NR 449 Week 2 Comprehensive Examination Practice MCQs, Quizzes of Nursing

Download NR 449 Week 2 Comprehensive Examination Practice MCQs and more Quizzes Nursing in PDF only on Docsity! NR 449 Week 2 Comprehensive Examination: 150 Practice MCQs with Rationale. 1. Nursing research is significant to the profession of nursing because it promotes what? a. More specifically defined nursing practice responsibilities b. Decreased liability within the practice of nursing c. Generation of a specialized body of nursing knowledge for use in nursing practice d. Expansion of the scope of nursing practice into areas formerly reserved for other disciplines Rationale: The correct answer is C. Nursing research generates a specialized scientific knowledge base that empowers the nursing profession to anticipate & meet constantly shifting challenges of health care delivery to multiple populations. It provides a foundation for evidence- based nursing care & quality improvement activities. 2. Which aspect of the scientific investigation of nursing practice is also a fundamental concept of American Nurses Association (ANA)'s Code for Nurses? a. Professional accountability b. St&ards of care c. Legal scope of practice d. Advanced practice nursing activities Rationale: The correct answer is A. Scientific investigation promotes accountability, a hallmark of the nursing profession & a fundamental concept of the ANA's Code for Nurses. 3. Nurses who do not conduct research need to underst& the nursing research process for which of these reasons? a. To identify potential subjects for clinical research studies b. To assist as accurate data collectors in clinical research studies c. To teach patients & their families about the usefulness of consenting to participate in research d. To be able to evaluate nursing research reports for relevance to their own clinical practice Rationale: The correct answer is D. Nurses need to underst& the research process in order to critically read research reports & determine if nursing practice should incorporate the research findings as valid evidence. 4. Which of these actions demonstrates the role of a knowledgeable consumer of nursing research? a. Designing a nursing research study b. Analyzing data to determine a study's outcomes c. Evaluating the credibility of research findings d. Implementing an intervention found to be effective in one clinical case study Rationale: The correct answer is C. A consumer of nursing research needs to underst& the research process to determine the merit & relevance of evidence presented in research studies. c. In a research study the question is tested with an appropriate design & specific methodology, whereas in evidence-based practice the question is used to search the research literature to find answers. d. In evidence-based practice, qualitative studies are critically appraised to answer a clinical question, whereas in nursing research, quantitative studies are reviewed to provide a foundation for the study. Rationale: The correct answer is C. Nursing research includes developing a design for a study, whether quantitative or qualitative, reviewing the literature, & carrying out a specific methodology to find answers to a question. In contrast, evidence-based practice includes a review of completed research studies to identify answers to a clinical question. 9. A nurse is analyzing a research article. Where in the article is the nurse likely to find the research question & study purpose? a. Introduction b. Data analysis c. Findings d. Data collection Rationale: The correct answer is A. The research question & study purpose is generally found early in the report: in the abstract, the introduction, or at the end of the literature review or conceptual framework section. 10. The nurse researcher is conducting a research study using subjects who will be interviewed regarding their experience with postpartum depression. For which of these reasons would the researcher selects a qualitative, rather than quantitative, research design? a. Quantitative research is usually conducted in natural settings using data that are words rather than numbers. b. Qualitative research seeks to explain cause-&-effect relationships between variables. c. Quantitative research typically uses a convenience sample, seeking to answer a clinical question about human experience. d. Qualitative research collects data from a small number of subjects, allowing for in-depth study of a phenomenon. Rationale: The correct answer is D. Qualitative research typically collects data from a small number of subjects, thus allowing for in-depth study of a phenomenon while using a subjective approach. 11. The nurse is analyzing a research article. To determine if an integrative review was performed as part of the study, the nurse must underst& that this type of review is what? a. A summary of research studies on a focused topic that used a specific statistical methodology b. A synthesis of the research & theoretical literature on a specific area without a statistical analysis c. A synthesis of qualitative articles on a focused topic using a specific qualitative methodology d. A summary of articles in an attempt to develop a clinical practice statement or clinical guidelines Rationale: The correct answer is B. An integrative review is a synthesis of research or theoretical literature on a specific area that follows specific steps of literature integration without statistical analysis. 12. When assessing the strength of a body of evidence used in a research study for consistency, the nurse should determine what? a. Extent to which the study's design, implementation, & analysis minimize bias b. Number of studies that have evaluated the research question, including overall sample size across studies c. Degree to which studies with similar & different designs investigated the same research questions & report similar findings d. Significance of the findings based on the statistical methods used for data analysis Rationale: The correct answer is C. Consistency is the degree to which studies that had similar & different designs (but investigate the same research question) reported similar findings. 13. The nurse is analyzing a qualitative research article. In which section of the article is the nurse likely to find a summary of legal-ethical issues considered in the study? a. Data collection or procedures b. Findings or results Rationale: The correct answer is D. The goal of quality improvement activities is to bring about changes in practice that will make a positive difference in patient care. Therefore, adopting a practice change is a critical step in the process. 