NURS 6052 Week 8 Discussion: Planning For Data Collection Assignment

Data collection is an important part of both quantitative and qualitative research. Although the actual approach to gathering information may vary, for either research design, researchers need to plan in advance how the data will be gathered, reported, and stored, and they need to ensure that their methods are both reliable and valid. 

As nurses review research when considering a new evidence-based practice, it is important to be familiar with sound collection practices in order to ascertain the credibility of the data presented.

Consider the following scenario:

Nurses and other health care professionals are often interested in assessing patient satisfaction with health care services. Imagine that you are a nurse working in a suburban primary care setting that serves 10,000 patients annually. 

Your organization is very interested in understanding the patient’s point of view to help determine areas of care that can be improved. With this focus in mind, consider how you would create a survey to assess patient satisfaction with the services your organization provides. You may wish to consider variables such as the ease of accessing care, patient wait time, friendliness of the staff, or the likelihood that a patient would recommend your organization to others.

For this Discussion, you generate questions and an overall plan for data collection that would be appropriate for a patient satisfaction survey in relation to the above scenario.

To Prepare

  • Consider the guidelines for generating questions presented in this week’s Learning Resources.
  • Review the scenario and formulate at least five questions that you could use to evaluate patient satisfaction.
  • Reflect on the different methods or instruments that can be used for gathering data described in Chapter 13 and Chapter 22 of the course text. Which methods or instruments would work well for the scenario?
  • Determine an appropriate sample size for the scenario.

By Day 3

Post the questions that you created for gathering information about patient satisfaction based on the above scenario. Explain which method or instrument you would use to gather data. Describe the sample size appropriate for the population and how you would select participants. Provide a rationale for your choices, and explain how you can ensure a high standard of reliability and validity.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses.

By Day 6

  • Respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days using one or more of the following approaches:
  • Ask a probing question, substantiated with additional background information, and evidence.

Share an insight from having read your colleagues’ postings, synthesizing the information to provide new perspectives.

Offer and support an alternative perspective using readings from the classroom or from your own review of the literature in the Walden Library.

Validate an idea with your own experience and additional sources.

Make a suggestion based on additional evidence drawn from the readings or after synthesizing multiple postings.

NURS 6052 Week 9 Discussion: Data Analysis—Small Group Discussion

As a nurse engaged in evidence-based practice, it is important to recognize how statistics and other data analysis tools are used to generate and assess evidence. Most nurses need only a foundational understanding of statistical tools and terminology to understand the majority of research studies. As a nurse, you should be able to recognize the most commonly used statistical tests, how and when they are used, and how significance is determined.

In this Discussion, you examine different types of statistics and statistical tests, when and why these particular tests would be selected for use, and, most importantly, what the results indicate. To this end, you will be assigned to a group by Day 1 of this week.

Each group will be assigned one of the five chapters listed in this week’s Learning Resources and will develop a study sheet on their chapter that will be shared with the other groups.

To prepare:

  • Review the information in your assigned chapter.
  • As a group, develop a 1-page study sheet that includes the following:
  • The key concepts of the chapter: Focus on the basic concepts that are important for nurses to understand as they review research studies.
  • A description of the statistical methods covered in the chapter, what they measure, and under what circumstances they are used. Identify examples of how the statistical methods have been used in research studies.
  • An explanation of the key statistical tests and how they measure significance (if applicable).

Note: This should be a collaborative effort, with each member of the group making contributions to the design and content of the study sheet. Use the Groups link on the left navigation bar to collaborate with your group. 

When you have developed your 1-page study sheet, select one member to post it to the Week 9 Discussion Forum so that the rest of your colleagues can access it.

By Day 5

  • Post your group’s study sheet. Discuss why it is important for nurses to understand the basics of these statistical methods.
  • Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses.

By Day 6

  • Respond to at least two other groups on two different days using one or more of the following approaches:
  • Ask a probing question, substantiated with additional background information, and evidence.
  • Share an insight from having read your colleagues’ postings, synthesizing the information to provide new perspectives.