Statistics for Nursing
Research A Workbook
for Evidence-Based
Practice 3rd Edition
Susan Grove Daisha
,Answer_Guidelines_for_Questions_to_Be_Graded
Measurement: Nominal,
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1
The_questions_are_in_bold_followed_by_answers.
1. In_Table_1,_identify_the_level_of_measurement_for_the_current_therapy_variable._Provide
_a_rationale_for_your_answer.
Answer:_The_current_therapy_variable_was_measured_at_the_nominal_level._These_drug_catego
ries_were_probably_developed_to_be_exhaustive_for_this_study_and_included_the_categories_of_d
rugs_the_subjects_were_receiving._However,_the_categories_are_not_exclusive,_since_patients_ar
e_usually_on_more_than_one_category_of_these_drugs_to_manage_their_health_problems._The_c
urrent_therapies_are_not_measured_at_the_ordinal_level_because_they_cannot_be_rank_ordered,_si
nce_no_drug_category_can_be_considered_more_or_less_beneficial_than_another_drug_category_(
see_Figure_1-1;_Grove_&_Gray,_2019).
2. What_is_the_mode_for_the_current_therapy_variable_in_this_study?_Provide_a_rationale_f
or_ your_answer.
Answer:_The_mode_for_current_therapy_ was_β_blocker._ A_total_ of_ 100_ (94%)_of_the_cardiac_patients
were_ receiving_ this_ category_ of_ drug,_ which_ was_ the_ most_ common_ prescribed_ drug_ for_ this_sa
mple.
3. What_statistics_were_conducted_to_describe_the_BMI_of_the_cardiac_patients_in_this_sam
ple?_Discuss_whether_these_analysis_techniques_were_appropriate_or_inappropriate.
Answer:_BMI_was_described_with_a_mean_and_standard_deviation_(SD)._BMI_measurement_resu
lted_in_ratio-
level_data_with_continuous_values_and_an_absolute_zero_(Stone_&_Frazier,_2017)._Ratio-
_level_data_should_be_analyzed_with_parametric_statistics_such_as_the_mean_and_SD_(Grove_&_
Gray,_2017;_Knapp,_2017).
4. Researchers_used_the_following_item_to_measure_registered_nurses’_(RNs)_income_in_a_study
:_ What_category_identifies_your_current_income_as_an_RN?
a. Less_than_$50,000
b. $50,000_to_59,999
c. $60,000_to_69,999
d. $70,000_to_80,000
e. $80,000_or_greater
What_level_of_measurement_is_this_income_variable?_Does_the_income_variable_follow_th
e_rules_outlined_in_Figure_1-1?_Provide_a_rationale_for_your_answer.
Answer:_In_this_example,_the_income_variable_is_measured_at_the_ordinal_level._The_income_categ
o-_ries_ are_ exhaustive,_ ranging_ from_ less_ than_ $50,000_ to_ greater_ than_ $80,000._ The_ two_ open-
ended
AG_1-1
,AG_1-2 Answer_Guidelines_for_Questions_to_Be_Graded
categories_ensure_that_all_salary_levels_are_covered._The_categories_are_not_exclusive,_since_cat
ego-
_ries_(d)_and_(e)_include_an_$80,000_salary,_so_study_participants_making_$80,000_might_mar
k_either_(d)_or_(e)_or_both_categories,_resulting_in_erroneous_data._Category_(e)_could_be_cha
nged_ to_greater_than_$80,000,_making_the_categories_exclusive._The_categories_can_be_rank_
ordered_from_the_lowest_salary_to_the_highest_salary,_which_is_consistent_with_ordinal_data_(
Grove_&_Gray,_2019;_Waltz_et_al.,_2017).
5. What_level_of_measurement_is_the_CDS_score?_Provide_a_rationale_for_your_answer.
Answer:_The_CDS_score_is_at_the_interval_level_of_measurement._The_CDS_is_a_26-
item_Likert_scale_developed_to_measure_depression_in_cardiac_patients._Study_participants_rat
ed_their_symp-
_toms_on_a_scale_of_1_to_7,_with_higher_numbers_indicating_increased_severity_in_the_depress
ion_symptoms._The_total_scores_for_each_subject_obtained_from_this_multi-
item_scale_are_considered_to_be_at_the_interval_level_of_measurement_(Gray_et_al.,_2017;_Wal
tz_et_al.,_2017).