1. Which statement(s) describe the actions of the baccalaureate nurse graduate as a participant in the nursing research process? (Select all that apply.) a. Administering care at the bedside according to a research protocol b. Providing leadership by helping others apply scientific knowledge to practice c. Sharing with nursing colleagues research findings that are pertinent to practice d. Designing & conducting nursing research studies e. Functioning as a primary investigator for a research study Rationale: The correct answer is A, C. Following a research protocol at the bedside is an activity consistent with the practice of a nurse prepared at the baccalaureate level. Sharing research evidence with colleagues is an activity consistent with the practice of a nurse prepared at the baccalaureate level. Which aspects of the nursing research process are common to nurses at all educational levels? (Select all that apply.) a. Disseminating research findings in research reports b. Maintaining the protection of patients who are subjects in a study c. Using one's expertise to develop theoretical explanations for findings d. Knowing the relationship between research & nursing practice e. Being a member of a collaborative team that applies research to practice Rationale: The correct answer is B, D, E. All nurses are responsible for protecting the rights of patients. All nurses should be aware that research is related to practice. All nurses can be a part of a clinical team that applies research to practice. For the baccalaureate nursing student, education in nursing research has which outcomes? (Select all that apply.) a. Mastering the development of research protocols b. Gaining a basic underst&ing of the research process c. Learning how research is related to clinical nursing practice d. Developing skill as a primary investigator in research e. Becoming a knowledgeable consumer of nursing research Rationale: The correct answer is B, C, E. The student should gain an initial underst&ing of the importance of research in nursing practice. The student should learn how research is related to clinical nursing practice. The student should learn skills in the critical analysis of research to assist in decisions about applying research findings in nursing practice. Developing nurse researchers at a younger age is a priority for the future in the nursing profession for which reasons? (Select all that apply.) a. Enhancing the discipline's scientific development b. Increasing the longevity of research careers c. Receiving more research funding for professional organizations d. Promoting mentoring opportunities for novice researchers e. Increasing nursing's role in pharmaceutical research Rationale: The correct answer is A, B, D. Developing young researchers increases the number of researchers contributing to the science of the discipline. Introducing nurses to research at a younger age allows them sufficient time to develop in-depth research programs in their careers. Introducing nurses to research at a younger age allows them time & opportunity to be mentored by experienced researchers, as well as to learn to become mentors themselves. 1. What difference, if any, exists between a research question & a hypothesis? a. A research question is practice based, & a hypothesis is theory based. b. A hypothesis attempts to answer the question posed by the research problem. c. A research problem defines clinical research & a hypothesis defines basic research. d. There is no difference between a research problem & hypothesis. Rationale: The correct answer is B. A hypothesis attempts to answer the research question. 2. How is a hypothesis related to a theory? a. Hypotheses can be developed in the absence of a theoretical framework. b. Hypotheses must be consistent with an existing theoretical framework. c. A theory can determine the validity of a hypothesis. a. The dependent variable should change in response to manipulation by the independent variable. b. The independent variable should change in response to manipulation by the dependent variable. c. Although both the dependent & independent variables are manipulated, only the dependent variable is considered an intervention. d. Although both the dependent & independent variables are manipulated, only the independent variable is considered an intervention. Rationale: A Dependent variables change in response to manipulation of independent variables in experimental research. 8. When designing a research study, the nurse should have which of these underst&ings about independent & dependent variables? a. All research problem statements should contain a dependent & an independent variable. b. There should only be one dependent variable associated with a single independent variable. c. The relationship between independent & dependent variable in any study should be causal. d. A given characteristic or situation may be the dependent variable in one study & the independent variable in another. Rationale: The correct answer is D. Depending on the particular study, a specific variable may be the dependent or the independent variable. The causal or associative direction between variables determines the classification of the variables as independent or dependent. 9. A nurse's research question is, "How does maternal employment among health care professionals affect infant health during the first 6 months of life?" In this question, what is the dependent variable? a. Infant health b. Maternal employment c. First 6 months of life d. Health care professionals Rationale: The correct answer is A. Infant health is the consequence or presumed effect that changes regarding maternal employment. Thus it is the dependent variable. 10. A nurse has defined the research question as, "How does oral nutritional supplementation during dialysis treatments affect the serum albumin levels of adult patients who have chronic kidney disease Stage 5?" In this question, what is the independent variable? a. Adult patients with chronic kidney disease Stage 5 b. Oral nutritional supplementation c. During dialysis treatments d. Serum albumin levels Rationale: The correct answer is B Oral nutritional supplementation is the intervention administered to effect a change in the patients' serum albumin levels. Thus oral nutritional supplementation is the independent variable. 