Republic of the Philippines

CENTRAL MINDANAO UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF NURSING

APPLICATION OF RESEARCH IN NURSING

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

NCM 83: NURSING LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT, LECTURE

Submitted by:
Wendie Aiza Amor S. Delegencia
Lacelin Andrey W. Ga-as
Kim Nicole B. Gareza
Angela M. Gasalatan
Ben M. Densing
LV Valle

BSN-4C

Submitted to:
Angiely V. Mercado, RN
Clinical Instructor

October 2024
 Table of Contents

General Objective------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3
Specific Objectives----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3
Knowledge------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3
Skills-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3
Attitude-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3
Client Satisfactory Safety-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4
Action Research--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5
Feasibility study--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------8
Training Need Analysis----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------9
Evaluation Studies---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------12
References------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14

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General Objective

At the end of the discussion, the student nurses will gain a comprehensive
understanding of the application of research in nursing leadership, and management,
enabling them to appreciate the evidence-based practices and their relevance in shaping
nursing leadership roles and decision-making processes.

Specific Objectives
At the end of the discussion the student nurses will be able to:

Knowledge
1. Understand the role of research in ensuring client satisfaction and promoting safety
within nursing care environments.
2. Identify key research studies and findings that have influenced nursing leadership
strategies.
3. Recognize the importance of feasibility studies in determining the practicality of new
initiatives or changes in healthcare settings.
4. Explain how a research-based training needs analysis supports leadership in
developing tailored training programs for nursing teams.
5. Comprehend the use of evaluation studies to measure the effectiveness of nursing
leadership strategies and management practices.

Skills
1. Develop skills in utilizing research tools to evaluate client satisfaction and safety,
allowing for data-driven improvements in nursing care.
2. Acquire the ability to design and implement action research projects that address
specific challenges in nursing environments, fostering collaborative problem-solving.
3. Gain practical skills in conducting feasibility studies, including data
collection and analysis, to support informed decision-making in nursing
initiatives.
4. Learn to effectively conduct training needs analysis, utilizing research
findings to tailor training programs that enhance nursing competencies
and team performance.
5. Cultivate the ability to conduct evaluation studies, interpreting data to
assess nursing interventions' effectiveness and making recommendations
for improvement.

Attitude
1. Foster a strong commitment to prioritizing client satisfaction and safety in all nursing
practices, recognizing the value of research in enhancing care delivery.
2. Encourage a positive attitude towards the application of research in nursing
leadership and management, promoting continuous learning and improvement.
3. Develop a collaborative mindset that values teamwork and shared decision-making,
essential for conducting action research and implementing change.
4. Instill a proactive attitude towards identifying and addressing training needs,
understanding the importance of ongoing professional development in nursing.

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 5. Promote a culture of reflective practice, encouraging students to regularly assess
their nursing interventions and outcomes through evaluation studies, leading to
personal and professional growth.

Client Satisfactory Safety

Client Satisfaction Survey

A client satisfaction survey is a tool used to gather feedback from patients about their
experiences with healthcare services. It helps healthcare providers measure the quality of
care, identify areas for improvement, and ensure compliance with quality assurance and
accreditation standards.
Key Metrics for Measuring Client Satisfaction
1. Quality of medical care: The
effectiveness and appropriateness of
the treatments and services provided.
2. Interpersonal skills: The
communication, empathy, and respect
displayed by healthcare professionals.
3. Transparency and communication:
The clarity and openness of
communication between healthcare
providers and patients.
4. Financial aspects of care: The
affordability and accessibility of
healthcare services.
5. Access to doctors and other
medical professionals: The ease of
scheduling appointments and
availability of healthcare providers.
6. Accessibility of care: The physical
accessibility of healthcare facilities and
the availability of transportation.
Methods of Administering Client
Satisfaction Surveys
● Electronic Medical Records (EMR) or Electronic Health Records (EHR): Surveys
can be integrated into patient portals or administered during visits.
● Mobile devices: Surveys can be sent via text or email to patients' smartphones or
tablets.
● Physical copies: Surveys can be distributed in waiting rooms or mailed to patients.
● Website: Surveys can be accessed online through a healthcare organization's
website.
● Point of Sale (POS) devices: Surveys can be administered at check-in or checkout
counters.
● Computers in waiting rooms: Surveys can be available on computers in waiting
areas for patients to complete.

