INTRODUCTION TO NURSING RESEARCH

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Describe the concept of Research and Nursing Research.
• Describe the purposes of research in nursing.
• State the sources of knowledge in research.
• Understand the concept of research paradigm in nursing research.
• Recognize the historical perspective of nursing research.
• Familiarize the various types of research and nursing research.
• Understand various terms used in nursing research.
• Discuss the need and area of nursing research.

CHAPTER OUTLINE

• Purpose of Research
• Sources of Knowledge in Research
• Characteristics of Good Research
• Meaning and Definition of Research
• Research Paradigm
• Types of Research
• Purpose and Need of Nursing Research

MEANING OF RESEARCH

• Definition: Research is a systematic inquiry that employs a disciplined method to answer questions or solve problems. According to Clifford Woody, research comprises defining and redefining problems, formulating hypotheses or suggested solutions, collecting, organizing, and evaluating data, making deductions to reach conclusions, and rigorously testing conclusions against the formulated hypotheses.

DEFINITIONS OF RESEARCH

• D. Slesinger and M. Stephenson: "Research is the manipulation of things, concepts or symbols for the purpose of generalization to extend, correct, or verify knowledge."
• French Ruth: "Research is essentially a problem-solving process, a systematic, intensive study directed towards full, scientific knowledge of the object studied."
• Notter: "Research is the process that systematically searches for new facts and relationships."
• Redman and Mory: "Research is a systematized effort to gain new knowledge."
• Barnes: "Research is a way of dealing with ideas."

SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE IN RESEARCH

• Research is a body of scientific knowledge as well as a method of acquiring knowledge. Understanding the nature and structure of scientific knowledge and its development process are key for students of research.

CATEGORIES OF KNOWLEDGE

1. Descriptive Knowledge: Useful in differentiating, measuring, or defining different behaviors or characteristics. It serves as a foundational source of knowledge in defining behavior.
2. Predictive Knowledge: Useful in determining a statistical relationship between two behaviors or characteristics.

SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE

1. Tradition: Knowledge accumulated through inherited customs accepted as truths within culture; e.g., nursing customs that optimize teaching methods.
2. Authority: Knowledge acquired from experts, parents, or literature which dictate norms and accepted practices.
3. Personal Experience: Knowledge gained through individual experiences leading to recognition of regularities and predictions based on observation.
4. Trial and Error: A method where alternatives are tested successively to find solutions for questions or problems.
5. Logical Reasoning: Combines experiences and intellectual faculties to gain knowledge. It involves:
      - Inductive Reasoning: Developing generalizations from specific observations.
      - Deductive Reasoning: Making specific predictions from general principles.
6. Borrowing: Utilizing knowledge from other disciplines (e.g., medicine, psychology) as sources of information.
7. Role Modeling: Learning through imitation of behaviors of expert nurses enhances gained knowledge through high-quality relationships.
8. Intuition: Knowledge derived from an instinct or feeling that may turn out to be true; recognized as a gut feeling without conscious reasoning.
9. Empiricism or Research: Knowledge acquired through careful scientific observation and manipulation of variables employing the scientific method and statistics.

PURPOSE OF RESEARCH

• Research develops scientific knowledge to enhance service delivery and outcomes. It accomplishes its goals through:
   1. Exploration: Investigating issues with limited prior research to discover whether problems exist.
   2. Speculation: Forming a theory based on current knowledge to understand future implications.
   3. Description: Gathering data to illuminate relationships and patterns between variables (e.g., studying student study skills and dropout rates).
   4. Explanatory: Explaining relationships and contributing factors between various situations.
   5. Prediction: Estimating the probable outcome in specific situations using models based on intervening variables (Hinn and Kramer, 1998).
   6. Evaluation: Assessing the impact of situations or interventions through comparative evaluation of alternatives.

RESEARCH PARADIGM

• Definition: According to Patton (1990), a paradigm encompasses a worldview or perspective pivotal in simplifying the complex realities of research. Rossman and Rollis define it as "shared understandings of reality". Guba and Lincoln (2001) describe it as an interpretative framework guided by a set of beliefs and feelings about understanding and studying the world.

CATEGORIES OF PARADIGM

• Ontology: Addresses the nature of reality and existence.
• Epistemology: Concerned with the relationship between the researcher and the known.
• Methodology: How knowledge is acquired and validated.

FUNCTIONS OF PARADIGMS

• Defines how the world operates and the methodology used to extract knowledge from it.
• Determines the types of questions to be researched and the methodologies employed to answer them.
• Structures the academic domain, providing meaning and significance.