11. A nurse has defined the research question as, "Is there a relationship between self-esteem & body weight among postmenopausal women?" What type of research-question format (or research design) is implied by this question? a. Correlational nonexperimental b. Comparative non experimental c. Quantitative experimental d. Grounded theory nonexperimental Rationale: The correct answer is A. Self-esteem & body weight are variables that are related in an associative way. The word, relationship, strongly suggests correlational design studies. 12. A nurse has defined the research question as, "What is the lived experience of late-stage pregnancy loss among women older than 35 years?" What type of research-question format (or research design) is implied by this question? a. Correlational non experimental b. Comparative non experimental c. Quantitative experimental d. Grounded theory nonexperimental Rationale: The correct answer is D. The question concerns "lived experience," which implies a grounded-theory study design. c. There will be a difference in stage of disease for prostate cancer among men who had an abnormal prostate-specific antigen screening compared with men who had an abnormal digital rectal examination screening. d. Children who receive weekly counseling for 1 year after the death of a parent will perform better in school than children who do not receive weekly counseling after the death of a parent. Rationale: The correct answer is C. This hypothesis has no expected direction. It suggests a difference but does not indicate the direction of the difference. 17. The nurse has defined the hypothesis as, "There will be no difference in the number of adverse events among patients discharged two days after an abdominal hysterectomy compared with patients discharged 4 days after an abdominal hysterectomy." This statement is an example of what? a. Directional hypothesis b. Nondirectional hypothesis c. Research hypothesis d. Null hypothesis Rationale: The correct answer is D. This is a null (or statistical) hypothesis, stating that there is no relationship between the independent (postoperative days) & dependent (adverse events) variables. If in the statistical analysis a significant relationship is found, the null hypothesis would be rejected. 18. The nurse notes these statements in a research article: This study explores changes in coping & emotion that occur between the preoperative & the postoperative period. Further, the relationships between coping & emotion preoperatively & postoperatively are evaluated. Finally, the influence of preoperative coping & emotion on postoperative emotion is documented. This section represents which part of a research study? a. Results b. Methods c. Purpose d. Hypothesis Rationale: The correct answer is C. The statements describe the aims or goals that the investigator hoped to achieve with the research & thus reflect the purpose of the study. 19. A nurse states the purpose of a research study as, "This study will compare the effect of warm & cold applications on the resolution of intravenous (IV) infiltrations in hospitalized older- adult patients in the early postoperative period." In this statement, what constitutes the independent variable(s)? a. Postoperative older adult patients b. Early postoperative period c. Warm & cold applications d. Resolution of IV infiltrations Rationale: The correct answer is C. Warm & cold applications represent the independent variables, which will be manipulated & influence the dependent (outcome) variable resolution of IV infiltrations. 20. A nurse describes the hypothesis of a research study as, "There is a positive relationship between nurses' attitudes toward AIDS patients & the number of AIDS patients they have cared for in practice." This statement is an example of what? a. Null hypothesis b. Nondirectional hypothesis c. Directional hypothesis d. Causal hypothesis Rationale: The correct answer is C. Because a positive relationship is specified, the hypothesis is directional. 21. The nurse has identified a patient situation that may be an area for study. The initial review of the literature helps the investigator to identify what? a. The number of subjects required for the study b. The appropriate statistical tests to analyze the data c. The need to extend knowledge in a particular area d. The instruments needed to collect data during the study b. Synopsis of Synthesis such as summaries found in the journal Evidence-Based Nursing c. Synthesis of systematic reviews such as a Cochrane review d. Studies such as synopses of a single study Rationale: The correct answer is A. The highest level of those presented in the question is Summaries, which include clinical practice guidelines & electronic evidence-based textbooks. These summaries about specific conditions are updated regularly. An even higher level of the 6S pyramid is Computerized Decision Support Systems (CDSS), which integrate evidence-based clinical information into an electronic medical record. At present, these systems are not a reality in most institutions &, therefore, they were not included as an option in this question. 3. For which of these reasons would a nurse researcher include refereed journals in the literature review? a. The articles are critiqued by a panel of external reviewers. b. The articles selected for publication are related to a specific field of knowledge. c. The journals encourage competition among authors to have their articles published. d. The journals publish only articles that are primary sources of research findings. Rationale: The correct answer is A. The articles are critiqued by a panel of external expert readers. 4. A research article has undergone a blind review for a peer-reviewed journal. The nurse reading the research article should underst& which of the following about this review process? a. The reviewers of the article did not know the identity of the other reviewers. b. The reviewers of the article did not know the identity of the author. c. The criteria used to review the article were not known to the author. d. The criteria used to review the article were determined by the reviewers. Rationale: The correct answer is B. In a blind review, the manuscript to be reviewed does not include the name of the author. 