Chapter 1: Discovering the World of Nursing Research Test Bank, Exams of Nursing

Download Chapter 1: Discovering the World of Nursing Research Test Bank and more Exams Nursing in PDF only on Docsity! 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: ApplicationREF: 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 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: ApplicationREF: 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: ApplicationREF: 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: ApplicationREF: 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. 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: ApplicationREF: 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: ApplicationREF: Page 2 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: ApplicationREF: 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 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. Correlational research 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. Correlational research 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 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. 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. 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: ApplicationREF: 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 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 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. DIF: Cognitive Level: ApplicationREF: Page 46 12. A researcher studies the effect of three one-hour counseling sessions on eliminating bullying behaviors in teenagers. For the dependent variable, the researcher selects the outcome of being reported to the principal’s office in the two weeks following the sessions. The results of the research are dismissed by reviewers as meaningless, severely limiting generalization. What is the problem here? a. Theoretical limitations b. Not enough independent variables c. Methodological limitations d. Insufficient sample size ANS: A Limitations are restrictions or problems in a study that may decrease the generalizability of the findings. Study limitations often include a combination of theoretical and methodological weaknesses. Theoretical weaknesses in a study might include poorly developed study framework and unclear conceptual definitions of variables. The limited conceptual definitions of the variables might decrease the operationalization or measurement of the study variables. This is the case here, since a two-week measuring period is sufficient only for purposes of suppressing a behavior, not changing it. Methodological limitations result from factors such as nonrepresentative samples, weak designs, single setting, limited control over treatment (intervention), instruments with limited reliability and validity, limited control over data collection, and improper use of statistical analyses. These study limitations can limit the credibility of the findings and conclusions and restrict the population to which the findings can be generalized. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 48 13. Which is the best statement that differentiates between the sizes of samples and populations? a. A sample has a maximum size; a population does not. b. A sample cannot be the same size as a population. c. If a person is a member of a population, he or she is a member of the sample two variables either increase or decrease together. The negative or inverse relationship indicates that the variables vary in opposite directions; thus, as one variable increases, the other variable decreases. DIF: Cognitive Level: ApplicationREF: Page 49 MULTIPLE RESPONSE 1. How is a researcher who exemplifies rigor similar to the best technical nurse on her shift in a cardiovascular intensive care unit? (Select all that apply.) a. They are both rigid and inflexible in details such as timelines and doing things the way they want to do them. b. They are both aggressive in acquiring and recording data. c. They both strive for excellence. d. They both communicate well with others. e. They both are disciplined in the way they conduct their jobs. f. They both are passionate about accuracy and attending to details. ANS: C, E, F Rigor is striving for excellence in research and involves discipline, scrupulous adherence to detail, and strict accuracy. A rigorous quantitative researcher constantly strives for more precise measurement methods, structured treatment, representative samples, and tightly controlled study designs. Characteristics valued in these researchers include critical examination of reasoning and attention to precision. DIF: Cognitive Level: Synthesis REF: Page 49 2. A researcher undertakes a research study on the danger of bears in Yosemite Valley. What determines the researcher’s selection of a research design? (Select all that apply.) a. The mentor the researcher chooses to support the study b. Whether or not the researcher intends to generalize the findings c. The researcher’s expertise and comfort with the research process chosen d. Whether the National Park Systems are funding the research e. The study purpose and its anticipated outcomes f. The body of research already present on bear danger ANS: B, C, E, F A research design is a blueprint for maximizing control over factors that could interfere with a study’s desired outcome. The choice of research design depends on the researcher’s expertise, the problem and purpose for the study, and the desire to generalize the findings. This means that other research in the area must be taken into consideration as well. DIF: Cognitive Level: ApplicationREF: Page 43 3. A researcher performs a study of how many nurses are assigned to a nursing floor on the basis of total square feet of the unit, correlating this with injury, fatigue, patient assignment, patient acuity, and length of employment. Which of the following are true regarding the type of quantitative data analysis used by the researcher? (Select all that apply.) a. The type of quantitative data analysis guides the study objectives and hypotheses. b. The type