Exam 1 STUDY GUIDE Evidence Based

Exam 1 STUDY GUIDE:

What are the differences between applied and basic research?

o Basic research

BASIC Research is oftentimes done in a lab but you may just be pursuing

knowledge just Nursing Research actually applies the investigative results to

practice.

For the sake of knowledge.

Basic research deals with generating new knowledge

o Applied research

Using knowledge that already exists to solve immediate problems

This is done to improve the practice

Nursing research is about applied research

Applied research findings actually lead to basic studies

How do we get all this information out to all nurses etc.?

o All information is delivered via different sources…

Printed articles

Printed Journals

Attending conferences

Poster-presentations

Peer-reviewed articles

Research studies

Public publications

Electronic sources

CINAHL databases, online catalogs, MEDLINE databases, online journals

What are the different parts of an article?

o There are 13 different parts of an article…

o Basically you will see the literature review of the article at the beginning of the article in

order to…

Identify the problem

You will review the literature in a summary

The purpose of the article will also be included

The method being used is identified

What are the different ways of knowing (acquiring) knowledge in nursing?

o Tradition

Handing down of knowledge from one generation to another, and this leads to

actions that occur because “we’ve always down it that way.”

o Authority

Authorities/experts in a given field who often provide knowledge for other people

i.e. in the past, nurses looked to physicians for a great deal of their practice

knowledge

o Borrowing

Borrowing ideas of methods of knowledge that have already worked successfully in

the past

o Trial & error

A means of discovering knowledge

i.e. If one approach did not work, another one was used

o Personal experience

Acquiring knowledge through your own personal experiences and practice

o Role modeling

Acquiring knowledge through a mentor or someone you respect and look up to

o Intuition

Following your “instinct”

o Reasoning

Using logical reasoning to gain knowledge

o research

considered to be the most reliable source of acquiring knowledge

what is an abstract?

o An abstract contains a brief summary of the article

Research abstracts contain the purpose, methods, & major findings of the article

By reading abstracts of studies, the researcher can determine whether to obtain a

copy of the entire research study

What is the largest source of nursing articles?

o CINAHL

Where in an article are you going to look if you want to find the problem/purpose of the study?

o You would look at the BEGINNING OF THE ARTICLE, not at the end!

What is the difference between a primary and a secondary source?

o Literature sources may be classified as primary or secondary sources

1). Primary source

The research literature is a description of a research study written by the

original investigator(s)

o i.e. the journal Nursing Research publishes research study results

written by the original investigator(s)

2). Secondary source

A summary or description of a research study written by someone other

than the study investigator(s)

o i.e. a person who writes an article based on an article that was

already written (therefore they are not the original researcher)

What are the internal and external threats to validity in quantitative research?

o Internal validity

In an experimental design, it concerns the degree to which changes in the dependent

variable (the effect) can be attributed to the independent variable (the cause)

Basically, what happened during the study to the variables? The more

control there is, the more “valid” the results

o External validity

Concerns the degree to which study results can be generalized to other people and

other settings

Basically, can we take our “experiment” to other countries, other settings,

other situations, and get the same results? Can results of our study be

generalized?

o There are 6 threats to the internal validity

1). Selection bias

2). History

3). Maturation

4). Testing

5). Instrumentation change (instrument is flawed)

6). Mortality (dropout rate)

o There are 3 major threats to external validity

1). Hawthorne effect

Has to do with the participants of the study trying extra hard to help the

researcher with the study

This is when study participants respond in a certain manner because they

are aware that they are being observed

2). Experimenter effect

This is a threat to study results that occurs when researcher

characteristics/behaviors influence subject behaviors

o Examples of researcher characteristics/behaviors that may be

influential are facial expressions, clothing, age, gender, dress, &

type of jewelry may influence study participants’ answers to

questions in non-experimental studies

i.e. Rosenthal effect

This had to do with the outcome of the study in which the teacher was told

that certain students were smarter than other students in the class In fact

these students weren’t the smartest ones in the class but they did do

better/improve their grades because the teacher actually “taught” to these

particular students more so than to the other students in the class

These two effects may be threats to the external validity of a study

3). Reactive effects of the pretest

Occurs when subjects have been sensitized to the treatment because they

took the pretest

o i.e. if study participants were told their weight prior to a weight

reduction study, this knowledge of baseline data would be

considered a pretest

so, the internal validity threat occurs if the pretest or

knowledge of baseline data is the cause of the results on the

posttest…

an external validity occurs if the pretest acts as a catalyst in

bringing the results on the posttest

o know the difference between anonymity and confidentiality

anonymity

occurs when no one, including the researcher, can link subjects with the

data they provide

o i.e. if subjects are being assured of anonymity, instructions should

clearly inform subjects to refrain from including their names or

other identifying information on the questionnaires

confidentiality

involves protection of the subjects’ identities by the researcher

o the researcher knows the identities of the subjects’ however must

keep this information private (confidential)

o What is independent vs. dependent variable? (define in one sentence)

independent variable

the “cause” or…

the variable thought to influence the dependent variable

o i.e. in experimental research it is the variable manipulated by the

researcher

i.e. 1)

Male appendectomy patients request more pain

medication on the first postoperative day than do female

appendectomy patients

The independent variable is:

o male & female appendectomy patients

i.e. 2)

there is an inverse relationship between the number of

prenatal classes attended by pregnant women and their

degree of fear concerning labor and delivery

the independent variable is:

o the number of prenatal classes attended

dependent variable

the “effect” or…

the variable influenced by the researcher’s manipulation (control) of the

independent variable

o i.e. 1)

o male appendectomy patients request more pain medication on the

first postoperative day than do female appendectomy patients

the dependent variable is:

pain medication

o i.e. 2)

o there is an inverse relationship between the number of prenatal

classes attended by pregnant women and their degree of fear

concerning labor and delivery

the dependent variable is:

degree of fear

o know…

quantitative reasoning is deductive

Deductive reasoning proceeds…

o From the general (theory) to the specific (empirical data)