5. For which of these reasons would a nurse researcher decided to use secondary sources in a review of the literature? a. They provide material written by the person who conducted the study. b. They provide a different way of looking at specific issues or problems. c. They define the relationship of two or more variables affecting an outcome. d. They supplement the body of nursing knowledge in a specific area of practice. Rationale: The correct answer is D. Secondary sources published in refereed journals usually include implications for practice & the work's contributions to the development of nursing science. 6. Which is an example of a primary source in a literature review? a. A video recorded interview of a nurse researcher b. A critique of a nursing research study c. An edited textbook on nursing research d. A review of theoretical frameworks used in nursing research Rationale: The correct answer is A. Primary sources include articles, books, diaries, films, & oral histories of the person who conducted the study or developed the theory. 7. Which is an example of a secondary source in a literature review? a. An oral history of a nurse researcher b. An investigator's report of a research study c. A summary & critique of another's scholarly work d. An autobiography of a developer of a nursing theory Rationale: The correct answer is C. Secondary sources include materials written by persons other than the person who conducted a research study or developed a particular theory. 8. Which of these electronic databases is the most relevant & frequently used source for nursing literature? a. MEDLINE b. CINAHL c. Cochrane Collaboration d. National Guideline Clearinghouse Rationale: The correct answer is B. CINAHL is the most relevant & frequently used source for nursing literature, covering nursing & related literature from 1956 to the present. Rationale: The correct answer is D. Boolean connections include the terms "&," "not," & "or," which link thesaurus terms & influence the search. 13. Which website is an important source for clinical evidence but limited as a provider of primary documents for literature reviews? a. CINAHL b. MEDLINE c. Cochrane Library d. PsychINFO Rationale: The correct answer is C. The Cochrane Library is important as a source for clinical evidence but limited as a provider of primary documents for literature reviews. 14. What is considered to be essential to a thorough & relevant review of the literature? a. Use of both published & unpublished sources b. Critical evaluation of mainly primary sources c. Liberal use of secondary sources d. Evaluation of both quantitative & qualitative sources Rationale: The correct answer is B. A thorough & accurate evaluation of mainly primary sources of information is necessary for a thorough & relevant literature review. 15. Which objective of a review of the literature is unique to a review for research purposes, rather than a review for evidence-based practice? a. Discover conceptual frameworks used to examine problems b. Generate useful research questions & hypotheses c. Determine what is unknown about a subject, as well as what requires clarification d. Uncover a new practice intervention or gain support for current interventions & policies Rationale: The correct answer is B. For research purposes, the literature review focuses on the study by discovering gaps or conflicts in the literature & identifying areas where little research evidence exists. This helps define the research questions & hypotheses. 16. Which of these factors limits the usefulness of the World Wide Web as a source of information for research consumers? a. Downloading from the Web can be a slow process. b. Nontext capabilities reduce the professionalism of presentations. c. There is little quality control over the information on many websites. d. Much of the available information is too technical to be understood by the casual reader. Rationale: The correct answer is C. Many sources are not data based & primary sources. It is not always evident which sources are data based & which are not. 17. When the nurse researcher conducts an electronic literature search, the search yields more than 7000 citations for the topic. The researcher should make which of these interpretations of the findings? a. The search was comprehensive. b. The key words were not sufficiently narrowed. c. The topic does not require additional investigation. d. The topic has broad application across health care disciplines. Rationale: The correct answer is B. Limiting the focus is necessary using thesaurus terms. 18. Why would a nurse researcher choose to use multiple online fee-based databases such as CINAHL & MEDLINE? a. The charges for these services are minimal. b. Databases are updated weekly or monthly. c. An independent professional critique of each work accompanies the full text. d. The service provides translations to English of articles written in other languages. Rationale: The correct answer is B. Databases are updated monthly or weekly. 19. A study published in a nursing research journal is titled, "Effects of nocturnal hemodialysis on physiological & psychological parameters of patients with end-stage kidney disease." The nurse should recognize that this study belongs to which of these types of reference? a. Primary d. Decreased use of theories borrowed from other disciplines Rationale: The correct answer is A. Situation-specific theories provide closer links between theory & practice, which is important because of the increased dem& for evidence-based practice. 5. A graphic or symbolic representation of a phenomenon not directly observable, which allows the reader to visualize key constructs & their interrelationships, is called what? a. A concept b. A conceptual definition c. An operational definition d. A model Rationale: The correct answer is D. A model is a graphic or symbolic representation of a phenomenon that allows the reader to visualize the key concepts/constructs & their identified interrelationships. 6. How is a model related to a concept or concepts? a. A model tests conceptual theories. b. A concept defines the purpose of a model. c. Relationships between or among concepts are demonstrated in a model. d. Concepts generate the theoretical basis for knowledge depicted in a model. Rationale: The correct answer is C. A model allows the reader to visualize the key concepts & their identified interrelationships. 