5._ Were_nonparametric_or_parametric_analysis_techniques_used_to_analyze_the_CDS_scores_
for_the_cardiac_patients_in_this_study?_Provide_a_rationale_for_your_answer.
Answer:_Parametric_statistics,_such_as_mean_and_SD,_were_conducted_to_describe_CDS_score
s_ for_study_participants_(see_Table_1)._CDS_scores_are_interval-
level_data_as_indicated_in_Questions_5,_so_parametric_statistics_are_appropriate_for_this_level_o
f_data_(Gray_et_al.,_2017;_Kim_&_Mallory,_2017).
7._ Is_the_prevalence_of_depression_linked_to_the_NYHA_class?_Discuss_the_clinical_importa
nce_of_this_result.
Answer:_The_study_narrative_indicated_that_the_prevalence_of_depression_increased_with_the_
greater_NYHA_class._In_NYHA_class_III,_64%_of_the_subjects_were_depressed,_whereas_11%_o
f_the_subjects_were_depressed_in_NYHA_class_I._Thus,_as_the_NYHA_class_increased,_the_num
ber_of_sub-
_jects_with_depression_increased._This_is_an_expected_finding_because_as_the_NYHA_class_incre
ases,_cardiac_patients_have_more_severe_physical_symptoms,_which_usually_result_in_emotional
_distress,_such_as_depression._Nurses_need_to_actively_assess_cardiac_patients_for_depression,_espe
cially_those_ in_higher_NYHA_classes,_so_they_might_be_diagnosed_and_treated_as_needed.
8._ What_frequency_and_percent_of_cardiac_patients_in_this_study_were_not_being_treated_w
ith_an_antidepressant?_Show_your_calculations_and_round_your_answer_to_the_nearest_
whole_percent_(%).
Answer:_ A_ total_ of_ 106_ cardiac_ patients_ participated_ in_ this_ study._ The_ sample_ include
d_ 15_ patients_ who_ were_ receiving_ an_ antidepressant_ (see_ Table_ 1)._ The_ number_ of_ car
diac_patients_ not_ treated_ for_ depression_ was_ 91_ (106_ –
_ 15_ =_91)._ The_ group_ percent_ is_ calculated_by_ the_ following_ formula:_ (group_ frequency
_ ÷_total_ sample_ size)_ ×_100%._ For_ this_ study,_(91_ patients_ ÷_106_ sample_ size)_ ×_10
0%_ =_0.858_ ×_100%_ =_85.8%_ =_86%._ The_ final_answer_ is_ rounded_ to_ the_ nearest_ w
hole_ percent_ as_ directed_ in_ the_ question._ You_ could_ have_also_subtracted_the_14%_of_patie
nts_treated_with_antidepressants_from_100%_and_obtained_the_86%_who_were_not_treated_wit
h_an_antidepressant.
t._ What_was_the_purpose_of_the_5-
minute_walk_test_(5MWT)?_Would_the_5MWT_be_useful_in_clinical_practice?
Answer:_Ha_et_al._(2018)_stated,_“The_6-
min_walk_test_(6MWT)_is_a_measure_of_the_submaximal,_steady-
state_functional_capacity”_of_cardiac_patients._This_test_would_be_a_quick,_easy_way_to_deter
mine_ a_ cardiac_ patient’s_ functional_ status_ in_ a_ clinical_ setting._ This_ functional_ status_sc
ore_ could_ be_ used_ to_ determine_ the_ treatment_ plan_ to_ promote_ or_ maintain_ functional_ stat
us_of_cardiac_patients.
, Answer_Guidelines_for_Questions_to_Be_Graded AG_1-3
10._ How_was_exercise_confidence_measured_in_this_study?_What_was_the_level_of_measurem
ent_for_the_exercise_confidence_variable_in_this_study?_Provide_a_rationale_for_your_ans
wer._Answer:_Exercise_confidence_of_the_patients_with_heart_failure_(HF)_in_this_study_was_
measured_with_the_Exercise_Confidence_Scale_that_included_four_subscales_focused_on_walki
ng,_climbing,_lifting_objects_of_graded_weight,_and_running_(see_the_study_narrative)._This_w
as_a_rating_scale_with_values_ranging_from_0_to_100._The_patients’_scores_for_the_Total_Exerc
ise_Confidence_scale_and_the_subscales_were_considered_interval-
level_data_and_analyzed_with_parametric_statistics,_such_as_means_and_SDs_(see_the_study_nar
rative;_Waltz_et_al.,_2017).