Quantitative methods to test the hypothesis

qualitative reasoning is inductive

Inductive reasoning proceeds…

o from specific (empirical data) to general (theory)

qualitative methods to reveal meanings & establish a new hypothesis

o compare quantitative vs. qualitative data and what you do with it

quantitative data

general (non-specific)

objective

large populations

random sample

setting can be via telephone, post-mail, internet-based, lab setting

qualitative data

the researcher must interpret the study data but it’s more complex than

that of quantitative data

specific

subjective

interview-based, ethnographic-based, Phenomenology (“dwelling”-

meaning, you are letting the life-experiences of the interviewee “sink into”

your mind and research. This is done to uncover the life experience of the

person you’re interviewing)

the researcher must “bracket” his/her opinion

there is a common theme and pattern

saturation rate

this is a personalized interview setting in subject’s environment

small sample

“purposeful” choice in subjects chosen

note: quantitative and qualitative date occur simultaneously

How long does it take to gather data in qualitative research?

o Until you reach the “saturation” point

o This is when the researcher begins to hear repetition of themes among all participants in the

research (no new information comes to light any longer)

What makes a true experiment vs. a not-true experiement?

o To be a true experimental study, everybody has to have randomization, meaning, everybody

had to have equal opportunity of participating in the study.

o 3 elements MUST be present in order to be a true experiment

1). Randomization-promotes “equalization” of groups

2). Experimental & control/comparison groups-the researcher is able to manipulate

3). A treatment (intervention)-one group-the experimental group-receives the

treatment/intervention but another group- the control/comparison group- does not

o A not-true experiment has “quasi-experiment” meaning, at least one element must be

present

Know these terms “briefly”

o Phenomenology-to describe the meaning that experiences for for each participant

o Ethnography-“going native”, because you’re immersing yourself into the life of the subject;

“cultural theories” is the goal

o Grounded theory-data collected and analyzed, then a theory is developed

o Historical-collecting data based on past events that already took place

o Collection-participant observation & interviews

o Case studies- in-depth examinations of people/groups of people/institutions

can be qualitative or quantitative

how do you develop scientific knowledge?

o Scientific knowledge seeks to obtain knowledge that can be generalized to other people and

settings (this is a BROADER FOCUS!!!)

institutional review board (IRB)

o the IRB is responsible for protecting patient rights and set standards to follow

know that the Nuremberg Code (1947) is a set of research ethics principles for human

experimentation

Chapter 1

Question 1 What is the best reason that scholars consider Florence Nightingale as the first nurse researcher?

1. She changed nursing by basing her practice on her research findings.

Question 2 There are many reasons that research is important to the nursing profession. What is the ultimate goal of nursing research?

3. Promotes evidence-based practice in nursing.

Question 3 The National Institute for Nursing Research (NINR) establishes research priorities. Which option reflects a study that meets the current mission of the NINR?

1. The effect of nurse-led community education on the prevalence of heart disease in an economically

disadvantaged inner-city population.

Question 4 There are different roles for nurses involved in research based on their level of education. Which best describes the role of the BSN-prepared nurse in research?

2. Critiques research studies and applies research to clinical practice.

Question 5 Which option reflects the “authority” approach to knowledge development?

4. When faced with a question regarding provision of nursing care, the nurse consults a nursing textbook for

instruction.

Question 6 The nurse researcher is conducting a study to help a nursing unit solve the problem of increased

postprocedure infections in clients who have undergone transurethral prostatectomy. Which type of nursing

research is this researcher conducting?

2. Applied research.

Question 7 What is generally considered the most valid means of developing the knowledge base of nursing?

1. Scientific research.

Question 8 For which role in a research study is special research preparation necessary?

4. Principal investigator for study.

Question 9

Acting as principle investigator on a project, a nurse discovers that study results do not support some of the

researcher’s long-held beliefs. What is the most significant danger in this situation?

3. The researcher may be unable to remain unbiased in the interpretation of data.

Question 10

Which research study will most likely be conducted using a qualitative approach?

3. A study investigating changes in family dynamics following the sudden death of a child.

Question 11

What is true of outcomes research?

Standard Text: Select all that apply.

2. Study design and methods may differ from traditional research approaches.

3. Focus on cost-effective care has increased the number of outcomes research studies being conducted.

Correct Answer: 2,3

Question 12

Which study would be categorized as a replication study?

2. A study in which the researcher repeats another researcher’s study on the use of pain medication in

infants.

Question 13

What is the purpose of the Cochrane Collaboration?

1. To help various individuals and groups of people make well-informed health care decisions.

Question 14

The nurse has been asked to participate as a study subject in a research project examining stress and family

role definition. What should the nurse do?

4. Accept the invitation if the nurse is interested and willing to participate.

Question 15

What is true of how research priorities in nursing are set?


2. Some priorities are set based on a sampling of a wide range of nurses.

3. Different specialty groups in nursing may set priorities specific to their practice.

Nieswiadomy, Foundations of Nursing Research, 6/e

Chapter 2

Question 1

Which potential research subject is considered a vulnerable population for a research project?

3. A 16-month-old hospitalized with pneumonia.

Question 2

The nurse researcher is developing informed consent materials for an upcoming study. Which portion of this

material should be developed with consideration of the Nuremburg Code?

2. The section that describes the balance between the risks and potential benefits of participating in the study.

Question 3

A study was conducted to evaluate staff nurses’ perceptions of a good nurse manager. The researcher

identified the nurses involved and shared individual responses with the managers. This best describes a

violation of which principle?

3. Confidentiality.

Question 4

A hospitalized patient is approached by a researcher and recruited to be a subject in a study. The subject

readily agrees to participate in the study. This is an example of what concept as it pertains to research?

2. Informed consent.

Question 5

What was the main ethical violation in the Tuskegee study of untreated syphilis?

4. Lack of informed consent.

Question 6

An institution that receives research monies from the federal government must have which group in place?

4. An Institutional Review Board.

Question 7

A TV ad is recruiting subjects for free medical exams and medications and an incentive of $500 for

participating in a study on the effects of depression in young adults. This recruitment best describes which

situation?