of quantitative data analysis is determined by the level of measurement of data. c. The type of quantitative data analysis determines the research design. d. The type of quantitative data analysis should include some sort of numerical analysis. e. The kind of data that will be collected is determined by the type of analysis chosen. ANS: B, D DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 53 6. A marketing researcher reviews the month’s sales slips for a convenience store and compares them with restocking orders, in order to determine which products are being stolen from the shelves. This study has little control. Why is this the case? (Select all that apply.) a. The researcher has no control over whether people choose to shoplift. b. There is no control for extraneous variables. c. No variables are manipulated. d. The design is descriptive or correlational; as compared with other types of research, control is low. e. The data collected were actually generated by other people and may be erroneous. ANS: B, C, D, E Control occurs when the researcher imposes “rules” to decrease the possibility of error and thus increase the probability that the study’s findings are an accurate reflection of reality. Through control, the researcher can reduce the influence or confounding effect of extraneous variables on the study variables. Quantitative research requires varying degrees of control, ranging from minimal control to high control of study design. Descriptive and correlational studies are usually conducted with minimal or partial control of the study design. Correlational research often has more control of its design than does descriptive research. Quasi-experimental studies are usually conducted with moderate control of study design. Experimental studies are highly controlled. DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: Page 36 7. In a given research study, the findings reveal that as A increases, B also increases, that the relationship is linear, and that the strength of the relationship is 0.78. What type of relationship is this? (Select all that apply.) a. Positive b. Negative c. Inverse d. None e. Causational f. Correlational ANS: A, F Correlational research examines a linear relationship between two or more variables and determines the type (positive or negative) and degree (strength) of the relationship. The strength of a relationship varies from –1 (perfect negative correlation) to +1 (perfect positive correlation), with 0 indicating no relationship. The positive relationship indicates that the variables vary together—that is, the two variables either increase or decrease together. The negative or inverse relationship indicates that the variables vary in opposite directions; thus, as one variable increases, the other variable decreases. DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: Page 49 8. A researcher selects a quantitative experimental research design. For what reasons does the researcher select this particular design? (Select all that apply.) a. To generate a theory b. To answer a research question c. To determine which of several causes is the true one d. To prove a theory e. To disprove a hypothesis f. To determine the strength of the relationship between the independent variable and the dependent variable ANS: B, F A research design is a blueprint for maximizing control over factors that could interfere with a study’s desired outcome. The choice of research design depends on the researcher’s expertise, the problem and purpose for the study, and the desire to generalize the findings. This means that other research in the area must be taken into consideration as well. DIF: Cognitive Level: ApplicationREF: Page 43 9. The director of a major hospital complex conducts a study to discover the types of critical incidents that have occurred in this hospital and its sister hospital over the past five years. She makes a list of every critical incident that has occurred over this period. Choose the true statements about this list. (Select all that apply.) a. The list is the dependent variable. b. The list represents the hospital director’s assumptions. c. The list is an extraneous variable. d. The list represents the sample. e. If the two hospitals have been in operation only five years, the list represents the population. ANS: A The population is all the elements (individuals, objects, or substances) that meet certain criteria for inclusion in a given universe. The researcher must determine which population is accessible and can be best represented by the study sample. A sample is a subset of the population that is selected for a particular study. Being a subset, the sample is either smaller than the population or, very occasionally, equal in size to it; it cannot be larger. DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: Page Chapter 4: Introduction to Qualitative Research Test Bank MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. What does the “grounded” in grounded theory mean? a. Small pieces of data are “ground up” in the analysis process. b. The theory that emerges is “grounded” in real-world data. c. No theory is groundless. d. All data must be “on the ground” and written out fully. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 65 4. A researcher investigates the fact that women with chronic pain are more apt to be treated for depression than are men with chronic pain. Which qualitative strategy will most likely be used to study this topic? a. Grounded theory b. Exploratory-descriptive qualitative research c. Phenomenology d. Critical research ANS: D Critical ethnography has a political purpose of relieving oppression and empowering a group of people to take action on their own behalf. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 64 MULTIPLE RESPONSE 1. A research study about holiday celebrations is based on a philosophy or philosophical perspective. In the analysis, the authors state that they reflected upon the data for several weeks, reading and re-reading interviews, in order to capture their meaning. Aside from descriptive statistics addressing the sample, the results are all presented in narrative form. Which of the following statements are true? (Select all that apply.) a. The philosophy for the study is logical positivism. b. The sample size was decided upon using power analysis. c. In this method, meaning emerges from the data. d. The data analysis process seems to be inductive. e. The method was shaped by the authors’ philosophical perspectives. ANS: C, D, E Quantitative studies are based primarily on the philosophy of logical positivism that values logic, empirical data, and tightly controlled methods. Power analysis is a quantitative method of setting the sample size. Inductive thinking involves perceptually putting insights and pieces of information together and identifying abstract themes or working from the bottom up. From this inductive process, meanings emerge. In qualitative research, the philosophy directs the research questions and the collection and interpretation of the data. DIF: Cognitive Level: ApplicationREF: Page 57 2. Which statements best describes the differences between Heideggerian and Husserlian phenomenology? (Select all that apply.) a. Husserl proposed that the researcher could identify and set aside his or her own private attitudes and opinions before data analysis. b. Heidegger postulated that a person interacted with the world only through his or her physical body. c. Heideggerians believe that the past has no influence on present thought. d. Heideggerian phenomenologists posit that the person is situated in a specific context and time that shape his or her experiences, paradoxically freeing and constraining the person’s ability to establish meanings through language, culture, history, purposes, and values. e. Husserl developed his ideas as a method for understanding and avoiding conflict between psychology and the basic sciences. ANS: A, B, D, E Heideggerian phenomenologists believe that the person is a self within a body; the person is referred to as embodied. Husserlian phenomenologists believe that although self and world are mutually shaping, it is possible to separate oneself from one’s beliefs or set aside one’s beliefs to see the world firsthand in a naive way. Setting aside one’s beliefs during qualitative research is called bracketing. Heideggerian phenomenologists posit that the person is situated in a specific context and time that shape his or her experiences, paradoxically freeing and constraining the person’s ability to establish meanings through language, culture, history, purposes, and values. Husserl developed his ideas about phenomena in an effort to resolve the conflict in thought between human sciences (primarily psychology) and the basic sciences (such as physics). DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 60 3. What is the major contribution of historical nursing research? (Select all that apply.) a. It explains how to avoid pitfalls of the past. b. It allows us to explain the world of today through the lens of yesterday. c. It identifies recurrent social patterns. d. It tells the story of where we have been as a profession. e. It provides the dates of important events. ANS: B, D Historical research examines events of the past. Historians describe events in the context of time, social structures, concurrent events, and key individuals. These descriptions can increase understanding and raise awareness of the forces shaping current events. Historical nursing research can do the same for the profession and its role in society. Nurse researchers using historical methods have examined the events and people that shaped health in different settings and countries as well as nursing as a profession. DIF: Cognitive Level: ApplicationREF: Page 68 4. Which of the following might be the focus of historical nursing research? (Select all that apply.) a. The evolution of the role of the physician in the 20th century b. Diseases that resulted in significant mortality in the 18th century c. Patterns of nursing staffing in years of shortage prior to 1980 d. A person or persons who have contributed to the profession of nursing e. Social patterns that have fostered or squelched nurses’ developing autonomy ANS: C, D, E Historical research examines events of the past. Historians describe events in the context of time, social structures, concurrent events, and key individuals. These descriptions can increase understanding and raise awareness of the forces shaping current events. Historical nursing research can do the same for the profession and its role in society. Nurse researchers using historical methods have examined the events and people that shaped health in different settings and (Select all that apply.) a. To describe events within a culture in the distant past b. To describe a culture c. To construct theories that explain cultural interactions d. To measure the effect of living conditions on human care, health, and nursing process e. To explore meanings of social actions against a cultural backdrop ANS: B, E Ethnographic research provides a framework for studying cultures. The word ethnography is derived by combining the Greek roots of “ethno” (folk or people) and “graphy” (picture or portrait). Ethnographies are the written reports of a culture from the perspectives of insiders. These reports were initially the products of anthropologists who studied primitive, foreign, or remote cultures. Now, however, a number of other disciplines, including social psychology, sociology, political science, education, and nursing, promote cultural research. Anthropologists seek to understand people: their ways of living, believing, acquiring information, transforming knowledge, and socializing the next generation. Studying a culture begins with the philosophical values of respecting, appreciating, and seeking to preserve the values and ways of life of the culture. The philosophical bases of ethnography are naturalism and respect for others. The purpose of anthropological research is to describe a culture and explore “the meanings of