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QUESTION
Purpose
Reading, understanding, and appreciating original nursing research literature is essential for evidence-based practice (AACN, 2008; QSEN, 2020). This assignment provides a learning activity for students to read an original research study and complete a worksheet to demonstrate understanding of the study purpose, design, sample, data collection, analysis, limitations, conclusions, and the importance of reading research literature.
Course Outcomes
This assignment enables the student to meet the following Course Outcomes.
CO 1: Examine the sources of evidence that contribute to professional nursing practice. (PO 7)
CO 2: Apply research principles to the interpretation of the content of published research studies. (POs 4 & 8)
CO 4: Evaluate published nursing research for credibility and significance related to evidence-based practice. (POs 4, 8)
CO 5: Recognize the role of research findings in evidence-based practice. (POs 7 & 8)
Assignment Directions
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- The Week 6 Assignment: Reading Research Literature (RRL) Worksheet is a learning activity that requires you to read an assigned article for the session you are taking the course, then answer questions on the required Reading Research Literature (RRL) Worksheet. Both the required article and worksheet may change from session to session.
- The NR439 Reading Research Literature Worksheet Rubric must be used to answer each of the criteria that will be graded for this assignment. The grading rubric is located at the bottom of this page below the References area.
- Read the required research article assigned, then answer each question in your own words on the required Reading Research Literature (RRL) worksheet about the study.
- Your required article is available to you in an announcement that has been posted in preview week and again in Week 5. Please go to your announcements to locate the required article assigned for this session. Look for the announcement with the following heading:
IMPORTANT: Assigned Article for Week 6 Assignment
- Download and complete the required Reading Research Literature (RRL) worksheet
Links to an external site.. This must be used.
- The assignment contains the following and the below can be used to help answer each criteria area of the worksheet. Do not copy and paste the information below into your RRL worksheet. After reading the required research article, think about the research study and include what you learned from reading the study using your own words.
- Purpose of the Study: Using information from the required article and your own words, thoroughly summarize the purpose of the study. Describe what the study is about. Thoroughly summarize and include excellent details for the criteria.
- Type of Research & the Design: Using information from the required article and your own words, thoroughly summarize the description of the type of research and the design of the study. Include how it supports the purpose (aim or intent) of the study. Thoroughly summarize and include excellent details for the criteria.
- Sample: Using information from the required article and your own words, summarize the population (sample) for the study; include key characteristics, sample size, sampling technique. Thoroughly summarize and include excellent details for the criteria.
- Data Collection: Using information from the required article and your own words, summarize one data that was collected and how the data was collected from the study. Thoroughly summarize and include excellent details for the criteria.
- Data Analysis: Using information from the required article and your own words, summarize one of the data analysis/tests performed or one method of data analysis from the study; include what you know/learned about the descriptive or statistical test or data analysis method. Thoroughly summarize and include excellent details for the criteria.
- Limitations: Using information from the required article and your own words, summarize one limitation reported in the study. Thoroughly summarize and include excellent details for the criteria.
- Findings/Discussion: Using information from the required article and your own words, summarize one of the authors’ findings/discussion reported in the study. Include one interesting detail you learned from reading the study. Thoroughly summarize and include excellent details for the criteria.
- Reading Research Literature: Summarize why it is important for you to read and understand research literature. Summarize what you learned from completing the reading research literature activity worksheet. Thoroughly summarize and include excellent details for the criteria.
- Use APA in-text citations. No more than two direct quotes can be used.
- You are required to complete the worksheet using the productivity tools required by Chamberlain University, which is Microsoft Office Word 2013 (or later version), or Windows and Office 2011 (or later version) for MAC. You must save the file in the “.docx” format. Do NOT save as Word Pad. Microsoft Office 365 is available for free through Resources/Technologies/
Microsoft Office 365. - Review the tutorial for your Week 6 Assignment. The tutorial may look slightly different session to session. Grading criteria and rubric will be the same.
- Submit the completed Reading Research Literature Worksheet to the Week 6 Assignment.
Best Practices
- For questions about this assignment, please contact your instructor.
- Spell check for spelling and grammar errors prior to final submission.
- Please see the grading criteria and rubrics on this page.
- Please use your browser’s File setting to save or print this page.
Scholarly Sources and Citations
- Use APA format in citations and references.
References
American Association of Colleges of Nurses. (2008). Executive summary: The essentials of baccalaureate education for professional nursing practice. http://www.aacnnursing.org/
QSEN Institute. (2020). QSEN competencies. http://qsen.org/competencies/
ANSWER
Week 6: Reading Research Literature Worksheet
| Name:
Date: Complete the required worksheet after reading the assigned article for the session. The NR439 Reading Research Literature Worksheet Rubric must be used to answer each of the graded criterion for the following: |
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| Purpose of the Study | Distress is a prevalent problem among cancer patients and contributes to a poor physical and psychological quality of life. Screening for distress can facilitate early intervention and prevention of these adverse effects. Nevertheless, their implementation is inhibited, resulting in distress under-detection (O’Connor et al., 2017). The under-detection of distress means that the actual prevalence rates among cancer patients are unknown. Therefore, this study’s authors aimed to establish distress prevalence rates among patients with gynecologic cancer and identify the associated problems.