2. Coercion.

Question 8

Patients are recruited for a study on a new method of controlling postoperative nausea and vomiting. All

information about the treatment including side effects, therapeutic effects, and potential risks are explained

in the recruitment process. This describes which situation?

2. Informed consent.

Question 9

The research assistant asks the principle investigator, “Which one of our subjects responded with this strange

statement?” The principle investigator responds, “I don’t know, I can’t connect the responses to the

subjects.” Which subject right has been protected?

3. Anonymity.

Question 10

Which ethical principles would the student discuss when presenting on the Belmont Report?


1. Respect for persons.

2. Beneficence.

4. Justice.

5. Autonomy.

Question 11

A nursing professor is conducting research on the relationship between eye color and retention of

information presented verbally. The professor’s course grading plan includes 50 points for participating as a

study subject. Is this an ethical situation?

3. No, participation in nursing research must be voluntary.

Question 12

A 9-year-old patient has been diagnosed with leukemia. The patient’s parents have given consent to enroll the

child in a clinical trial of a new chemotherapy regimen. What is the nurse’s primary obligation in this

scenario?

3. Advocate for the patient by requiring the child’s assent to participate in the study.

Question 13

The nurse who is reading a research report has concerns about the ethical aspects of the study. Which

information should reassure the nurse that the study was undertaken in an ethical manner?

4. The study was reviewed and approved by an Institutional Review Board.

Question 14

The nursing student is conducting a research project as a course assignment. One subject asks for

information on the results of the study. How should the student respond?

3. “Contact the nursing department office in 6 months and I will send you a copy of the results.”

Question 15

A study design requires face-to-face interviewing between the study participants and the researcher. What is

the highest level of privacy that can be assured for data in this study?

2. Confidentiality.


Chapter 3

Question 1

The nurse researcher is writing the operational definition of a study variable. What information should be

included in this definition?

3. How the variable will be measured in a study.

Question 2

The purpose of a research study is to examine the effects of social support on the psychological health of

elderly residents of a nursing home. In this statement, psychological health is which part of the study?

1. Dependent variable.

Question 3

The study hypothesis is, “Premature infants who receive skin-to-skin tactile stimulation gain weight at a more

rapid rate than premature infants who do not receive skin-to-skin tactile stimulation.” What is the

independent variable?

4. Skin-to-skin tactile stimulation.

Question 4

The nurse researcher is planning how to conduct a quantitative research study. Which portion of the

research process is the nurse developing?

2. Research design.

Question 5

The risk manager has noticed a spike in medication errors among nurses who have worked several

consecutive days. What is the first step in conducting research into this phenomenon?

2. Identify the problem to be studied.

Question 6

Who should make recommendations for how the findings of a research study should be integrated into

nursing practice?

2. The researcher.

Question 7

What term is used to describe concepts that are manipulated, measured, and controlled in a study?

3. Research variables.

Question 8

The nurse researcher wishes to generalize a study’s findings to persons living in the southern United States.

The study is being done on persons living in a small town in rural Alabama. Which option reflects the target

population of this study?

1. Persons living in the southern United States.

Question 9

The nurse researcher is completing a review of literature. Why will this work be useful to the researcher as

the project continues?


1. It helps to develop a theoretical or conceptual framework for the study.

2. It helps to identify what is already known on the topic of the study.

3. It assists in the identification of data collection tools to measure the study variables.

Question 10

The text at the beginning of a research study report reads the following: “Is there a relationship between the

number of medication errors made and the number of consecutive days the nurse has worked? This study

will try to determine if the number of medication errors made is related to the number of consecutive days

the nurse has worked. Medication errors are a serious threat to hospitalized patients.” Which of these

statements is the research problem?

1. Is there a relationship between the number of medication errors made and the number of consecutive days

the nurse has worked?

Question 11

The nurse researcher is conducting the review of literature for a study. How long should the nurse researcher

plan to continue this review?

2. Until the data collection process begins.

Question 12

A nurse researcher is conducting a study on the relationship between medication errors and the number of

consecutive days worked by a nurse. One of the assumptions of this study is that medication errors are a

serious threat to patients. Which type of assumption is this?

1. A universal assumption.

Question 13

The nurse researcher has identified that it will be very difficult to control how busy the nursing unit is on

days that study data are to be collected and decides not to try to control for this variable. What kind of

variable does this situation describe?

2. Extraneous.

Question 14

A student in a research-focused doctoral program would like to play an active role in controlling the research

process. Which type of studies would be best for this student?

3. Quasi-experimental studies.

Question 15

In the review of literature, the nurse researcher was unable to find a questionnaire to collect the unique data

required for the proposed study. The researcher developed a questionnaire specifically for the study. Once

the study began, the researcher discovered that the questionnaire was not supplying the data necessary to

answer the study question. How could the researcher have best avoided this situation?

3. Done a pilot study with the questionnaire.


Chapter 4

Question 1

The principle investigator on a new research project tells the research assistant that the project will include

triangulation. For what should the research assistant prepare?

3. Using multiple methods in the research study.

Question 2

The nursing student has been assigned to read an article describing “mixed methods” research as it applies to

nursing. What can the student expect the article to discuss?

3. Using both survey completion and face-to-face interviewing in one study.

Question 3

The researcher is considering the content analysis section of the research plan for a qualitative study. What

work will the researcher do during this section?

1. Develop rules for coding data into categories.

Question 4

The nurse researcher has collected data from one participant and is now analyzing that data. Which type of

study is the researcher likely conducting?

4. Qualitative.

Question 5

Qualitative researchers are generally more interested in relevance of findings than in objectivity and

generalizability. To what belief, generally held by qualitative researchers, is this most directly related?

1. The belief that each subject is most knowledgeable about the topic under study.

Question 6

There is concern that interest in Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) has contributed to a decline in qualitative

studies in nursing. To what is this decline attributed?

3. Qualitative researchers are not communicating strategies for utilizing study findings.

Question 7

Which statement, made by a nurse researcher conducting a qualitative study, reflects an appropriate plan?