7. Pender's health promotion model is an example of what type of theory? a. Gr& nursing theory b. Middle-range nursing theory c. Situation-specific nursing theory d. Another discipline's theory applied to nursing Rationale: The correct answer is B. Pender's health promotion model is a middle-range nursing theory focused on a limited aspect of reality. 8. Which statement is an operational definition of a concept? a. Death anxiety is an uncomfortable feeling on contemplation of one's own death, measured by Templar's Death Anxiety Scale (Templar, 1986). b. Pain is a pattern of responses to protect the organism from harm (Sternbach, 1979). c. Maternal identity entails maternal cognitions & affect with regard to the maternal-infant relational system (Walker & Montgomery, 1994). d. Spirituality is a way of being or experiencing that comes about through an awareness of a transcendent dimension & one's identifiable values with regard to self, other, nature, & whatever one considers to be ultimate (Elkins, 1988). Rationale: The correct answer is A. An operational definition of death anxiety is provided because it states how death anxiety will be measured. 9. When reading a report of the results of a nursing research study, the nurse notices that the theoretical framework is drawn from a discipline other than nursing. When critiquing the theoretical framework, the nurse should determine the answer to which of these questions? a. Does the research have implications across disciplines? b. Is the researcher a recognized leader in the discipline of nursing? c. Does the author have special expertise or education in the discipline from which the theoretical framework is derived? d. Has the author clearly indicated the meaning of the theoretical framework to the study & linked it to nursing? Rationale: The correct answer is D. The theoretical framework does not have to come from nursing but should be linked to the practice of nursing. 10. Which research report title suggests that theory was generated as the outcome of the study, rather than being used as the framework for the study? a. Women's experiences of undergoing CABG surgery (Banner, D., et al., 2011) b. Couple functioning & post-traumatic stress symptoms in U.S. army couples: The role of resilience (Melvin, K.C., et al., 2011) c. A r&omized, clinical trial of education or motivational-interviewing-based coaching compared to usual care to improve cancer pain management (Thomas, M.L., et al., 2012) 2. What is the overall purpose of the research design in a quantitative research study? a. To determine sample size b. To identify the problem statement c. To assist the researcher in identifying gaps in the knowledge base d. To provide a plan for answering the research question Rationale: The correct answer is D. The purpose of the research design is to provide a plan for answering the research question(s). 3. In which of these ways does the nurse researcher's literature review help select the appropriate study design? a. By enlarging the scope of the study's hypotheses b. By objectively assessing available knowledge of the area c. By comparing current findings with previous study findings d. By ensuring faithfulness to the study's purpose Rationale: The correct answer is B. Objectivity in the conceptualization of the research question is derived from a thorough review of the literature. 4. When reviewing a research report, the nurse determines that all aspects of a study systematically & logically follow from the research problem. Which condition has been met? a. Accuracy b. Feasibility c. Internal validity d. External validity Rationale: The correct answer is A. Accuracy indicates that all aspects of a study systematically & logically flow from the research question. 5. Which factor is most likely to be a mediating variable in a study to determine if high doses of vitamin C help reduce the subjects' susceptibility to influenza? a. The subjects' use of influenza vaccine b. The subject' knowledge of vitamin C's functions c. The gender of the potential subjects d. The marital status of the potential subjects Rationale: The correct answer is A. An extraneous or mediating variable is one that interferes with the operations of the variables being studied, such as the study's outcome, which is susceptibility to influenza. 6. A nurse researcher is designing a quantitative research study involving a specific group of patients admitted to local hospitals. Which factor would negatively affect the feasibility of this study? a. The local region has a high percentage of families that could participate in the study. b. Potential study subjects represented less than 1% of hospital admissions during the year previous to the study. c. Study participants who were hospitalized children younger than 5 years could not give direct informed consent to participate in the study. d. A comprehensive review of the literature revealed no studies were conducted that examined this question during the past 15 years. Rationale: The correct answer is B. Feasibility refers to the pragmatic considerations of a study (e.g., availability of subjects, cost). 7. A nurse is designing a study to determine whether a videotape or a written pamphlet is more effective in teaching young women how to perform a breast self-examination (BSE). Which of these actions would provide the best control for a mediating variable? a. Include identical content in both BSE teaching methods b. Exclude subjects who already perform BSE on a regular basis c. Limit the study subjects to women who are heterosexual d. Determine what breast cancer means to the individual participants Rationale: The correct answer is B. Subjects who were already performing BSE would not be appropriate to include in the study. 8. How would a nurse researcher ensure that the sample used in a quantitative study is homogeneous? Rationale: The correct answer is A. Constancy in data collection (e.g., identical timing of collecting blood samples) helps maintain control in the research design because lipid levels may fluctuate throughout the day. 13. A nurse researcher assigns half a study sample to an experimental group & the other half to a control group. What does this action represent? a. Instrumentation of the independent variable b. Manipulation of the mediating variable c. Elimination of the mediating variable d. Manipulation of the independent variable Rationale: The correct answer is D. Administration of a treatment or intervention to an experimental (treatment) group & a control group represents manipulation of the independent variable. 