualitative research yields data that are not numbers-based, such as audiotapes, videotapes, and field notes. d. Qualitative research is not systematic. e. Qualitative research does not contain or imply a research question. f. Qualitative research is ill-defined and vague. g. Qualitative research has no practical use. ANS: B, C Qualitative researchers use observations, interviews, and focus groups to gather data. The interactions are guided but not controlled in the way that quantitative data collection is controlled. For example, the researcher may ask subjects to share their experiences of powerlessness in the health care system. Qualitative researchers would begin interpreting the subjective data during data collection, recognizing that their interpretation is influenced by their own perceptions and beliefs. Qualitative data take the form of words and are analyzed according to the qualitative approach that is being used. The intent of the analysis is to organize the data into a meaningful, individualized interpretation, framework, or theory that describes the phenomenon studied. The findings from a qualitative study are unique to that study, and it is not the researcher’s intent to generalize the findings to a larger population. Qualitative researchers are encouraged to question generalizations and to interpret meaning based on individual study participants’ perceptions and realities. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 25 4. Which is true of quantitative research? (Select all that apply.) a. It addresses human responses by measuring or counting them. b. It presents information by clustering it or counting it. c. It yields a data set that can be analyzed by statistics. d. It operates systematically. e. It states or implies a research question. f. It operates in a concrete realm. g. It can always be generalized. ANS: A, B, C, D, E, F The quantitative approach to scientific inquiry emerged from a branch of philosophy called logical positivism, which operates on strict rules of logic, truth, laws, axioms, and predictions. Quantitative research requires the use of structured interviews, questionnaires, or observations, scales, or physiological measures that generate numerical data. Statistical analyses are conducted to reduce and organize data, describe variables, examine relationships, and determine differences among groups. Control, instruments, and statistical analyses are used to ensure that the research findings accurately reflect reality so that the study findings can be generalized. Generalization involves the application of trends or general tendencies (which are identified by studying a sample) to the population from which the research sample was drawn. Researchers must be cautious in making generalizations, because a sound generalization requires the support of many studies with a variety of samples. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 24 5. Ethnographic research might focus upon which of the following topics? (Select all that apply.) a. Bacterial cultures b. Cultural beliefs of the ancient Romans c. How children in Alaska play during the winter d. Twenty-year abstinence members of Alcoholics Anonymous e. The mentoring process in a labor-delivery unit f. Conversational Spanish ANS: C, D, E Ethnographic research was developed by anthropologists to investigate cultures through an in-depth study of the members of the culture. The culture may be an actual culture, a loosely connected group of people who share a common characteristic, or a work or recreational group. The ethnographic research process is the systematic collection, description, and analysis of data to develop a description of cultural behavior. The researcher (ethnographer) actually lives in or becomes a part of the cultural setting to gather the data. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 24 6. A researcher is operating from the point of view of logical positivism. Which of the following research methods would the logical positivist use? (Select all that apply.) a. Grounded theory research b. Correlational research c. Historical research d. Quasi-experimental research e. Quantitative descriptive research f. Exploratory descriptive qualitative research ANS: B, D, E The quantitative approach to scientific inquiry emerged from a branch of philosophy called logical positivism, which operates on strict rules of logic, truth, laws, axioms, and predictions. The quantitative research methods are classified into four categories: (1) descriptive, (2) correlational, (3) quasi-experimental, and (4) experimental. The qualitative research methods included in this textbook are (1) phenomenological research, (2) grounded theory research, (3) ethnographic research, (4) exploratory-descriptive qualitative research, and (5) historical research. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 27 7. Which of the follow potential studies would fall within the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s future research goals? (Select all that apply.) a. Performing a synthesis of research evidence regarding skin-to-skin contact of mothers and newborns b. Enacting a quantitative research project measuring bacterial count on nurses’ uniforms at the beginning and the end of 12-hour work shifts c. Performing a qualitative research project to explain sources of student nurses’ stress d. Enacting a public education Internet commercial encouraging smokers to read the statistics regarding sequelae of cigarette smoking e. Trialing clean-and-sober support groups that are based in community shopping centers ANS: A, D, E The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality partners with public and private sectors to improve the quality and safety of patient care by promoting the use of the best research evidence available in practice. Its three future goals are focused on the following: “Safety and quality: Reduce the risk of harm by promoting delivery of the best possible health care; Effectiveness: Improve healthcare outcomes by encouraging the use of evidence to make informed healthcare decisions; and Efficiency: Transform research into practice to facilitate wider access to effective healthcare services and reduce unnecessary costs.” DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 22 8. Early nursing research by Nightingale focused on improving patient outcomes. What were the principal topics for the next wave of nursing research, in the first half of the 20th century? (Select all that apply.) a. Evidence-based practice b. Primary nursing’s advantages in hospitals c. Nursing education, as opposed to nurse training d. The nursing process and nursing diagnosis e. Staffing, patient assignments, and type of care ANS: C, E From 1900 to 1950, research activities in nursing were limited, but a few studies advanced nursing education. Based on recommendations of the Goldmark Report, more schools of nursing were established in university settings. A research trend that started in the 1940s and continued in the 1950s focused on the organization and delivery of nursing services. Studies were conducted on the numbers and kinds of nursing personnel, staffing patterns, patient classification systems, patient and nurse satisfaction, and unit arrangement. Types of care such as comprehensive care, home care, and progressive patient care were evaluated. In the 1970s, the nursing process became the focus of many studies, with the investigations of assessment techniques, nursing diagnoses classification, goal-setting methods, and specific nursing interventions. Primary nursing care, which involves the delivery of patient care predominantly by registered nurses (RNs), was the trend for the 1970s. The vision for nursing research in the twenty-first century includes conducting quality studies using a variety of methodologies, synthesizing the study findings into the best research evidence, and using this research evidence to guide practice. The focus on EBP has become stronger over the last decade. DIF: Cognitive Level: Synthesis REF: Page 19 9. Which of the following is true of the Cochrane Center and Cochrane Collaboration, begun in the 1970s by Professor Archie Cochrane? (Select all that apply.) a. It was originally called the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. b. It developed the original master’s degrees in nursing practice. c. It serves as a repository for evidence-based practice guidelines. d. It was the first association to publish a nursing research journal. e. It is the online library resource for research literature reviews. ANS: C, E Cochrane advocated the provision of health care based on research to improve the quality of care and patient outcomes. To facilitate the use of research evidence in practice, the Cochrane Center was established in 1992 and the Cochrane Collaboration in 1993. The Cochrane Collaboration and Library house numerous resources to promote EBP, such as systematic reviews of research and evidence-based guidelines for practice. DIF: Cognitive Level: Evaluation REF: Page 20 10. How does quantitative research contribute to evidence-based practice? (Select all that apply.) a. It provides facts that nurses can add to their knowledge base. This makes practice more objective and quantifiable. b. It provides scientific support for policies already in place. More evidence makes an existent policy more defensible. c. It provides evidence opposing policies already in place. Evidence in opposition to policies may result in new policies. d. It allows the nurse to understand the personal experience of illness and the meaning the client attaches to it. This engenders compassion. e. It contributes evidence that will make nursing practice almost completely evidence-based, eliminating different styles of nursing practice. ANS: B, C Quantitative research is a formal, objective, systematic process in which numerical data are used to obtain information about the world. This research method is used to describe variables, examine relationships among variables, and determine cause-and-effect interactions between variables. The qualitative research method of phenomenology allows understanding of the lived experience and the meaning it engenders. The aim of phenomenology is to explore an experience as it is lived by the study participants and interpreted by the researcher. Evidence-based practice is the conscientious integration of best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values and needs in the delivery of quality, cost-effective health care. It provides the basis for policy decisions and for voluntary change in individual nursing practice. Nursing style is a matter of personal choice. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 23 11. What does appropriate generalization require? (Select all that apply.) a. Any type of sample, whether or not it is representative b. Application of findings to the population from which the sample was drawn c. More than one research study using the same research questions and variables d. Statistically significant findings e. Non-significant findings that are supported by several relatedstudies ANS: B, C, D Generalization involves the application of trends or general tendencies (which are identified by studying a sample) to the population from which the research sample was drawn. Researchers must be cautious in making generalizations, because a sound generalization requires the support of many studies with a variety of samples. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 23 12. What best characterizes the contribution of qualitative nursing research to evidence-based practice? (Select all that apply.) a. It presents collective common evidence of health care clients’ experiences, which may provide inspirations for individual practice. b. It provides stories of how health care clients feel. This lets nurses know what people in similar circumstances can be expected to experience. c. It provides evidence that determines how nurses should interact with various cultures. This mandates action. d. It generates and tests theory. e. It reveals participants’ experiences and individual viewpoints, feelings, and interpretations. These can provide guidelines for client-centered care. ANS: A, E Qualitative research is a systematic, interactive, subjective approach used to describe life experiences from the research participants’ point of view. This type of research is conducted to explore, describe, and promote understanding of human experiences, events, and cultures over time. It is holistic and describes the human in context. Chapter 3: Introduction to Quantitative Research Test Bank MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. A researcher conducts a study to determine the effectiveness of a special program of sensitivity training for nurse managers upon several outcomes, all related to the staff’s ability to identify and intervene appropriately when medication errors occur. This is an example of what type of quantitative research? a. Applied research b. Basic research c. Descriptive research d. Qualitative research ANS: A Applied, or practical, research is a scientific investigation conducted to generate knowledge that will directly influence or improve clinical practice. The purpose of applied research is to solve problems, to make decisions, or to predict or control outcomes. Basic, or pure, research is a scientific investigation that involves the “pursuit of knowledge for knowledge’s sake,” or for the pleasure of learning and finding truth. The purpose of basic research is to generate and refine theory and build constructs; thus, the findings are frequently not directly useful in practice. However, because the findings are more theoretical in nature, they can be generalized to various settings. Descriptive quantitative research and qualitative research describe what exists but do not test specific interventions used in practice. DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: Page 35 2. A researcher randomly assigns a large group of subjects who are hospital patients either to receive magnesium at bedtime or not to receive magnesium at bedtime, and then measures sleep quality and duration. What type of research is this? a. Correlational research b. Experimental research c. Descriptive research d. Quasi-experimental research ANS: B Control occurs when the researcher imposes “rules” to decrease the possibility of error and thus increases the probability that the study’s findings are an accurate reflection of reality. Descriptive and correlational studies are usually conducted with minimal control of the study design, because subjects are examined as they exist. In experimental research, the independent and dependent variables are highly controlled, the researcher exerts high control over the planning and implementation of the study, and often these studies are conducted in a laboratory setting on animals or objects. If a research study randomly assigns subjects to two different groups, applies an intervention to one of the groups, and then measures both groups and compares them, it is experimental design. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 36 Use the following information to answer Questions 3 through 7: A research study contains the following in its Introduction section: “This study was undertaken to explore the effect of massage on total hours of sleep per 24-hour day, in persons averaging fewer than 7 hours of sleep per night, attributable to insomnia. . . . Presumably by increasing endorphin levels, massage seems to provide an immediate relaxation and an ability to sleep immediately following the session, but it is unclear whether these benefits actually extend to total sleep, despite anecdotal support. The claim that massage increases total hours of sleep has been inadequately researched. . . . Does massage increase the total number of hours of daily sleep? . . . It was posited that provision of daily late-morning massage would affect total hours of sleep per 24-hour day. The study’s causational explanation was based on the physiologic matrix of McCarthy, which includes effects of endorphins on sleep, learning ability, pain, digestive function, and cardiac output. . . . It was taken as established fact that massage is pleasant, that research subjects getting fewer than 7 hours of sleep per night were sleep-deprived, and that endorphins mediated the changes observed.” 