2. “I will continue to collect data until there is no new information forthcoming.”

Question 8

How do qualitative researchers tend to view persons and their world?

3. As holistic.

Question 9

The nurse researcher who is planning a qualitative research study chooses to conduct the review of literature

after data have been collected and interpreted. What is the most likely reason the researcher would choose

this work plan?

1. The researcher believes that an earlier review of the literature might introduce bias into the interpretation

of study results.

Question 10

Which of the following studies could be easily replicated?

4. Various strategies for pain relief.

Question 11

The nurse researcher is new to qualitative research and wishes to use an interview as the data collection

method for a study. Which strategy would best serve this nurse?

2. Practice interview technique under the guidance of an experienced interviewer.

Question 12

A nurse researcher who has just completed a qualitative study reads a “call for posters” announcement from

a national nursing organization. What should this researcher consider prior to responding to this call?

4. The written research report for a journal is the best way to reach large numbers of nurses.

Question 13

The nurse researcher is considering using a focus group to collect data for a qualitative study. Before

choosing this format, the nurse researcher should be willing to accept which problems that may occur from

this format?


2. Not all persons who are in the group may participate.

3. Some people in the group may monopolize the session.

4. Some people do not like to open their views up to possible criticism by others.

Question 14

The nurse researcher who is new to qualitative research believes that saturation of data has occurred after

interviewing seven study subjects. What question would help determine if this is true?

1. Are any new themes or information emerging from the interviews?

Question 15

The qualitative nurse researcher is expected to maintain which level of privacy to protect the participants in

the study?

1. Confidentiality.


Chapter 5

Question 1

Which nursing research problem is most likely based upon a nurse’s personal experiences?

1. Demonstrating that saline is equally effective as a heparin solution in keeping intravenous locks patent.

Question 2

Which of the following statements is phrased as a problem for a quantitative study?

3. Is music as effective as beta blockers in improving cardiac output in clients who have been hospitalized

after suffering a myocardial infarction?

Question 3

Of the following topical phrases, which is most appropriate for a research study?

4. The accuracy of axillary temperatures as compared with rectal temperatures of infants.

Question 4

Select the statement that includes population and variable(s), and is empirically testable.

2. Will a cardiac client’s heart rate decrease when listening to calming music?

Question 5

Select the problem statement with the preferred format.

1. Is there a correlation between a student’s grade point average and performance on NCLEX-RN?

Question 6

Select the problem statement that meets criteria for a problem statement and contains all the necessary

elements.

1. Is there a difference in male body weight after exercise?

Question 7

From the following statements, identify the problem statement that is most clearly written.

1. Is there a correlation between the type of nursing education and the type of nursing practice selected by

two-year and four-year undergraduate nursing students upon graduation?

Question 8

From the problem statement, “Is there a difference in postoperative pain perception between postoperative

clients who use relaxation techniques and clients who do not use relaxation techniques?” identify the

independent variable.

2. Relaxation techniques use.

Question 9

Which of the following questions predicts the outcome of the study?

1. Is there a strong correlation between age and learning in older adults?

Question 10

All of these options are important to the practice of nursing. Which option is likely the most important?

1. The applicability of theories from other disciplines to nursing practice.

Question 11

What is true of replication studies in nursing?

4. Replication studies are necessary for validation of nursing theory.

Question 12

The hospital staff nurse has an idea for a research study. In addition to a passionate interest in the topic, what

else should the nurse consider?


2. Will the results of the study be of interest to others?

3. Is the study something that can actually be accomplished?

5. Does the nurse have sufficient resources to accomplish the work?

Question 13

The nurse researcher has designed a univariate research study. What is often the purpose of these studies?

3. To serve as a basis for a more complex study.

Question 14

Why should the nurse developing a quantitative research study avoid using the word “cause” in the research

question?

2. It is difficult to prove causality.

Question 15

Analyze the following research question: “Is there a difference in the final examination scores of employed

nursing students who work more than 16 hours a week compared to those nursing students who work less

than 16 hours a week?” Which type of study is this?

2. Bivariate.


Chapter 6

Question 1

The nurse researcher has obtained information from an Internet site. What information should the

researcher obtain in order to correctly cite this search?

4. The date the page was viewed and its exact location on the Web.

Question 2

The nurse researcher is writing the review of literature portion of the research report. What should this

nurse include in this section?

2. Studies that support and oppose the researcher’s position.

Question 3

Which reference citation indicates a secondary source?

2. Jansen, C. E., Miaskowski, C., Dodd, J. S., & Dowling, G. (2005). Chemotherapy-induced cognitive

impairment in women with breast cancer: A critique of the literature. Oncology Nursing Forum, 32(2), 329–

342.

Rationale 2: A published research study is written by the authors, a primary source. A published review or

critique of the literature would be conducted by a person, not the original researcher, so it would be a

secondary source.

Question 4

Type: MCSA

A researcher would likely be more successful accessing a site by which domain name?

2. .org

Rationale 2: The domain .org signifies that of a professional organization.

Question 5

The student researcher is puzzled by the significance of key words while searching for research articles. What

instruction, provided by the librarian, will help this student?

4. Keywords are listed in order of relevance to the topic.

Question 6

The nurse researcher is looking for the most current journal information on a study topic to begin the review

of literature. Which Web site should the nurse access?

4. Nursingcenter.com

Question 7

The nurse researcher wants to review evidence-based practice resources during the review of literature.

Which database would be most helpful to this researcher?

2. CINAHL Plus with full text.

Question 8

The nurse researcher is conducting research about nursing interventions used in the treatment of a specific

disease state. The researcher would like to include evidence for and against the effectiveness of treatments for

the disease in the review of literature. Which database should the researcher access?

2. Cochrane database of systematic reviews.

Question 9

The students in a research class are investigating the use of Internet search engines. If these students want

their search to result in the largest selection of files, which search engine should they use?.

4. Dogpile.

Question 10

The nurse researcher has traveled across country to a library that holds historical documents significant to

the study topic. What should the researcher do first?