TYPES OF PARADIGM

• Positivism: Emphasizes empirical evidence and typically relies on quantitative data.
• Critical Realism: A subtype of positivism that includes value judgments and focuses on power dynamics in society.
• Interpretivism: Seeks to understand individual perspectives and is often associated with qualitative research.
• Critical Humanism: Involves participants collaboratively in the research process aiming for social change.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD RESEARCH

1. Systematic: Research follows defined steps systematically to avoid guesswork.
2. Logical: Engaging logical reasoning to provide clarity in decision-making, incorporating induction and deduction.
3. Empirical: Based on observable data in real-world situations to ensure validity.
4. Replicable: Research results must be verifiable through replication.
5. Leads to Generalizations: Good research develops principles or theories applicable across broader contexts.

TYPES OF RESEARCH

A. Based on Application:

1. Pure Research: Fundamental research aimed at advancing scientific theories and understanding natural phenomena.
2. Applied Research: Focused on solving practical problems and enhancing everyday life.
3. Exploratory Research: Aims to formulate hypotheses rather than test them, often used when phenomena are under-researched.
4. Descriptive Research: Describes characteristics without addressing how or why, often using surveys.
5. Co-relational Research: Investigates relationships among variables.
6. Explanatory Research: Aims to understand cause and effect relationships among variables.

B. Based on Information Types:

7. Quantitative Research: Generates numeric data for statistical analysis to quantify variables and generalize results.
8. Qualitative Research: Investigates qualities and reasons behind behaviors, focusing on in-depth understanding.

MEANING OF NURSING RESEARCH

• Nursing research is a systematic scientific inquiry aimed at validating, refining, and developing new knowledge relevant to nursing practice.

DEFINITIONS OF NURSING RESEARCH

• Waltz and Barsell (1981): Nursing research is systematic and rigorous, aiming to solve problems or discover facts in nursing practice.
• Treece and Treece (1986): Concerned with the entirety of nursing.
• Burns and Grove (1987): Addresses knowledge that influences clinical nursing practice.
• Polit and Hungler: Research is a process collecting data for clinical, administrative, or instructional purposes to address nursing problems.

PURPOSE OF NURSING RESEARCH

• The purposes of nursing research include:
    - Exploration
    - Identification
    - Description
    - Explanation
    - Prediction and control
    - Developing evidence-based practice
    - Treatment and therapy assessment

NEED FOR NURSING RESEARCH

• Professionalism: Essential for maintaining dignity in nursing practice.
• Autonomy: Supports nurses’ independence in practice.
• Accountability: Addresses the importance of documentation in nursing careers.
• Critical Thinking: Develops systematic problem-solving among nurses.
• Innovation: Enhances nursing interventions through new techniques.
• Evaluation: Assesses the effectiveness of nursing practices.
• Theory Development: Contributes to scientific knowledge in nursing.
• Problem Solving: Addresses health maintenance and delivery issues.

SCOPE OF NURSING RESEARCH

• Essential for identifying community needs, improving decision-making, and developing critical approaches in nursing administration, education, and practice.

GUIDING QUESTIONS

• What affects the well-being of individuals and communities?
• How do nursing practices promote and preserve this well-being?

CLINICAL NURSING PRACTICE

• Translation Research: Application of research findings to practice for improved patient outcomes.
• Symptom Management: Developing interventions to alleviate distressing symptoms.
• Clinical Judgment and Decision-Making: Prioritizing care and developing effective case plans.
• Care for the Caregiver: Interventions to support caregivers of patients.
• Palliative Care: Researching optimal management strategies for chronic treatment side effects.

NURSING EDUCATION

• Research is required to identify needs for new educational programs and evaluate existing methodologies, tools, and curriculum developments.

NURSING ADMINISTRATION

• Investigations into health determinants, environments, health promotion practices, and practice autonomy are crucial for enhanced nursing management.

HISTORICAL EVOLUTION OF NURSING RESEARCH

• Nursing research began prominently within the last 50 years, transitioning from hospital training into academic frameworks, significantly influenced by Florence Nightingale’s work during the Crimean War, which laid the groundwork for systematic nursing studies.

FIRST HALF OF 20TH CENTURY

• Emphasized the necessity for standards in nursing education and practice, evidenced by early investigations into workplace conditions and nursing education practices.

MILESTONES IN NURSING RESEARCH

1. Establishment of the first Nursing Research Journal in 1952.
2. Recognition of the need for a specific body of knowledge for nursing as a discipline during the 1960s.
3. Growth of nursing education towards research-based practices and the establishment of several influential nursing theories and models throughout the latter half of the century.

21ST CENTURY

• Growing emphasis on postdoctoral research and publication efforts within nursing, including collaborative projects enhancing the research framework in nursing education and practice.