3. What is the research problem? a. This study was undertaken to explore the effect of massage on total hours of sleep per 24-hour day, in persons averaging fewer than 7 hours of sleep per night, attributable to insomnia. b. It was posited that provision of daily late-morning massage would affect total hours of sleep per 24-hour day. c. It was taken as established fact that massage is pleasant, that research subjects getting fewer than 7 hours of sleep per night were sleep-deprived, and that endorphins mediated the changes observed. d. Presumably by increasing endorphin levels, massage seems to provide an immediate relaxation and an ability to sleep immediately following the session, but it is unclear whether these benefits actually extend to total sleep, despite anecdotal support. ANS: D A research problem is an area of concern or phenomenon of interest about which there is a gap in the knowledge base needed for nursing practice. The problem identifies an area of concern or phenomenon of interest for a particular population and often indicates the concepts to be studied. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 39 4. What is the research framework? a. It was taken as established fact that massage is pleasant, that research subjects getting fewer than 7 hours of sleep per night were sleep-deprived, and that endorphins mediated the changes observed. b. Presumably by increasing endorphin levels, massage seems to provide an immediate relaxation and an ability to sleep immediately following the session, but it is unclear whether these benefits actually extend to total sleep, despite anecdotal support. c. It was posited that provision of daily late-morning massage would affect total hours of sleep per 24-hour day. d. The study’s causational explanation was based on the physiologic matrix of McCarthy, which includes effects of endorphins on sleep, learning ability, pain, digestive function, and cardiac output. ANS: D A framework is the abstract, logical structure of meaning that will guide the development of a study and enable the researcher to link the findings to the body of nursing knowledge. In quantitative research, the framework is often a testable midrange theory that has been developed in nursing or in another discipline, such as psychology, physiology, or sociology. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 41 5. What is the research assumption? a. This study was undertaken to explore the effect of massage on total hours of sleep per 24-hour day, in persons averaging fewer than 7 hours of sleep per night, attributable to insomnia. b. It was posited that provision of daily late-morning massage would affect total hours of sleep per 24-hour day. c. It was taken as established fact that massage is pleasant, that research subjects getting fewer than 7 hours of sleep per night were sleep-deprived, and that endorphins mediated the changes observed. d. Presumably by increasing endorphin levels, massage seems to provide an immediate relaxation and an ability to sleep immediately following the session, but it is unclear whether these benefits actually extend to total sleep, despite anecdotal support. The claim that massage increases total hours of sleep has been inadequately researched. ANS: C Assumptions are statements that are taken for granted or that are considered true, even though they have not been scientifically tested. Assumptions are often embedded (unrecognized) in thinking and behavior, and uncovering them requires introspection. Sources of assumptions include universally accepted truths, theories, previous research, and nursing practice. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 41 6. What is the research purpose? a. This study was undertaken to explore the effect of massage on total hours of sleep per 24-hour day, in persons averaging fewer than 7 hours of sleep per night, attributable to insomnia. b. It was posited that provision of daily late-morning massage would affect total hours of sleep per 24-hour day. c. Presumably by increasing endorphin levels, massage seems to provide an immediate relaxation and an ability to sleep immediately following the session, but it is unclear whether these benefits actually extend to total sleep, despite anecdotal support. The claim that massage increases total hours of sleep has been inadequately researched. d. The study’s causational explanation was based on the physiologic matrix of McCarthy, which includes effects of endorphins on sleep, learning ability, pain, digestive function, and cardiac output. ANS: A The research purpose is generated from the problem and identifies the specific focus or aim of the study. The focus of the study might be to identify, describe, explain, or predict a solution to a situation. The purpose often indicates the type of study to be conducted (descriptive, correlational, quasi-experimental, or experimental) and usually includes the variables, population, and setting for the study. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 41 7. What is the research question? a. This study was undertaken to explore the effect of massage on total hours of sleep per 24-hour day, in persons averaging fewer than 7 hours of sleep per night, attributable to insomnia. b. It was posited that provision of daily late-morning massage would affect total hours of sleep per 24-hour day. c. Does massage increase the total number of hours of daily sleep? d. Presumably by increasing endorphin levels, massage seems to provide an immediate relaxation and an ability to sleep immediately following the session, but it is unclear whether these benefits actually extend to total sleep, despite anecdotal support. ANS: C Research objectives, questions, and hypotheses bridge the gap between the more abstractly stated research problem and purpose and the study design and plan for data collection and analysis. Objectives, questions, and hypotheses are narrower in focus than the research purpose and often (1) specify only one or two research variables, (2) identify the relationship between the variables, and (3) indicate the population to be studied. A research question is a concise, interrogative statement that is worded in the present tense and includes one or more variables (or concepts). DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 39 8. A researcher conducting a study to examine linkages among age, gender, driver’s license suspension, and zip code poverty, educational level, and income, sourced from the records of the State Department of Motor Vehicles, is using which of the following types of research? a. Descriptive research b. Correlational research c. Problem solving d. Triangulation ANS: B Through descriptive research, concepts are described and relationships are identified but not examined. A researcher conducting a study to examine linear relationships between two or more variables is using the quantitative research process for correlational research. In descriptive and correlational studies, no treatment is administered, so the study design centers on describing variables, examining relationships, and improving the precision of measurement. In descriptive research concepts are explored and phenomena are described in real-life situations. This approach is used to generate new knowledge about concepts or topics about which limited or no research has been conducted. In correlational research linear relationships between two or more variables are explored and the strength between variables is quantified. DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: Page 49 9. A student completes her master’s thesis on correlates of depression in retired airline pilots, and it is shelved in the library. Has this student communicated her research findings? a. Yes, because the thesis is in the library and can be accessed. b. No, because the findings have not been made available to persons who will utilize them. c. Yes, because the students in this particular master’s program often discuss their work in progress. d. No, because if the findings do not appear in print in a nursing journal, they have not been communicated. ANS: B Research is not considered complete until the findings have been communicated. Communicating research findings involves developing and disseminating a research report to appropriate audiences; the research report is disseminated through presentations and publications. Analyzing data, drawing conclusions, and writing a report of the findings are essential steps in conducting research—but they do not complete the process. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 49 10. Hospital nurses are observed in order to determine exactly how long nurses swab IV ports with alcohol. Because they are being observed, they “scrub the hub” longer than they ordinarily would have. This is an example of what concept relevant to quantitative research? a. Bias b. Control c. Inaccurate operationalization of variables d. Hawthorne effect ANS: D Subjects’ knowledge of a study could influence their behavior and possibly alter the research outcomes. This threatens the validity or accuracy of the study design. An example of this type of threat to design validity is the Hawthorne effect, which was identified during the classic experiment at the Hawthorne plant of the Western Electric Company during the 1920s and 1930s. The employees at this plant exhibited a particular psychological response when they became research participants: they changed their behavior simply because they were subjects in a study, not because of the research treatment. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 38 11. A researcher studies the effect upon dental caries formation of a year-long regimen of daily rinsing with a particularly noxious-flavored oral solution, only to discover than 285 of the 300 subjects in the study have withdrawn from it by the end of the first month. Which step in the research process was not properly undertaken? a. Defining the purpose b. Conducting the literature review c. Selecting study variables d. Performing a pilot study ANS: D A pilot study is commonly defined as a smaller version of a proposed study conducted to refine the methodology. It is developed much like the proposed study, using similar subjects, the same setting, the same treatment, and the same data collection and analysis techniques. Some of the reasons for conducting pilot studies are to determine feasibility, to develop a treatment or intervention, to develop an implementation protocol, to identify problems with the design, to evaluate the sampling method, to examine instrument reliability or validity, to refine instruments, to refine plans for data collection and analysis, to provide research experience, and to evaluate data analysis techniques. D