3. Consult with one of the librarians.

Question 11

What are the purposes of the review of literature in a research study?


1. It helps the researcher identify what has not worked in previous studies of the topic.

3. It helps the researcher determine the current state of knowledge about the topic.

4. It gives the researcher ideas about possible theoretical frameworks for the study.

Question 12

The student researcher is having difficulty locating information on the chosen research topic. The research

faculty asks, “Have you found any grey literature?” What response, made by the student, indicates

understanding of this literature?

1. “Yes, I did find some information in a conference proceeding from 2 years ago.”

Question 13

The nurse researcher found a reference to an article that was indexed in Index Medicus. What does the

researcher discern about this article?

1. It will now be indexed in MEDLINE.

Rationale 1: Index Medicus was a print index that has been converted to MEDLINE.

Question 14

The nurse researcher is studying a topic associated with education. Which database will be most helpful to

this nurse?

2. ERIC.

Correct Answer: 2

Rationale 2: ERIC is the world’s largest source of education information.

Question 15

The nurse researcher has discovered a relevant print research article. What information should the nurse

record from this article?


1. The study problem.

2. Methodology used in the study.

3. Findings from the study.

5. The type of sample used in the article.


Chapter 7

Question 1

What is a set of related statements that describes or explains phenomena in a systematic way?

2. Theory.

Question 2

A nurse is caring for a client who has just been transferred from the intensive care unit after having open

heart surgery. The nurse wants to use a nursing model, focusing on the person as a total being, as opposed to

a medical model, which focuses on the client’s disease process. Which nursing model theorist should the nurse

reference?

3. Roy.

Question 3

A nursing student is learning the difference between theoretical and conceptual frameworks. Which

statement, if made by the student, indicates the need for further teaching?

4. A theoretical framework is based on many existing theories.

Question 4

The researcher is planning the work associated with a new project. In which stage of the project should the

researcher consider the theoretical or conceptual framework?

4. In the post study analysis phase.

Question 5

The nurse researcher is conducting research on the effect of homelessness on how often a woman performs

self-breast examinations. Which theory would be of greatest interest to this nurse?

1. Pender’s Health Promotion Theory.

Question 6

Place the steps of using the research process to test theory in the correct order.

Standard Text: Click and drag the options below to move them up or down.

Choice 1. Determine implications for nursing based on the explanatory power of the theory.

Choice 2. Select a theory to be tested in the study.

Choice 3. Choose study instruments that are congruent with the theory.

Choice 4. Relate study conclusions to the theory.

Choice 5. Define study variables using the selected theory as the basis of the theoretical definitions.

Choice 6. Make recommendations for future research concerning the designated theory.

Correct Answer: 2,5,3,4,1,6

Question 7

The nurse researcher is considering the relationship between the two variables in a study. What predicts this

relationship?

4. A hypothesis.

Question 8

Which statement, made by a research student, indicates understanding of the use of theoretical or conceptual

frameworks in nursing research?

3. “A theoretical or conceptual framework is always necessary when conducting quantitative research.”

Question 9

The nurse’s research focuses on how a person defends himself or herself from daily stressors. Which

theorist’s work would likely be fundamental to this researcher’s work?

2. Neuman.

Question 10

The nurse’s research is testing Martha Rogers’ Science of Unitary Human Beings. The researcher has chosen

to study the growing diversity in the individual field pattern of older adults moving to an assisted living

center. The study predicts that, if these patterns follow Rogers’ theory and are indeed becoming more

diverse, the subjects have a greater chance of adapting well to the move. What kind of reasoning is this nurse

using?

1. Deductive.

Question 11

The staff nurse notices that newly admitted patients appear calmer after the nurse has completed their

admission interview and physical assessment and has discussed their plan of care. The nurse wonders if this is

related to alleviation of fear of the unknown. What kind of thinking is this nurse pursuing?

2. Inductive.

Question 12

Which issue is of concern to nursing?

2. The level of theory that drives much research in nursing is generally from other disciplines.

Question 13

A nurse is reading a research study that is based upon Martha Rogers’ Science of Unitary Being model. The

nurse notices that Rogers is not listed in the article references. How should the nurse interpret this finding?

3. The researcher used secondary sources to learn about Rogers’ theory.

Question 15

What is true regarding testing of theory in a nursing research study?

3. An entire theory is rarely tested in a single research study.


Chapter 8

Question 1

The statement “There is no relationship between nurses’ ages and their level of assertiveness” is which type of

hypothesis?

3. Nondirectional hypothesis.

: In a nondirectional hypothesis, the researcher merely predicts that a relationship exists.

Question 2

The nurse researcher has identified the study problem and variables. The nurse is now writing a formal

statement of the expected relationship between the variables in a specific population. What portion of the

study is the researcher developing?

2. Hypothesis.

Question 3

Which of the following studies would test a hypothesis?

4. A study that investigates the development of nosocomial urinary tract infection in catheterized and non-

catheterized patients.

Question 4

What type of hypothesis is “Cancer patients who use guided imagery during chemotherapy administration

will have less nausea and vomiting and less anxiety than chemotherapy patients who do not use guided

imagery”?

1. Complex and directional.

Rationale 1: The hypothesis has one independent and two dependent variables, so it is complex; it also states

one group will have less nausea and vomiting and anxiety, so it is directional.

Question 5

What type of hypothesis is “Postoperative pediatric patients who use TENS (transcutaneous electric nerve

stimulation) will have a different level of pain than pediatric postoperative patients who do not use TENS”?

3. Simple and nondirectional.

Rationale 3: The hypothesis tests the relationship between one independent and one dependent variable, so it

is simple; it states pain level will be different between the groups but does not specify the difference, so it is

nondirectional.

Question 6

The hypothesis “Elderly patients with social support have fewer somatic complaints and fewer episodes of

depression than elderly who do not have social support” is what kind of hypothesis?

4. Complex and directional.

Rationale 4: The hypothesis has one independent and two dependent variables, so it is complex; it states one

group will have fewer episodes of depression, so it is also directional.