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Examples of Client Satisfaction Surveys
● Primary trauma survey: Assesses the initial assessment and management of
trauma patients.
● Secondary trauma survey: Identifies additional injuries or concerns that may have
been missed in the primary survey.
Importance of Client Satisfaction
● Quality improvement: Client satisfaction data helps healthcare organizations
identify areas for improvement and implement changes to enhance the patient
experience.
● Accreditation: Many accreditation bodies require healthcare organizations to
measure and report on client satisfaction.
● Patient outcomes: Studies have shown a correlation between higher client
satisfaction and better patient outcomes.
● Financial performance: Satisfied patients are more likely to return for care and
recommend the organization to others, which can improve financial performance.
By regularly conducting client satisfaction surveys and analyzing the results, healthcare
organizations can make data-driven decisions to improve the quality of care and enhance
the patient experience.

Action Research

Action research is a research method that aims to simultaneously investigate and

solve an issue. As its name suggests, action research conducts research and takes action
at the same time (George, 2023).

The term “Action Research” was first coined by MIT professor Kurt Lewin in 1944.
Due to the nature of the research, it is also sometimes called a cycle of action or a cycle
of inquiry (George, 2023). The main features of action research include problem
identification, systematic data collection, reflection, analysis, and taking actions based on
data (Lok, 2022).

Types of Action Research

There exist 2 common types of action research, which are the following:

● Participatory action research.

Emphasizes that participants should be members of the community being studied,

empowering those directly affected by outcomes of said research. In this method,
participants are effectively co-researchers, with their lived experiences considered
formative to the research process (George, 2023).

● Practical action research.

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 Focuses more on how research is conducted and is designed to address and solve
specific issues (George, 2023).

Action research models

Action research is often reflected in 3 action research models: these are referred to
as operational (sometimes called technical), collaboration, and critical reflection.

● Operational (or technical) action research

An analytical method of problem-solving and decision-making that is

useful in the management of organizations (Lewis, 2019). This is
usually visualized like a spiral following a series of steps, such as
“planning → acting → observing → reflecting.” (George, 2023).

● Collaboration action research

More community-based, focused on building a network of similar individuals

(e.g., college professors in a given geographic area) and compiling learnings
from iterated feedback cycles (George, 2023).

● Critical reflection action research

Serves to contextualize systemic processes that are already ongoing (George,

2023).

The stages of Action Research

Research is fundamentally grounded on the idea of learning new things. Knowledge

derived from studies conducted in specific and frequently beneficial situations is contributed
by collaborative action research. The first step is to identify the problem at hand. The stages
listed below subsequently follow the research process:

Plan. The first step of a research study

is to create an action plan to direct the
research process once an educational
research topic or question has been
identified (Villegas, 2022).

Act. The plan's implementation and

data collection are the following steps.
The researcher now has to decide how
to gather and arrange the study data.
Prior to gathering data, the researcher
must also make sure all instruments
and equipment are in good working
order and are legitimate, thorough, and
relevant (Villegas, 2022).

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 Observe. For any inquiry, data observation is essential. Prior starting data
observation, the action researcher must evaluate the objectives and expectations of
the project. This is the final phase before forming conclusions and taking action
(Villegas, 2022).

Reflect. In this step, a potential solution is applied, and the outcomes are monitored.
Verifying if a potential research answer can actually address the issue under study is
crucial. When the action research project's solutions fall short of the problem, the
researcher has to look into other possibilities (Villegas, 2022).

Action research vs. traditional research

Action research is very different from other forms of research in that its goal is to
create procedures that can be put into practice during the study, as opposed to adding to
the body of knowledge or making inferences from data. Action research is carried out in this
continuous, iterative manner, making it constructive rather than summative (George, 2023).

Advantages and disadvantages of action research

The advantages:

● Action research is highly adaptable, allowing researchers to mold their

analysis to their individual needs and implement practical individual-level
changes.

● Action research provides an immediate and actionable path forward for

solving entrenched issues, rather than suggesting complicated, longer-term
solutions rooted in complex data.