social actions within cultures.” DIF: Cognitive Level: Synthesis REF: Page 63 8. Which of the following are the general purposes of phenomenological research? (Select all that apply.) a. To generate theory b. To describe the lived experience c. To observe and document interactions within an existent culture d. To determine the meaning that an experience has for the individual e. To describe the single reality expressed by a group of participants ANS: B, D The purpose of phenomenological research is to describe experiences (or phenomena) as they are lived—in phenomenological terms, to capture the “lived experience” of study participants. During the process of data collection, the meaning the participants attach to their experience is revealed. All phenomenologists agree that there is not a single reality: each individual has his or her own reality. While phenomenology can be used indirectly in the development of a theory, grounded theory is the method intended to generate theory. Observing and documenting interactions within a culture describes ethnographic research. DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: Page 60 9. A certain qualitative method takes the position that there is no single reality. Because of this, the reality experienced by each participant is unique. Because experience is subjective, the experienced reality is reality. The method does not perform reality checks in order to determine whether a participant’s story is “true” or not. What is this qualitative method? (Select all that apply.) a. Husserlian phenomenology b. Ethnography c. Historicism d. Heideggerian phenomenology e. Grounded theory ANS: A, D The purpose of phenomenological research is to describe experiences (or phenomena) as they are lived—in phenomenological terms, to capture the “lived experience” of study participants. All phenomenologists agree that there is not a single reality; each individual has his or her own reality. Reality is considered subjective, and as a result, unique to the individual. b. Research topic c. Research purpose d. Problem statement ANS: B Research topics are concepts, phenomena of interest, or broad problem areas that researchers can focus on to enhance evidence-based nursing. A research problem is an area of concern where there is a gap in the knowledge base needed for nursing practice. Research topics contain numerous potential research problems, and each problem provides the basis for developing many research purposes. The problem statement identifies the specific gap in the knowledge needed for practice. A nursing situation often includes a variety of research topics or concepts. DIF: Cognitive Level: ApplicationREF: Page 73 2. Why is replicating a research study essential for knowledge development? a. Each time a study is replicated, its probability of error decreases. b. Reproducing a study decreases theoretical knowledge, increasing real knowledge. c. Replication helps confirm that the initial results were not reached in error. d. Replication studies represent the majority of published nursing literature. ANS: C Replication involves reproducing or repeating a study to determine if similar findings will be obtained. Replication is essential for knowledge development because it (1) establishes the credibility of the findings, (2) extends the generalizability of the findings over a range of instances and contexts, (3) reduces the number of type I and type II errors, (4) corrects the limitations in studies’ methodologies, (5) supports theory development, and (6) lessens the acceptance of erroneous results. Some researchers replicate studies because they agree with the findings and wonder if the findings will hold up in different settings with different subjects over time. Others want to challenge the findings or interpretations of prior investigators. However, the number of nursing studies replicated continues to be limited. DIF: Cognitive Level: Synthesis REF: Page 77 3. A nurse researcher working in a subacute orthopedic hospital floor. She notes that her elders with knee replacements sleep as many as 16 hours a day, waking only for physical therapy and meals, but she also notices that those with many visitors sleep fewer hours and seem to experience more pain. She wonders whether sleep in elders after knee replacement prevents pain, or whether elders select the coping strategy of sleeping more, in response to pain, and begins to attempt to identify the relationship between the two. A literature search reveals only three descriptive studies on this topic, one quantitative and two qualitative. What is “the relationship between elders’ hours of sleep following knee replacement and its relationship with report of pain”? a. The research aim b. The research purpose c. The research problem d. The research topic ANS: C Research topics are concepts, phenomena of interest, or broad problem areas that researchers can focus on to enhance evidence-based nursing. A research problem is an area of concern where there is a gap in the knowledge base needed for nursing practice. Research topics contain numerous potential research problems, and each problem provides the basis for developing many research purposes. DIF: Cognitive Level: Synthesis REF: Page 73 4. A master’s student who works in cardiothoracic ICU reads a 20-year-old nursing research study; the findings document use of much larger per-kilogram amounts of opioids and anxiolytics postoperatively in adults with open-heart surgery, as opposed to children with open-heart surgery. The student strongly suspects that modern hospitals medicate children and adults more or less the same, on a per- kilogram basis. She decides to replicate the original research in her hospital. What type of replication is this? a. Exact replication b. Concurrent replication c. Systematic replication d. Approximate replication ANS: D Replication involves reproducing or repeating a study to determine whether similar findings will be obtained. Four different types of replication are important in generating sound scientific knowledge for