Question 7

Which hypothesis is correctly stated?

3. Patients who use guided imagery have less pain than patients who do not use guided imagery.

Question 8

For which reason do many researchers prefer to write a hypothesis as a directional hypothesis?

2. It clarifies the study’s framework and demonstrates that the researcher has thought critically about the

phenomenon under study.

Question 9

Research hypotheses may be simple or complex. Which statement describes a study that is designed to test a

complex hypothesis?

2. There are more than two variables to be tested in the hypothesis.

Rationale 2: A complex hypothesis tests the relationship between more than two variables.

Question 10

Which options are considered appropriate sources for the rationale for study hypotheses?


2. The researcher’s clinical experience.

3. The literature including other research studies.

4. The theoretical framework for the study.

5. The conceptual framework for the study.

Question 11

The nurse researcher is evaluating study results and believes that data support one part of the two-part study

hypothesis, but do not support the other part. What should the researcher do at this point?

3. Report the hypothesis as not supported.

Question 12

Choose the term(s) that would indicate a prediction when used in a directional research hypothesis.

2. Decrease.

Question 13

Why is the hypothesis “There will be a positive relationship between a patient’s level of formal education and

his or her score on a health questionnaire,” incorrectly stated?

2. It is written in future tense.

Rationale 2: The hypothesis should be written in present tense.

Question 14

The researcher has discovered that study data have tested three hypotheses that were not stated in the

original research design. How would the research reader identify these hypotheses?

3. They are reported as “ad hoc” comparisons..

Rationale 3: It is permissible for the researcher to report these comparisons and they are listed as “ad hoc”

comparisons.

Question 15

When does the researcher set the level of significance for rejecting the statistical null hypothesis?

2. Before data are collected.

Chapter 9

Question 1

Which design not only controls all threats to internal validity but also controls the effect of pretest/posttest

scores?

2. Solomon four-group design.

Question 2

Experimental research is conducted to establish a cause-and-effect relationship. Rival explanations or

competing hypotheses that might explain the study results indicate that a study has which situation?

2. Threats to internal and external validity.

Question 3

A study is conducted to determine whether the implementation of a new scheduling pattern has a positive

effect on the job satisfaction of staff nurses. Nurses are randomly assigned to the experimental group (new

scheduling pattern) or comparison group (“usual” scheduling pattern). This is an example of which type of

study?

4. Experimental study.

Question 4

The following diagram is for which design?R X 01 (experimental group)R 01 (comparison group)

2. Posttest only control group design.

Rationale 2: This is an experimental posttest only design. Subjects are randomly assigned to groups (R), the

experimental group receives the experimental treatment (X), the comparison group receives the routine

treatment (no X), and a posttest is administered to both groups (O1).

Question 5

Which type of study would be conducted in order to examine a cause-and-effect relationship between a new

technique to relieve pain in infants during a procedure and the amount/degree of pain relief?

3. Explanatory study.

Question 6

A study utilized the medical records of nursing home residents as the source of data for the study. This is an

example of which type of study?

2. Retrospective.

Question 7

A nurse conducted a study to examine the relationship between incidence of medication errors and the years

of experience among medication nurses. Which result of the analysis of study data indicates the strongest

inverse relationship?

4. R = -.89

Question 8

Which type of study is conducted to develop, test, and evaluate research instruments?

2. Methodological studies.

Question 9

Which research design is used by the Gallup Poll to obtain information about large numbers of people

through sampling a small percentage of the total groups?

4. Survey study design.

Question 10

Which threat to external validity is controlled for in a double-blind experimental study?

2. Hawthorne Effect.

Question 11

The researcher is studying an intervention designed to reduce job stress in emergency department nurses.

Just before the study data collection was to start, an emergency department nurse was killed in the line of

duty by a mentally deranged patient. What potential threat to the internal validity of the study does this

occurrence pose?

2. History.

Question 12

The nurse researcher’s study design includes an experimental group and a control group. After the study

begins, the researcher finds that 60% of the experimental group and 75% of the control group have dropped

out of the study. Because of the internal threat of mortality, the researcher abandons the study. In future

studies what could the researcher do to help prevent this problem?

4. Try to establish a relationship with the participants.

Question 13

The nurse researcher believes that random assignment to the study’s groups is impossible and has elected to

use currently existing groups as study subjects. Because of this decision, which study design(s) will this nurse

researcher choose from for this study?


1. Nonequivalent control group design.

4. Time-series design.

Question 14

The nursing research student is reviewing study designs prior to beginning a class assignment. Which

statement, made by this study, reflects poor understanding of these designs?

1. I think the one-shot case study design will be best for my study since it controls threats to internal validity.

Question 15

The nurse researcher will be conducting a study in a nursing home. What is the most likely category of this

research?

3. It is a field study.

Chapter 10

Question 1

Select the topic that is most representative of qualitative phenomenological studies.

3. The lived experience of women who have maintained a weight loss of 100 pounds for five years.

Question 2

Which topic is most indicative of a qualitative study that will allow the nurse researcher to focus on collection

and analysis of data of cultural groups?

2. Labor and delivery practices of Arabian women.

Question 3

“Child-rearing practices of the Nacirema” is a topic that would be studied most typically by professionals

from which discipline?

2. Anthropology..

Question 4

Which topic suggests the qualitative research approach most typically used by nurse researchers?

4. Effect of tooth brushing three times per day on rates of nosocomial pneumonia in ventilated clients.

Question 5

Select the article title that most likely reports a participatory action research study.

3. Nurse and Community Development and Assessment of a Health Program.

Question 6

Which proposed title for nursing research articles would most appropriately be studied through quantitative

rather than qualitative methods?

2. The Relationship of Amount of Postoperative Pain Medication Administered and Level of Cardiac

Rehabilitation Attained Before Discharge in Coronary Artery Bypass Clients.

Question 7

Which title suggests that the nursing research study focuses on the subjective nature of the human

experience, which is characteristic of qualitative research methods?

4. Mobility and Perception of Quality of Life in Nursing Home Residents.

Question 8

Which pair of qualitative design and important features is accurate?