● Done correctly, action research can be very empowering, informing social

change and allowing participants to effect that change in ways meaningful to
their communities.

The disadvantages:

● Due to their flexibility, action research studies are plagued by very limited
generalizability and are very difficult to replicate. They are often not

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 considered theoretically rigorous due to the power the researcher holds in
drawing conclusions.

● Action research can be complicated to structure in an ethical manner.

Participants may feel pressured to participate or to participate in a certain
way.

● Action research is at high risk for research biases such as selection bias,
social desirability bias, or other types of cognitive biases.

Feasibility study

A feasibility study is a comprehensive analysis conducted to evaluate the viability of a

proposed project. It takes into account multiple factors, including economic, technical, legal,
and scheduling considerations, to assess whether the project can be completed
successfully. Project managers utilize feasibility studies to weigh the advantages and
disadvantages of embarking on a particular project before committing significant resources,
such as time and money. This process helps organizations avoid engaging in risky or
unfeasible ventures.
The main goals of a feasibility study are:
● To gain an in-depth understanding of all aspects of the project, concept, or plan.
● To identify potential challenges or obstacles that could arise during project
implementation.
● To determine whether the project is viable and worth pursuing after evaluating all
critical factors.

Steps in a Feasibility Study

The following steps outline the process of conducting a feasibility study:
1. Conduct preliminary analyses: Gather initial data and perform a high-level review
to identify the project's potential. This involves looking into whether the project aligns
with organizational goals.
2. Prepare a projected income statement: Estimate the possible revenues the project
could generate. This step involves projecting the financial returns and determining
whether the project will be profitable.
3. Conduct a market survey: Analyze the demand for the product or service that the
project will produce. It includes researching the target market, assessing consumer
preferences, and determining the price they are willing to pay.
4. Plan the organizational structure: Define the staff and resource requirements for
the project. How many employees will be needed? What kind of materials or
technology will be required to support the project?
5. Prepare an opening balance sheet: Develop a projected balance sheet that
outlines expected expenses and revenues on the first day of project operation.
6. Review vulnerabilities: Identify and analyze potential internal risks or weak points in
the project that could hinder success. Take into consideration any issues that can be
controlled or eliminated.

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 7. Make a decision: Based on the findings of the study, decide whether the project is
feasible and should proceed.

Contents of a Feasibility Report

A feasibility report contains the following sections:
1. Description of the product/service: Clearly define the product or service the project
will provide, highlighting its key features.
2. Technology considerations: Analyze the technology required to complete the
project and determine whether it is readily available and cost-effective.
3. Product/service marketplace: Explore the broader market in which the product or
service will compete. This includes industry trends and competitors.
4. Identification of the specific market: Define the target market for the product or
service, identifying specific consumer groups or demographics.
5. Marketing strategy: Develop a strategy for promoting the product or service,
including how it will reach its target market.
6. Organizational structure: Outline the project's staffing needs and the roles required
to manage and implement the project effectively.
7. Schedule: Create a timeline for the project, outlining key milestones and deadlines.
8. Financial projections: Provide detailed financial forecasts, including projected
revenues, expenses, and profit margins over a specific period.

Advantages and Disadvantages of a Feasibility Study

Advantages:
● Helps identify risks and challenges early in the project.
● Provides an objective analysis of whether the project is worth the investment.
● Offers a clear framework for making informed decisions and planning effectively.
● Prevents the waste of resources by highlighting unfeasible projects.
Disadvantages:
● Can be time-consuming and costly, particularly for large projects.
● The study might not predict every possible risk, leading to unforeseen challenges.
● Results can be biased if not conducted objectively, leading to inaccurate conclusions.

Training Need Analysis

Training needs analysis is a key tool in the arsenal of any L&D professional, trainer,
or training consultant. It’s effective in determining learning and development areas you need
to focus on to address performance gaps that get in the way of achieving organizational
goals.

Training needs analysis (TNA) is a process to identify the gap between the actual
and the desired knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) in a job. The need for such analysis
usually arises due to an organizational problem. It can be a lower-than-expected quarter for
the sales team, changing technology threatening to impact the continuity of train operators,
or constantly low customer satisfaction scores forcing the product team to be more agile and
customer-focused. In all these instances, the problems can potentially be resolved through
training.