nursing: (1) exact, (2) approximate, (3) concurrent, and (4) systematic extension. An exact, or identical, replication involves duplicating the initial researcher’s study to confirm the original findings. All conditions of the original study must be maintained. An approximate, or operational, replication involves repeating the original study under similar conditions, following the methods as closely as possible. A concurrent, or internal, replication involves the collection of data for the original study and its simultaneous replication to provide a check of the reliability of the original study. A systematic extension or constructive replication is done under distinctly new conditions. DIF: Cognitive Level: ApplicationREF: Page 77 5. A research study contains the question, “Can the application of twice-daily cortisone in the period from 6 to 10 weeks postoperatively produce significantly increased range of motion in 50- to 60-year-old rotator-cuff repair patients at the six-month mark?” The study is research. a. Ethnographic b. Historical c. Experimental d. Basic ANS: C the study that is generated from the research problem. A research problem is an area of concern where there is a gap in the knowledge base needed for nursing practice. Research topics are concepts, phenomena of interest, or broad problem areas that researchers can focus on to enhance evidence-based nursing. One source of research problems is research priorities identified by funding agencies and specialty groups. DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: Page 74 8. What is the relationship between a research topic and a research problem? a. The purpose is the most general statement; the research topic is the most specific to the research itself. b. Research topics contain numerous potential research problems, and each problem provides the basis for developing many purposes. c. The research topic and the research problem are identical. d. The research topic specifies setting and population, but the problem does not. ANS: A Research topics are concepts, phenomena of interest, or broad problem areas that researchers can focus on to enhance evidence-based nursing. Research topics contain numerous potential research problems, and each problem provides the basis for developing many purposes. Thus, the identification of a relevant research topic and a challenging, significant problem can facilitate the development of numerous study purposes to direct a lifetime program of research. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 73 9. Which of the following is the practicing nurse’s most important source of researchable problems? a. The nurse’s own clinical practice b. Review of the literature c. Nursing theories d. Administrative mandates to conduct clinical research on every hospital unit ANS: A The practice of nursing must be based on knowledge or evidence generated through research. Thus, clinical practice is an extremely important source for research problems. Problems can evolve from clinical observations. A review of patient records, treatment plans, and procedure manuals might reveal concerns or raise questions about practice that could be the basis for research problems. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 75 MULTIPLE RESPONSE 1. Which of the following are considered evidence-generating? (Select all that apply.) a. Replication of previous research b. Identification of research topics, followed by basic research c. Applied research studies that examine clinical response to interventions d. Reviews of the literature e. Qualitative research examining responses to diagnosis ANS: A, B, C, E Research topics are concepts, phenomena of interest, or broad problem areas that researchers can focus on to enhance evidence-based nursing. However, the lack of replication studies severely limits the generation of sound research findings needed for evidence-based practice in nursing. 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. Replication of previously conducted research is essential for knowledge development. By questioning and reviewing the literature, researchers begin to recognize a specific area of concern and the knowledge gap that surrounds it; however, review of the literature does not generate knowledge—it reviews previous knowledge. Questions focusing on investigating new techniques to improve existing skills, patient responses to techniques, or ways to educate patients and families to perform techniques. . . could add to knowledge needed for evidence- based practice. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 73 2. Reasons to conduct an exact replication include which of the following? (Select all that apply.) a. A different sample is used in the replication, because subjects seldom elect to undergo the same surgical procedure twice. b. The same site is again used, in order to decrease variation. c. Sample size was adequate, the design was strong, and measurements were robust. d. Validation of the truthfulness of the original subjects’ responses is desired. e. A similar population is used, in order to verify the findings. ANS: B, C, D Four different types of replication are important in generating sound scientific knowledge for nursing: (1) exact, (2) approximate, (3) concurrent, and (4) systematic extension. An exact (or identical) replication involves duplicating the initial researcher’s study to confirm the original findings. All conditions of the original study must be maintained. Exact replications might be thought of as ideal to confirm original study findings, but these are frequently not attainable. In addition, one would not want to replicate the errors in an original study, such as small sample size, weak design, or poor-quality measurement methods. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 77 3. The American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) funds various research projects that focus on its research priorities. A master’s student wants to initiate research to study the relative accuracy of new computer-assisted assessment device that painlessly measures blood glucose values through a probe just distal to the insertion hub of a central line, in patients on insulin drips with hourly Accu-Chek readings. Does this pertain to any of the organization’s purposes would be appropriate for the study? (Select all that apply.) a. The purpose of the study was to determine whether providing volunteer readers during school breakfasts for all kindergarten and first-grade children would result in fewer than anticipated learning delays. b. The purpose of the study was to determine the lived experience of children with learning delays, against the context of school and home, and to examine the children’s peer relationships. c. The purpose of the study was to determine whether a buddy system of one sixth- grader, and one kindergartner or first-grader, who ate breakfast together and then read together for 20 minutes, was effective in decreasing the anticipated number learning delays. d. The purpose of the study was to experimentally determine what causes learning delays, by introducing various strategies already in place in community primary schools and measuring their effect, using basic research. e. The purpose of the study was to measure the effectiveness of using school computers, allowing children to visually scan a story concurrently read by a school teacher over the cafeteria microphone during school breakfast time, in decreasing the incidence and severity of learning delays. ANS: A, C, E The problem statement identifies the specific gap in the knowledge needed for practice. Each problem may generate many research purposes. The research purpose is a clear, concise statement of the specific goal or aim of the study that is generated from the research problem. The purpose usually indicates the type of study to be conducted and often includes the variables, population, and setting for the study. DIF: Cognitive Level: Synthesis REF: Page 73 6. In determining a study’s feasibility, which of the following statements are true, regarding the time needed for study completion? (Select all that apply.) a. Some data collection must be performed over an extended period of time, such as measurements of the depth and extent of scar tissue over 18 months. b. Sufficient subjects meeting the study criteria may be difficult to access, requiring data collection that extends for months or even years. c. The inflationary spiral makes all research funding inadequate. d. Computerized records make data analysis much less time-consuming. e. Obtaining Institutional Review Board (IRB. approval may be time- consuming, especially if the research uses more than one hospital or agency. ANS: A, B, E One can approximate the time needed to complete a study by assessing the following factors: (1) type and number of subjects needed, (2) number and complexity of the variables to be studied, (3) methods for measuring the variables (are instruments available to measure the variables, or must they be developed?), (4) methods for collecting data, and (5) the data analysis process. Another factor that can increase the time needed for a study is obtaining institutional review board (IRB) approval, especially if more than one clinical agency is used for data collection in a study. Not all research funding is inadequate. Computerized records may be easier or may be more difficult for data retrieval; however, data analysis is not affected by the existence of computerized data. DIF: Cognitive Level: ApplicationREF: Page 84 7. How do seasoned nurse researchers, years away from clinical practice, select meaningful research questions? (Select all that apply.) a. They continue to conduct research in the same general areas in which they have previously conducted research, with one project leading into the next. b. They cannot do so, because they are not working bedside nurses. c. They establish working relationships with clinical nurses, sharing authorship of A research problem is an area of concern where there is a gap in the knowledge based needed for nursing practice. A research problem includes significance, background, and a problem statement. The problem statement identifies the specific gap in the knowledge needed for practice. The research purpose is a clear, concise statement of the specific goal or aim of the study that is generated from the research problem, so the purpose is usually identified after the research purpose is identified. Consequently, more than one purpose can emanate from a given problem statement. Based on the research purpose, specific research objectives, questions, or hypotheses are developed to direct the study. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 73 10. A researcher gains support of the medical staff, the nursing staff, and the nurse manager of a cardiothoracic ICU within a prestigious private hospital, aligned with a teaching institution. A research proposal, concerning ambulation patterns after bypass surgery, is approved by the Human Subjects Committee. Federal funding is obtained. Just before data collection is to begin, the hospital is sold to a large university with a medical school, the nurse manager is replaced with a manger from another hospital in the corporation, and there is a 30% staff turnover. Choose the factors that are real concerns and could impact feasibility. (Select all that apply.) a. Most of the newly hired nurses are BSNs and newly graduated. b. The new manager grudgingly allows the research to proceed but makes it clear that she will not support subsequent research until the unit is more stable. c. Fewer patients come to this hospital now for bypass surgery, going instead to its sister hospital across town. d. Two of the research assistants, who were already trained, take jobs elsewhere. e. Staff nurses dislike the new manager and miss the old one. ANS: B, C, D The feasibility of a study is determined by examining the time and money commitment; the researcher’s expertise; availability of subjects, facility, and equipment; cooperation of others; and the study’s ethical considerations. A study might appear feasible but, without the cooperation of others, it is not. However, most nursing studies involve human subjects and are conducted in hospitals, clinics, schools, offices, or homes. Having the cooperation of people in the research setting, the subjects, and the research assistants involved in data collection is essential. People are frequently willing to cooperate with a study if they view the problem and purpose as significant or if they are personally interested. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 84 11. A master’s student decides to conduct a pilot study in order to help with which of the following? (Select all that apply.) a. Assess working nurses’ responses to having a researcher collect data in the middle of their unit. b. Re-evaluate the actual expenditure of the researcher’s time for each subject consented and studied. c. Allow potential subjects to sample research participation before they fully commit. d. Apply for Human Subjects permission to perform the actual study. e. Determine whether the research side has enough research subjects who are interested in participating in the research. ANS: A 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. As the research problem and purpose increase in clarity and conciseness, the researcher has greater direction in determining the feasibility of a study. The feasibility of a study is determined by examining the time and money commitment; the researcher’s expertise; availability of subjects, facility, and equipment; cooperation of others; and the study’s ethical considerations. The purpose selected for investigation must be ethical, and Human Subjects permission must be obtained before even a pilot study is conducted. A pilot study is not used to allow potential subjects to sample participation before they commit: Human Subjects permission must be obtained before study participation. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis Chapter 6: Review of Relevant Literature Test Bank MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. Which of the following would be landmark research? a. The discovery that during pancreatitis, the pancreas is actually digested by its own enzymes b. A description of the importance of injecting immunizations in the proper location of the deltoid c. The third in a series of four papers describing patterns of emergency room use in vacation communities d. The first paper on the effect of using insulin for type I diabetes in humans ANS: D Seminal studies are the first studies that prompted the initiation of the field of research. Landmark studies are the studies that led to an important development or a turning point in the field of research. DIF: Cognitive Level: ApplicationREF: Page 100 2. A publication is printed every two months. Its volume number coincides with its year of publication (2008 = 1; 2009 = 2; 2010 = 3; etc.). Its issue number coincides with the order of publication, within a given year (Jan–Feb = 1; Mar– Apr = 2; etc). What kind of a publication is this? a. A monograph b. A periodical c. An e-book d. A serial ANS: D b. It directs the researcher in how to strategize data collection. c. It helps the researcher to identify previous findings that will assist in interpretation of the planned study. d. It reveals the need for the planned research by identifying what others have done. ANS: D In qualitative research, the purpose and timing of the literature review vary based on the type of study to be conducted. In development of a grounded theory study, a minimal review of relevant studies provides the beginning point of the inquiry, but this review is only a means of making the researcher aware of what studies have been conducted. This information, however, is not used to direct the collection of data or interpretation of the findings in a grounded theory study. DIF: Cognitive Level: ApplicationREF: Page 98 6. In terms of the literature review, how are quantitative research and ethnographic research similar? a. Both require the researcher to review the literature before beginning the study. b. Both require the researcher to review the literature after completion of data analysis. c. Both require the researcher to utilize the literature as the primary data source. d. Both consider the literature review extraneous, postponing it until after the study is published. ANS: A In qualitative research, the purpose and timing of the literature review vary based on the type of study to be conducted. The purposes for reviewing the literature for ethnographic studies and for exploratory descriptive qualitative research are more similar to the literature review for quantitative research. The researcher develops a general understanding of the concepts to be examined related to the selected culture or topic. The literature review also provides a background for conducting the study and interpreting the findings. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 98 7. Considering phenomenologists’ belief that experience constitutes reality, how does their approach to the literature review dovetail with that belief? a. The literature is exactly as real as the other research data, and it is all analyzed and valued equally during the data analysis portion of the study. b. If the literature reports other phenomenologists’ findings, based on experience, these can be considered alternative data sources. c. The literature is a false interpretation of reality and cannot be considered, either before or after data analysis is complete. d. The literature review is usually postponed until after data analysis completion, so that the understanding of the phenomenon will emanate solely from the data. ANS: B In qualitative research, the purpose and timing of the literature review depends on the type of study to be conducted. Some phenomenologists believe the literature should not be reviewed until after the data have been collected and analyzed so that the literature will not interfere with the researcher’s ability to suspend what is known and approach the