14. For which of these reasons would a nurse researcher choose to assign subjects r&omly to groups in a study? a. To help ensure that all groups within a study are representative of the larger population b. To increase the chance that the study groups will be different from each other with regard to extraneous variables c. To help ensure that current events do not influence the outcomes of the study d. To eliminate the need for establishing specific study criteria & subject eligibility Rationale: The correct answer is A. The purpose of r&omization is to help ensure that subjects in the study's groups represent the larger population. 15. A nurse researcher assigns subjects to experimental & control groups in such a manner that each subject in a population has an equal chance of being selected. What is the researcher using? a. Selection bias b. Convenience sampling c. R&omization d. Internal validity Rationale: The correct answer is C. R&omization is the process of obtaining subjects so that each has an equal chance of being selected for experimental or control groups. 16. The issue of control would be less important in a quantitative study with which type of research design? a. Exploratory b. Experimental c. Correlational d. R&omized clinical trial Rationale: The correct answer is A. Control is less important in exploratory studies because the researcher is investigating an area in which little literature exists. 17. Which situation represents a threat to internal validity in an experimental study measuring the effect of a videotape of discharge instructions for patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery? a. Both men & women undergoing CABG surgery were included as subjects in the study. b. Two new surgeons began performing CABG surgery during the study period. c. Patients in the experimental group discussed aspects of the videotape with patients in the control group. d. Data collection for the videotape & control groups took 1 year. Rationale: The correct answer is C. Sharing aspects of the videotape with control group members interferes with interpretation of the true effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable(s). 18. The nurse researcher designed a study examining anxiety among elementary school children. If a widely publicized murder of a child occurred in the city during the time frame of the study, what type of threat to internal validity would the murder represent? a. Maturation b. Instrumentation c. Selection bias d. Historical Rationale: The correct answer is D. The murder would represent a historical event threatening internal validity. a. Mortality b. Instrumentation c. Internal validity d. External validity Rationale: The correct answer is D. Subject selection affects external validity (generalizability), especially because most surgical patients are not healthy young adults. 24. What action by a nurse researcher will help eliminate bias on the dependent variable? a. Establishing strict eligibility criteria for the study participants b. Ensuring that all data are collected by a single researcher c. Formulating at least two hypotheses for each research question d. Developing a strong theoretical framework for the study Rationale: The correct answer is A. Strict eligibility criteria help reduce extraneous or mediating variables that compete with the study (independent) variables for impact on the dependent variable. 1. A nurse researcher is planning to write a proposal for a research study using a quantitative design. To maintain control in the study, the nurse should include which elements? (Select all that apply.) a. Valid, reliable collection methods b. Subjects of all ages c. Trained data collectors d. St&ardized data collection processes e. Analysis of data by words or text only Rationale: The correct answer is A, C, D. Control requires valid, reliable instruments. Trained research assistants help maintain st&ardized procedures & promote control. Data collection processes that are st&ardized promote control. 2. A nursing student is reviewing a research study in which researchers used a pretest/posttest design to examine the effect of an AIDS education intervention on teenagers' knowledge about the condition over a school year. What threats to internal validity could be present? (Select all that apply.) a. Maturation b. Selection effects c. Reactivity d. Hawthorne effect e. Testing Rationale: The correct answer is A, E. Maturation could be an issue because the students may learn about AIDS from other sources over the school year. Testing is a threat to internal validity because use of a pretest may affect subjects' subsequent responses to a posttest. 3. What should the nurse researcher consider when determining the feasibility of a research question? (Select all that apply.) a. Time b. Selection effects c. Reactive effects d. Measurement effects e. Subject availability f. Cost Rationale: The correct answer is A, E, F. The research question must be one that can be studied within a realistic time period. The researcher must determine whether a sufficient number of eligible subjects will be available & willing to participate in the study. Before embarking on a study, the researcher should itemize the expenses & project the total cost of the project. 4. Which factors would be considered threats to internal validity? (Select all that apply.) a. Time b. Selection effects c. History d. Testing e. Subject availability f. Cost g. Selection bias d. The ability of the researcher to apply the findings to clinical or practice settings. Rationale: The correct answer is B. The validity of experimental study results depends on how well the researcher has controlled alternative explanatory variables. 5. Compared with a quasi-experimental design, which of these characteristics should a nurse expect to see only in a true experimental design? a. Experimental treatment b. Informed consent c. Hypotheses d. R&om assignment Rationale: The correct answer is D. R&om assignment to groups is not present in a quasi- experimental study. 6. Which factor should be the primary consideration when determining the validity of experimental study findings? a. The extent to which the researcher controlled intervening variables b. The number of subjects who dropped out of the control & experimental groups c. The credentials & previous experience of the researcher d. The number of persons involved in the data collection process Rationale: The correct answer is A. Control is the ultimate criterion in experimental research. 