3. Historical–criticism.

Question 9

The nurse researcher’s work over the last several years has resulted in the generation of a theory that self-

corrects as additional data are collected, interpreted, and analyzed. The researcher uses the process of

constant comparison. Which form of research is this nurse researcher most likely conducting?

2. Grounded theory.

Question 10

Which statement(s) regarding historical research in nursing is (are) true?


3. Linking past events to future happenings is the primary reason for conducting historical research.

5. Most historical research has been done on historical figures rather than on the practice of nursing.

Question 11

The nurse researcher has published a research study about the life of Florence Nightingale. The nurse

reading the report suspects that a letter, thought by the researcher to be written by Ms. Nightingale, fails the

test of external criticism. What does this mean about this source?

1. The letter is not authentic.

Question 12

Which discipline(s) make(s) frequent use of the case study approach to qualitative research?


1. Sociology.

2. Anthropology.

3. Law.

4. Medicine.

Question 13

Two nurse researchers are reviewing a qualitative research study report for possible publication. There is a

great amount of debate between the two nurses on the accuracy and meaning of the study data. Which

criteria of trustworthiness are these nurses debating?

1. Confirmability.

Question 14

The nurse is reading a qualitative research report that asks, “Are post-myocardial infarction clients more

interested in the length of their remaining life or in the quality of their remaining life?” What is the most

important question for the nurse to ask about this study?

4. Are data provided to answer the research question?

Chapter 1

1- The most objective means of obtaining nursing knowledge is through.

Scientific research

2- The general public

Has little knowledge about nursing research

3- Which of the following statements concerning nursing research is true/

Many studies have focused on nurses themselves.

4- The major reason for conducting nursing research is to:

Promote evidence-based care for patients/clients

5- Which of the following is generally true concerning the knowledge base for nursing?

Much of the knowledge that has been used by nurses was developed by members of other disciplines.

6- As nurses first began to receive advanced educational preparation and became qualified to conduct

research, many of their studies concerned

Nursing education

7- The first journal devoted primarily to the publication of nursing research was.

Nursing research

8- Nursing leaders have called for research focusing on which of the following topics? Choose all that

apply.

Quality of life, patient safety, living with chronic illness, end-of-life care

9- Which of the following agencies is most influential, at the present time, in funding nursing research?

National Institute of Nursing Research

10- All nurses should be able to:

Identify researchable problems for nursing studies

Chapter 2

1- A questionnaire is being used to gather data on the study sample. Identification numbers on the corner

of the questionnaire correspond to the researcher’s master list of names and numbers. Respondents are

assured that this information will not be shared with anyone. The researcher is trying to ensure

Confidentiality

2- Study participants are asked to complete a questionnaire before and after a relaxation session. One

potential participant asks how confidentiality will be assured. The research states:

An identification number will be placed on the questionnaire that corresponds to the researcher’s master list

of names and numbers.

3- If an individual volunteers to participate in a study, he or she is always guaranteed that which of the

following will be done?

Informed consent will be obtained

4- An institutional review board is required in which type of agency or institution?

All agencies and institutions that receive federal money for research

5- Which of the following is “least” likely to be provided for subjects?

Anonymity

6- What is the name of the process used to obtain a child’s agreement for participation in a study?

Assent

7- A friend of yours has agree to participate in a research study. However, she is upset that she has to

contact the researcher to obtain a copy of the study results. She thinks she should automatically be sent a

copy. You tell her:

Study participants should be provided with information that will allow them to contact the researcher if a

copy of the study is desired.

8- Write true or False

Once a subject signs an informed consent form, he or she is agreeing to remain in the study until it is

completed ( F )

9- All study subjects must be guaranteed anonymity. ( F )

10- Access to the results of a study in which they have participated is the right of all participants. ( T )

11- In a study in which confidentiality is guaranteed, anonymity is usually guaranteed also. ( F )

12- Debriefing means that the researchers meet and discuss problems that occurred in a study ( F

Chapter 3

1- All authors agree on the following numbers of steps in conducting quantitative research:

18

2- Which of the following answers is true concerning quantitative research?

There may be some shifting back and forth between the steps.

3- One of the main purposes of conducting a review of the literature before carrying out a research

project is to:

Determine existing knowledge on the topic.

4- Which of the following is true concerning assumptions?

All studies are based on assumptions.

5- The plan for how a study will be conducted is called the

Design

6- The small group selected from a larger group to participate in a study is known as the

Sample

7- At what point in the research process should a statistician be consulted initially?

Early in the research project

8- A friend asks you to explain the difference between a conceptual definition and an operational

definition of anxiety. You help her to understand these concepts by providing her with the following

operational definition of anxiety:

A score above 40 on the Nieswiadomy Anxiety Inventory

9- The final step of the research process, for the researcher, is to:

Utilize the finding

10- Which of the following communication mediums is the most efficient of presenting research findings?

Journals

Chapter 4

1- Write true or False

Qualitative research has been the type of research chose by most nurse researchers in the past. ( F )

2- The researcher exerts tight controls over the research situation in qualitative research. ( F)

3- There has been an increase in the number of qualitative studies conducted in the past few years. ( T )

4- Many nurses are calling for a combination of both qualitative and quantitative methods in research. (

T )

5- Qualitative researchers are very concerned with the generalizability of their study findings. ( F )

6- The numbers of subjects is generally larger in qualitative research than in quantitative research. ( F )

7- Qualitative research is less common today that it was 20 years ago. ( F )

8- Which of the following statements is true when comparing qualitative research to quantitative

research?

The amount of data to be analyzed is usually greater in qualitative studies than in quantitative studies.

9- If a researcher were planning a qualitative study, which of the following ta-collection methods do you

think would most likely be considered?

Participant observations and semistructured interviews.