Although underutilized, a single-item Distress Thermometer (DT) paired with a Problem List (PL) has demonstrated efficacy in detecting distress. Many studies have focused on ascertaining these tools’ validity, but very few have focused on understanding the complexity of their implementation in clinical settings (O’Connor et al., 2017). Hence, the study’s authors set out to explore staff’s perceptions of the process of utilizing DT and PL and making patient referrals. |
| Type of Research & the Design | The authors used a mixed-methods design in the study. This design incorporates quantitative and qualitative components. This design is appropriate for the study’s goal as the quantitative part will help establish distress prevalence rates, while the qualitative part will explore nurses’ perceptions of DT and PL use (O’Connor et al., 2017). |
| Sample | The target population was female patients with gynecologic cancer in a pre-admission clinic. The authors used inclusion and exclusion criteria to select their samples from this population. Women who were ≥ 18 years, diagnosed with gynecologic cancer, and could understand and complete the DT and PL screening tool were included in the study (O’Connor et al., 2017). Those who were ≤18 years, undiagnosed with gynecologic cancer, and unable to comprehend and complete the DT and PL were excluded. Patients who could not provide informed consent were also excluded from the study. The total sample size was 62 patients, and their median age was 58 (O’Connor et al., 2017). |
| Data Collection | After signing the informed consent form, the participants were requested to complete the DT and PL forms. The DT was a single-item questionnaire scored from 0-10 (no distress to high distress). In contrast, the PL had 39 questions with Yes/No responses (O’Connor et al., 2017). The participants completed the forms with the help of the research officer or on their own. After completing the DT and PL forms, oncology nurses assessed each participant. The nurses would triage and refer the subjects to appropriate interventions per the National Breast Cancer Centre and National Cancer Control Initiative guidelines.
After completing the first project, the subjects were interviewed. The research officer first obtained the participants’ consent to the interview and scheduled the interviews at their convenience. A trained interviewer then conducted and recorded the interviews digitally.
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| Data Analysis | The authors analyzed qualitative data through directed content analysis. In directed content analysis, researchers typically use existing theory to create the initial coding scheme before data analysis begins. The researchers read the narrative texts and used a deductive approach to categorize the data and explore the themes and patterns that emerged from the participants’ narratives. As the analysis proceeded, the researchers developed additional codes and revised and refined the initial coding scheme. This process helped them identify data themes and trends.
The authors undertook several measures to ensure a quality data analysis process (O’Connor et al., 2017). These measures include transparency, credibility, neutrality, consistency, and applicability. The authors also maintained an audit trail of all decisions made. The team also discussed emerging themes before reaching a consensus. The above measures are features of credible and trustworthy qualitative studies.
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| Limitations | The sampling design may be subject to bias. The authors indicate that they did not approach everybody who attended the clinic due to its busy environment and the unavailability of personnel to obtain informed consent from the potential participants. This issue may have caused the researchers to select a biased sample as they only approached those who were readily available.
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| Findings/Discussion | One of the study’s objective was to identify the prevalence of distress among patients with gynecologic cancer. The study found that twenty-one participants scored from 0–3 on the DT tool, 20 participants scored between 4 and 6, and 21 participants scored between 7 and 10. Most participants in the 7-10 category were women below 40 and cervical cancer patients (O’Connor et al., 2017). Endometrial and uterine cancers scored between 4-6, while ovarian and vulvar cancers scored between 0-3.
Among the issues identified on the PL tool, 207 were physical, 147 were emotional, 53 were practical, 24 were familial, and two were spiritual (O’Connor et al., 2017). Worry, anxiety, and fear were the top three emotional problems. According to the authors, worry is the most significant risk factor for distress and can be used as a proxy for distress intensity. Loss of interest and sadness were also among the top ten emotional concerns (O’Connor et al., 2017). Sleeping and eating problems and fatigue were also commonly cited. These emotional concerns could be depression symptoms. This data underscores the importance of routine, dynamic assessments among cancer patients, especially cervical cancer patients and cancer patients aged 40 or younger.
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| Reading Research Literature | Reading and understanding literature is crucial because it helps the reader evaluate a study’s quality and determine whether its findings can be applied in practice. Golper et al. (2006) say that critically reading research literature can help the reader identify a study’s flaws and limitations and avoid implementing them in practice.
While reading and completing this activity worksheet, I realized that each section of a research article has a specific purpose. The literature review, typically embedded in the introduction section, provides readers with background information on the topic and identifies the significance and need of the study. I learned that the methods section (sampling, data collection, & analysis) identifies the procedures and materials used to answer the research questions. Critically reading and understanding this section is crucial: it helps the reader determine whether research subjects are appropriate, whether the sample size is sufficient, and whether the research procedures and analyses are suitable for the research question. Errors and biases in this section might invalidate a study’s findings and conclusions, restricting their relevance and use in practice. However, Golper et al. (2006) indicate that not all research flaws are fatal. This concept implies that it is the reader’s discretion to determine the severity and relevance of a study’s errors and faults. The reader must decide if these flaws and limitations are significant enough to affect the study’s relevance and quality. If they do, the reader cannot apply them in clinical practice. The limitations and findings/discussion section also contribute to a study’s quality. |
References
Golper, L. A. C., Wertz, R. T., & Brown, K. E. (2006). Back to the Basics: Reading Research Literature. The ASHA Leader, 11(5), 10–35. https://doi.org/10.1044/leader.ftr6.11052006.10
O’Connor, M., Tanner, P., Miller, L., Watts, K., & Musiello, T. (2017). Detecting Distress: Introducing Routine Screening in a Gynecologic Cancer Setting. Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, 21(1), 79–85. https://doi.org/10.1188/17.cjon.79-85
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