NURS 419 Final Exam Review Spring 2025

Vocabulary flashcards based on the lecture notes for the NURS 419 final exam review.

Evidence-Based Practice (EBP)

Clinical expertise + Best evidence + Patient preferences.

Justice

Fairness in research and healthcare.

Beneficence

Do good, maximize benefits and minimize harm.

Autonomy

Self-choice; respecting the patient's right to make their own decisions.

Informed Consent

Explain the study and obtain voluntary agreement from the participant.

Null Hypothesis

A statement that there is no difference between groups or variables.

Research Hypothesis (Alternative Hypothesis)

A statement that predicts a difference or relationship between groups or variables.

Problem Statement

Identifies the issue needing to be studied.

Purpose Statement

Explains why the study is being done.

Research Question

A specific question the study aims to answer.

Independent Variable

The variable that is manipulated or changed by the researcher.

Dependent Variable

The variable that is measured to see if it is affected by the independent variable.

Primary Source

Original research such as a randomized controlled trial or qualitative interview study.

Secondary Source

A summary or review of research, such as a systematic review or literature review.

Control Group

Receives standard care or no treatment; used as a comparison group.

Intervention Group

Receives the experimental treatment or intervention being tested.

Quantitative Research

Research that tests hypotheses, measures variables, and examines relationships using numerical data.

Qualitative Research

Research that explores meaning, experiences, and perceptions using textual data.

Phenomenology

A qualitative design focused on understanding the essence of lived experiences.

Ethnography

A qualitative design focused on exploring cultural practices within a group or society.

Grounded Theory

A qualitative design focused on developing a theory grounded in participants’ experiences.

Historical Research

A qualitative design focused on understanding the impact of historical events on current issues.

Nominal Measurement

Categorizes data without order (e.g., race, gender).

Ordinal Measurement

Ordered categories, but no equal intervals (e.g., pain scale).

Interval Measurement

Equal intervals, no true zero (e.g., temperature).

Ratio Measurement

Equal intervals + absolute zero (e.g., height, weight).

Validity

Accuracy of a measurement tool.

Reliability

Consistency of a measurement tool over time and across raters/items.

Population

The overall group the researcher is interested in.

Target Population

The entire group that meets eligibility criteria and to whom the researcher wants to generalize results.

Accessible Population

The portion of the target population that the researcher has access to recruit from.

Sample

A subset of the accessible population that actually participates in the study.

Probability Sampling

Every subject has an equal chance of being selected.

Nonprobability Sampling

Subjects are selected non-randomly (e.g., convenience).

Systematic Review

A structured, comprehensive process that only includes high-quality evidence.

Literature Review

A broad, descriptive summary; may include opinion-based articles.

Descriptive Statistics

Used to summarize and describe data from a sample without making predictions (e.g., mean, median, mode).

Inferential Statistics

Used to make predictions or generalizations from a sample to a population.

Data Saturation

Occurs when no new themes or insights are emerging from the data; signals that enough participants have been interviewed.

Trustworthiness

Refers to the credibility, dependability, confirmability, and transferability of qualitative data.

Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG)

Systematically developed statements that guide practice, based on best available evidence, expert consensus, and consideration of benefits vs harms.

Adoption

The innovation is implemented in practice.

Rejection

The innovation is declined after review or testing.

Active Rejection

Innovation was trialed or reviewed, then intentionally not adopted.

Passive Rejection

Innovation was ignored or never acted upon.

Leader

Someone who influences people.

Innovator

Someone who introduces new ideas.

Short-term Outcome

Immediate outcome (e.g., pain relief within a shift).

Long-term Outcome

Future impact (e.g., decreased cholesterol levels after statin adherence).

Intermediate Outcome

Changes that occur after some time and often reflect behavioral changes.

Dissemination

Sharing insights with others through posters, presentations, and publications.

Peer Review

Experts check quality before publishing for accuracy, relevance, quality, ethics.

Quality Improvement (QI)

A systematic process used to improve healthcare services and patient outcomes.

Root Cause Analysis (RCA)

A structured method used to analyze serious adverse events and identify underlying causes to prevent future occurrences.

PDSA Cycle

Plan-Do-Study-Act, an iterative four-step problem-solving model used for improving a process or carrying out change.

Stakeholder

A person, group, or organization that has interest or concern in an organization.

Informatics

The science of information, including data collection, storage, retrieval, and analysis.

Big Data

Extremely large data sets that may be analyzed computationally to reveal patterns, trends, and associations.