7. In which way is the independent variable h&led differently in a study with a true experimental design compared with a study with a quasi-experimental design? a. An experimental design requires an independent variable, whereas a quasi-experimental design neither identifies nor requires an independent variable. b. Although both designs identify an independent variable, the nature of the groups (r&omized versus nonr&omized) means that manipulation may result in different results. c. Experimental designs demonstrate that the independent variable is related to the outcome, & quasi-experimental studies allow for independent variables that st& alone. d. Although both designs identify an independent variable, experimental designs identify it before the research is initiated, whereas quasi-experimental designs identify it after the data are analyzed. Rationale: The correct answer is B. The major difference between experimental & quasi- experimental designs is the r&omization of groups. Independent variables are manipulated in both designs. 8. R&om assignment of subjects to experimental & control groups has which of these effects? a. Minimizes mortality within groups b. Maximizes variance between groups c. Decreases systematic bias d. Increases selection bias Rationale: The correct answer is C. R&om assignment to groups helps to ensure that other (extraneous) variables that could affect changes in the dependent variable are equally distributed within groups, thus reducing systematic bias. 9. R&omization strengthens an experimental study in which of these ways? a. It reduces the risk that a subject will be harmed by participation in the study. b. It ensures that the experimental group & the control group have the same number of participants. c. It allows the study to proceed without the researchers knowing which group is the experimental treatment group. d. It increases the likelihood that the differences in outcomes between the groups are not related to chance alone. Rationale: The correct answer is D. R&omization helps to ensure that any group differences that emerge in a study are related to the treatment condition & not to chance alone. 10. Control is important in an experimental research study for which of these reasons? a. It ensures maintenance of participant confidentiality. b. It introduces one or more constants into the experimental situation. c. It prevents data collection from extending beyond the original time specified for the study. d. It ensures a cause-&-effect relationship between independent & dependent variables. a. Program on strategies to resist smoking b. Elimination of cigarette smoking c. Weekly supportive phone call d. No supportive phone call Rationale: The correct answer is B. The dependent (outcome) variable is quitting cigarette smoking. 15. What type of threat to validity is minimized by the use of a Solomon four-group design? a. Mortality b. Selection bias c. Testing d. Antecedent variable Rationale: The correct answer is C. Testing threats to internal validity are minimized by the Solomon four-group design. 16. An after-only nonequivalent control group design would be appropriate to study which of these research questions? a. What is the effect of the cause of spousal death on widows' self-esteem? b. What is the effect of preoperative teaching on vascular complications after orthopedic surgery? c. What is the effect of a mentorship program on the improvement of students' clinical performance in a baccalaureate nursing program? d. What is the effect of a videotaped teaching method on knowledge of adolescent males about the warning signs of testicular cancer? Rationale: The correct answer is B. After-only nonequivalent control group design is used when outcomes (e.g., vascular complications) cannot be measured before the intervention (e.g., preoperative teaching) & r&omization is not used to assign subjects to groups. It makes the assumption that the two groups are equivalent & comparable before the introduction of the intervention. 17. A quasi-experimental study design would be a better choice for a research study than an experimental study design in which of these situations? a. The study is to be conducted in a laboratory setting. b. An experimental treatment is not part of the study. c. The researcher has not conducted research before. d. Full experimental control is not possible. Rationale: The correct answer is D. When full experimental control is not possible, it is appropriate for the researcher to select a quasi-experimental design. 18. The nurse researcher is planning a study in which subjects will not be r&omly assigned to groups. Which type of design would be appropriate for this study? a. Nonequivalent control group design b. Posttest only control group design c. Solomon four-group design d. True experimental design Rationale: The correct answer is A. A nonequivalent control group design is a quasi- experimental design in which subjects are not r&omly assigned to groups. 19. A planned quasi-experimental study using a nonequivalent control group design has several extraneous variables that threaten its internal validity. The nurse researcher's actions should be based on which underst&ing? a. The results of the study will not be statistically significant. b. The r&om assignment of subjects to groups will nullify the intervening variables. c. The study should be strengthened by controlling intervening variables. d. Because observation rather than causation is the purpose of the study, no action is necessary. Rationale: The correct answer is C. Identifying & controlling threats to internal validity will strengthen the study's design. 20. A quasi-experimental research design would be preferable to an experimental design in which of these situations? a. A smaller sample size is sufficient to obtain significant results. b. Demonstration of a cause-&-effect relationship is the desired outcome. Rationale: The correct answer is C. Studies conducted in laboratory settings have fewer threats to internal validity (control issues) & more threats to external validity (generalizability to other populations). 