TRENDS AND ISSUES IN NURSINGTRENDS AND ISSUES IN NURSING

NUR487NUR487Overview of research processOverview of research process

I. Basic Research TerminologyI. Basic Research Terminology

Dr. Nazik Zakari Dr. Hanan A. Ezzat

Dr. Olfat Salem

Nursing Administration & Education Dept.Nursing Administration & Education Dept.

HOW TO DEFINE ???

• Concept:Concept:

"A general idea referring to a behavior or characteristic of an individual, group, or nation".

For example, pain, patient care, coping, happiness, cleanliness, dignity…etc.

HOW TO DEFINE ???

Construct:Construct: "A concept specified in such a way that it is observable in the real world, in order to facilitate testing of the idea".

For example, position, in real world has many different meanings in gynecology, in surgery and in management.

Example of the relationship between "concept" and "construct":

• Weight a concept.

• Weight By electronic scale.

In the morning.

Before breakfast.

Without clothes.

a construct

HOW TO DEFINE ???

Variable:Variable: "A concept that is observable,

measurable, and has a dimension that can vary".

For example, temperature is a variable For example, temperature is a variable that is observable, measurable, and that is observable, measurable, and varies from high to low.varies from high to low.

HOW TO DEFINE ???

Conceptual definition:Conceptual definition:

"The definition or description of the study variables that is drawn from the theoretical or conceptual framework".

HOW TO DEFINE ???

Operational definition:Operational definition:

"The definition or description of a study variable that specifies how it will be observed and measured in the study."

HOW TO DEFINE ???

• Assumption:

"A statement of principles whose correctness has not been proven, but is taken for granted on the basis of logical reasoning".

"health is a priority for all people""health is a priority for all people"

HOW TO DEFINE ???

• Hypothesis: "A statement of predicted or expected

relationships between the variables of the research (dep. & indep. variables)".

Hypothesis lead to empirical studiesempirical studies that are seeking to confirm or disconfirm these predictions.

HOW TO DEFINE ???

Data:

"Pieces of information that are collected as they pertain to the study".

HOW TO DEFINE ???

Limitations:

"Weaknesses in a research“

Uncontrolled extraneous variablesUncontrolled extraneous variables, that limit the generalizability of the findings.

HOW TO DEFINE ???

Pilot study:

"A small scale trial done in preparation of a major research".

HOW TO DEFINE ???

Validity:

“Degree or extent to which the tool or instrument measures what it is supposed to measure".

For example, a ruler measures the height not the weight, while the scale measures the weight not the height.

HOW TO DEFINE ???

Reliability:

“Degree or extent of consistency or dependability with which a study tool measures the variable over time, by different persons".

HOW TO DEFINE ???

Population:

“Group of people who are going to be studied, and to whom should the study result apply".

For exampleFor example, , bed-side nursesbed-side nurses are the are the population in a research studying the population in a research studying the factors affecting the nurse's workloadfactors affecting the nurse's workload..

HOW TO DEFINE ???

Sample:

"Are those persons – in the population- from whom data will be actually collected, and from whom generalizations about the population will be made".

Any Questions???

Types of Variables

1. Dichotomous variables.

2. Attribute variable .

3. Active variables.

4. Dependent and independent variables .

5. Extraneous variable

Types of Variables1. Dichotomous variables.

Variables that vary in only two values.

For example:For example: Male Vs female.

Alive Vs dead.

Day Vs night.

Types of Variables 2. Attribute variable:

A pre-existing characteristic or attribute such as age, sex …etc. which the researcher simply observesobserves and measuresmeasures.

Types of Variables3. Active variables

Variables that do not pre-existdo not pre-exist, so, the researcher has to createcreate them.

For example: If the researcher is testing the effectiveness

of 4 drugs on blood pressure, here, all the four drugs are considered a variablevariable that varies among individualsvaries among individuals. Where different ones are taking different drugs: a, b, c or d.

Types of Variables 4. Dependent and independent variables

• Independent variable:Independent variable: “Variable that is believed to cause or cause or influenceinfluence the dependent variable".

• Dependent variable: “Variable that is influenced byinfluenced by the independent variable".

Example of Dependent/Independent Example of Dependent/Independent VariablesVariables

DoesDoes Smoking Smoking CauseCause Lung cancer ?Lung cancer ?

DoesDoes Nursing careNursing care CauseCause Rapid recovery ?Rapid recovery ?

DoesDoes Drug (a)Drug (a) CauseCause Improvement ?Improvement ?

Cause EffectEffect

Independent variableIndependent variable Dependent variableDependent variable

Types of Variables5. Extraneous variable

Variable that confoundconfound the relationship between the dependent and independent variables, thus it needs to be controlled.needs to be controlled.

E.g., E.g., "air pollution" "air pollution" is an extraneous is an extraneous variable interferes with studying the variable interferes with studying the relationship between relationship between smoking smoking "independent variable""independent variable" and and lung lung cancer "dependent variable".cancer "dependent variable".