topic with openness. DIF: Cognitive Level: Evaluation REF: Page 98 8. In historical research, what is the reason that the literature review begins so early and extends so far into the process? a. Historians must include exact dates in their histories. The literature must be checked and double-checked, in order to verify the correctness of these dates. b. Historical research demands one extra stage of data review, just prior to publication, since new published data could bring the results under scrutiny. c. Historians develop their ideas for research proposals from reading other histories. As discrepancies arise, these provide the ideas for research. d. The literature essentially comprises the bulk of the data set. From this, plus other artifacts and interviews, if available, the historian writes the story. ANS: D In qualitative research, the purpose and timing of the literature review vary based on the type of study to be conducted. In historical research, the initial review of the literature helps the researcher define the study questions and make decisions about relevant sources. The data collection is actually an intense review of published and unpublished documents that the researcher has found. DIF: Cognitive Level: Evaluation REF: Page 98 9. Why would the Boolean article OR be used if a researcher is conducting a digital literature search of journals on the topic of prolonged adolescent grieving after parental loss? a. It focuses the search on parental loss, the last search term. b. It is useful when a researcher is undecided. c. It narrows the search to articles containing all terms. d. It allows the researcher to enter the search terms without excluding those whose authors did not “keyword” all the words of the topic. ANS: D The Boolean operators are the three words AND, OR, and NOT. Often they must be capitalized. The Boolean operators AND and NOT are used with the identified concepts. The Boolean operator OR is most useful with synonymous terms or concepts. It is used to search for the presence of any of a group of terms in the same search. DIF: Cognitive Level: ApplicationREF: Page 105 10. The original quotation in the fictional text by Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe (2009) is as follows: “The literature” consists of all written sources relevant to the selected topic. The literature includes newspapers, monographs, encyclopedias, conference papers, scientific journals, textbooks, other books, theses, dissertations, and clinical journals. Websites and reports developed by government agencies and professional organizations are also included. Online encyclopedias to which anyone can contribute, such as Wikipedia, are not considered scholarly sources. DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: Page 97 2. A student’s first draft of her thesis contains the following: Evidence to the contrary was provided in several studies of efficacy but never examined in a context of “the adolescent at sea with the ghost of his losses” (Reynolds, 2011). The student’s reference list contains the following citation for this work: Reynold, A. R. (2010). Never underestimate depression. Journal of Applied Psychology. What is wrong with it? (Select all that apply.) a. The reference list should re-state the quotation. b. The reference is incomplete, lacking volume number and page numbers. c. The years of the citation differ. d. The author’s name is spelled differently in the citation and in the reference list. e. No page number is provided for the direct quotation. ANS: B, C, D, E Sources that will be cited in a paper or recorded in a reference list should be cross-checked two or three times to prevent errors. Questions that will identify common errors are displayed in Box 6-1. To prevent these errors, the author checks all the citations within the text of the literature review and each citation in his or her reference list, to assure agreement and completeness. DIF: Cognitive Level: ApplicationREF: Page 112 3. In which of the following methods does substantive review of the literature take place after data analysis? (Select all that apply.) a. Grounded theory b. Historicism c. Phenomenology d. Ethnography e. Quantitative descriptive ANS: A, C In qualitative research, the purpose and timing of the literature review depends on the type of study to be conducted. Some phenomenologists believe the literature should not be reviewed until after the data have been collected and analyzed so that the literature will not interfere with the researcher’s ability to suspend what is known and approach the topic with openness. In development of a grounded theory study, a minimal review of relevant studies provides the beginning point of the inquiry, but this review is only a means of making the researcher aware of what studies have been conducted. This information, however, is not used to direct the collection of data or interpretation of the findings in a grounded theory study. During the data analysis stage, a core variable is identified and the researcher theoretically samples the literature for extant theories that may assist in explaining and extending the emerging theory. In historical research, the initial review of the literature helps the researcher define the study questions and make decisions about relevant sources. The data collection is actually an intense review of published and unpublished documents that the researcher has found. The purposes for reviewing the literature for ethnographic studies and for exploratory descriptive qualitative research are more similar to the literature review for quantitative research. The researcher develops a general understanding of the concepts to be examined related to the selected culture or topic. The literature review also provides a background for conducting the study and interpreting the findings. The review of literature in quantitative research directs the development and implementation of a study. The focus of the major literature review at the beginning of the research process is to identify a gap in what is known.