1. Which are characteristics of quasi-experimental research designs that are considered weaknesses, compared with experimental designs? (Select all that apply.) a. Cost of implementation b. Confidence in making causal assertions c. Subject to contamination of internal validity d. Disruptive to the usual routine of the setting e. Difficult to perform in a particular clinical setting f. Findings due to interference of extraneous variables Rationale: The correct answer is B, C, F. The primary weakness of quasi-experimental designs, compared with experimental designs, is the weakened confidence in making causal assertions. Quasi-experimental designs are particularly subject to contamination of internal validity by extraneous variables. Findings of quasi-experimental studies may be due to the influence of extraneous variables, rather than the experimental treatment (independent variable). 2. A research study in a laboratory setting incorporates 4 groups (2 control & 2 experimental) in which only 1 experimental group & 1 control group are pretested, while all 4 groups are post tested. Which descriptions of the design are accurate? (Select all that apply.) a. Experimental design b. After-only experimental design c. Real-world experimental design d. Quasi-experimental design e. Solomon four-group design Rationale: The correct answer is A, E. The example describes a type of experimental design, a Solomon four-group design. The example describes a Solomon four-group design. 3. A nurse researcher is planning a quantitative (experimental) research study to test the effect of a new wound product on wound healing. Which of these factors is necessary to implement an experimental pretest-posttest design? (Select all that apply.) a. Inclusion of a second control group b. Ability to collect pretest data c. Use of two posttreatment data collection times d. Subjects r&omized to the control group only e. R&om assignment of subjects to treatment & control groups Rationale: The correct answer is B, E. To implement a pretest-posttest design, it must be possible to collect pretest data. R&om assignment must be possible for both treatment & control groups. 4. A research study is planned to determine the effect of nutritional supplementation & type of support surface on the rate of wound healing in sacral myocutaneous flap failures. Which is an independent variable in this study? (Select all that apply.) a. Rate of wound healing b. Sacral myocutaneous flap c. Retailer source of protein supplement d. Type of support surface e. Nutritional supplementation Rationale: The correct answer is D, E. The type of support surface is one of the specified interventions or treatments (independent variables). Nutritional supplementation is one of the specified interventions or treatments (independent variables). 5. Which research designs could be classified as experimental? (Select all that apply.) a. Solomon four-group design b. After-only design c. Nonequivalent control group design d. After-only nonequivalent control group design e. One-group pretest-posttest design f. True experimental pretest-posttest control group design g. Time series design 4. Why would a nurse researcher choose not to use a survey study design? a. Data analysis is limited with a survey design. b. Information collected is relatively superficial. c. Results are never applicable beyond the study population. d. More subjects are required to reach statistical significance than for other study designs. Rationale: The correct answer is B. Information obtained in a survey tends to be superficial. 5. A nurse researcher would choose to use a correlational study of multiple variables for which purpose? a. To identify the independent variable b. To test whether one variable causes another variable c. To examine relationships between or among variables d. To distinguish how different one variable is from another variable Rationale: The correct answer is C. A multivariate correlational study examines relationships between or among variables. 6. Why would a nurse researcher choose to use a correlational design for a nonexperimental study? a. It represents an efficient & effective method of collecting a large amount of data about a problem. b. Many questionnaires & instruments are already developed & have been determined to be valid & reliable. c. Generalizability is greater than for results of studies using experimental designs. d. It allows flexibility in the manipulation of more than one variable. Rationale: The correct answer is A. A correlational design permits collection of a large amount of data about a problem. 7. A nurse researcher will choose to use a developmental study design to do what? a. Allow comparison of the results of qualitative studies of a phenomenon to the results of quantitative studies of the same phenomenon b. Allow reanalysis of existing data for a secondary purpose not stated in the original research c. Allow exploration of the changing nature of relationships between variables over time d. Allow development or refinement of a tool or instrument Rationale: The correct answer is C. Developmental design permits exploration of the changing nature of relationships of variables over time. 8. Which statement about cross-sectional studies is most accurate? a. More than one group can be compared. b. Only descriptive data can be measured. c. Data are collected retrospectively rather than prospectively. d. Data collection & data analysis can occur simultaneously. Rationale: The correct answer is A. Cross-sectional design allows multiple group comparison. 9. A nurse researcher would decide to use a longitudinal or prospective design for which reason? a. It is associated with data that are focused & deep. b. It allows the overall study to be more manageable for the researcher. c. It allows the issue of maturation to be avoided as a threat to internal validity. d. It allows the nurse researcher to avoid the use of tools or instrumentation. Rationale: The correct answer is A. Longitudinal or prospective designs are associated with more in-depth, focused data collection. 10. A nurse researcher would decide to use a retrospective or ex post facto study for which reason? a. Obtaining informed consent is not an important issue. b. There is maximal opportunity to manipulate the independent variable. c. The dependent variable is measured at multiple times to examine maturation. d. The dependent variable has already been affected by the independent variable. Rationale: The correct answer is D. In an ex post facto study the dependent variable has already been affected.