10- When both qualitative and quantitative research methods are used simultaneously in the same study,

this procedure is called:

Mixed methods

Chapter 5

1- Evaluate the following research questions. Select answer A,B,C, or D according to the presence f the

necessary elements of an acceptable research question

A. The population is missing

B. The dependent variable is missing

C. The independent variable is missing

D. All elements are present

Is there a correlation between father’s heights and their sons’ heights ( D )

2- Is there a difference in the level of assertiveness between men and women? ( D )

3- Is there a difference in anxiety levels after a relaxation exercise? ( A )

4- Is there a correlation between exercise and weight loss? ( A )

5- Is there a relationship between the self-concept of baccalaureate nursing students and their level of

career aspirations? ( D )

6- Is there a difference in pregnant women who attend prenatal classes and those who do not e searched

for a 1980 article published in the American Journalattend prenatal classes? ( B )

7- Is there a difference in the anxiety levels of preoperative patients after practicing relaxation

exercises? ( D )

8- Is there a correlation between anxiety levels and pulse rates? ( A )

9- Is there a difference in people who have exercised and those who have not exercised? ( B

10- Is there a difference in the birth weight of infants? ( C )

Chapter 6

1- Which of the following is the most important reason for conducting a review of the literature before

conducting a research study?

A determination will be made about yhe existing knowledge in the identified problem area.

2- A primary source for a nursing research study is:

A description of the study written by the researcher who conducted the study

3- How can you best determine if primary sources are listed on the reference list of an article?

The reference list contains articles from research journals

4- Most research articles that appear in the journal Nursing Research are example of:

Primary sources

5- Which of the following databases is available only through a library?

WorldCat

6- If you wanted to obtain the most comprehensive study results on a particular health care

intervention, you would want to access which of the following databases?

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

7- Which of these printed indexes does not have an online version?

Nursing Studies Index

8- Which of the following sources should be searched for a 1980 article published in the American

Journal of Nursing?

CINAHL Plus

9- In conducting a literature review, the reader is least interested in which of the following information

about a research study?

Opinions about the research study

10- Which of the following statements is true about online databases?

Some online databases are available to the general public

Chapter 7

1- Match the description of terms in column B with terms in column A

(Theory) Contains propositional statements

2- ( Concepts ) Word picture or mental idea of a phenomenon

3- ( Construct) Highly abstract phenomenon that cannot be directly observed

4- ( Proposition ) A statement that asserts the relationship between concepts

5- ( Model ) Symbolic representation of some phenomenon or phenomena

Circle the letter before the best answer

6- Nursing research has used which of the following reasoning processes?

Both inductive and deductive

7- Deriving a propositional statement from a theory involves the logical reasoning process called?

Deduction

8- Which of the following statements regarding theory is false?

It proves the relationship between variables

9- Which of the following is not one of the common concepts that are included in nearly all of the

nursing conceptual models?

Death

10- You are trying to help a client stop consuming foods that are high in complex carbohydrates. Which

of the following model/theory would probably be most appropriate?

Health belief model

11- Which of the following theories was developed by a nurse theorist?

Uncertainty in illness theory

Chapter 8

1- Identified the independent variable (s) and dependent variable(s) in the following hypotheses

Independent Variables Dependent Variables

1- Gender of patients request for pain medication

2- Number of prenatal classes fear concerning labor and delivery

3- Marital status body image

4- Anxiety requests for pain medication

5- High school grade level marijuana usage

6- Retirement self-image

7- Length of employment a) job turnover rate

b) job dissatisfaction levels

Evaluation of hypotheses.

8- One level of the independent variable is missing. To what group is the baccalaureate prepared nurse

group being compared?

9- Did you notice the question mark at the end of the sentence? This statement is not a hypothesis

10- The population is not identified

11- Watch those value words like better. This is not a testable hypothesis

12- This one looks good.

Chapter 9

1- Match the statement

(Testing) It’s a good thing I’m in the new diet study. I couldn’t believe it when that researcher told me that I

was 10 pounds overweight”

2- ( Hawthorne effect) “ Aren’t we lucky to be part of this experiment?’

3- ( Experimental effect) “ That researcher scares me. I guess I’d better act like he wants me to act”

4- ( Selection bias ) “ I volunteered to be in the experimental group”

5- ( History) “ I watched this show about lung cancer. It made me realize that I really should tray to

stop smoking while I’m in this smoking cessation study”

Circle the letter before the best answer

6- Which of the following items distinguishes true experimental research from quasi-experimental

research?

Random assignment of subjects to groups

7- Which of the following designs would be most appropriate to use in trying to determine if clients’ low

back pain changes after they were taught an exercise to help correct back alignment?

Pretest-posttest control group design

8- Which of the following designs controls for the sensitization of subjects to a pretest?

Solomon four-group design

9- A researcher is studying the use of a new realistic model of the heart to teach people what happens

during a heart attack. Two weeks later she will test their recall of the information taught. Which of

the following situations that might occur during the study would concern the researcher most about

the validity of her study?

A television celebrity had a heart attack and later announced on television that it is important for people to

understand how their heart functions.

10- A researcher wants to use a true experimental design in her study. However, which of the following

circumstances would requires the use of a quasi- experimental design rather than a true

experimental design?

The health care agency will not allow the searcher to assign study participants to groups randomly

Chapter 10

1- Which of the following types of studies is considered a qualitative study?

Ethnographic

2- Grounded theory research was developed by two:

Sociologists

3- Margaret Mead was a researcher from what discipline?

Anthropology

4- Which of the following statements is true concerning the examination of historical research?

External criticism should be considered before internal criticism

5- Case studies may concern an in-depth examination of

All of the above

6--Consider this title: “ The lived Experience of Surviving an Earthquake” This title would indicate which of

the following types of qualitative research?

Phenomenological

7-The review of the literature in qualitative research is

Sometimes conducted prior to the beginning of the study

8- Which type of qualitative research approach would be most appropriate to study nurses involvement in

bringing about a change in the type of forms used to record patient data?

Action

9- Teresa Christy, a nurse , was involved in what type of qualitative research?

Historical

10-Which type(s) of qualitative research has or have been conducted by nurses?

All of the above ( action, ethnographic,phenomenological,historical)

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Exam 1 STUDY GUIDE Evidence Based