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 Conversely, training needs analysis won’t be effective if it’s broader organizational
issues that cause the problems. This may mean that instead of a lack of knowledge, skills,
or abilities, our diagnosis may point out that sales are low because of a mismatch between
the work and the rewards. There are three levels of training needs analysis based on your
organization’s goals and the knowledge and skills required for goals at each level:

Three levels of training needs analysis

Organizational level TNA: It determines training needs related to performance metrics,
new employee knowledge at the company-wide level, and continuous training to optimize
company performance and productivity to achieve its goals. It’s designed to address
problems and weaknesses of the organization as well as to further improve the company’s
current competencies and strengths. More importantly, it takes into account other factors
like trends and changes in the economy, politics, technology, and demographics.

Group/job role level TNA: This type of analysis identifies specific training needed to upskill
a team, department, or business unit. Moreover, it determines which occupational groups
experience skills gaps or discrepancies and ways to eliminate them.

Individual level TNA: This training needs assessment is dedicated to an individual or

individuals in a team. It is conducted in conjunction with a project or changes that could
impact each team member. It is also used for an employee’s personal development for
future career advancement..

Purpose of conducting a training needs analysis

The purpose of training needs analysis is to identify and bridge the knowledge and
skills gaps in the workforce to achieve optimal performance. TNA also uncovers the reasons
for the gaps and helps determine the different approaches to removing those gaps.

Aligning training with business goals: Alignment ensures that you’re investing in training
that will help your organization achieve its business goals. Identifying the short and long-
term objectives for your organization and the skills needed to achieve them helps L&D
professionals to focus on the scope of the training.

Uncovering skills and performance gaps early on: Performance gaps occur, for instance,
when a business is undergoing change or new technologies emerge. As such, employees
need to constantly upskill to acclimate to these changes. TNA allows organizations to
resolve these gaps before they become a major issue. However, a study by PWC pointed
out that only 40% of employers are upskilling their workers to address skills and labor
shortages.

Prioritizing training: A TNA will help you determine which training you need to prioritize
with respect to time and budget. “Training needs analysis is critical if you want to ensure you
don’t waste resources, time, and energy,” notes Emily Chipman, executive coach and
principal consultant at Rushman Consulting Solutions. “When done correctly, people learn
more quickly, there is a greater impact on job performance, and it reduces the frustration
that comes for employees when taking on new roles and tasks, thereby impacting employee
engagement.”

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Planning targeted training: You can create training plans that target exactly the skills and
knowledge you identified are missing, so resources are invested properly.

Determining who gets trained: With TNA, you can make sure that specific people get
trained on what they need. Customizing your training program based on your employees’
needs allows you to maximize the benefits of your training programs.

Training needs analysis best practices

Here are three best practices we recommend applying when conducting a training needs
analysis:
Start with the desired outcome. Identify which activities lead to these organizational
outcomes before identifying training activities. This outcome can be an organizational or
departmental goal. Or it could be an individual that needs improving.

Manage expectations. Training and training need analysis requires advanced stakeholder
management. Stakeholders include employees, service users (or customers), educational
providers who design and deliver the program, and internal sponsors who pay for the
educational event. Ensuring that the training satisfies all groups is crucial for its success. In
other words, when a manager thinks a communication training session will solve all their
internal problems, you need to manage their expectations.

Use an integrated approach. Research shows that training programs that place new skills
in a broader job or organizational perspective and integrate them with other organizational
processes and activities are more successful. This does not mean that you cannot focus
your training on something specific, but you must place what people learn into an
organizational perspective.

How to conduct a training needs analysis

Define Your Organizational Goals
The first step, before you conduct your employee needs analysis, is defining your
organizational goals. What do you hope to get from the process? You should obviously
focus on measurable outcomes like financial performance, revenue, profit, and share price.
However, you should also consider softer outcomes like customer satisfaction and
organizational culture.

Identify Specific Issues

The next step is matching your organizational goals with specific issues in your
company. This involves observation and assessment. The best way to do this is to get your
departmental managers involved. Get them to hold interviews and conduct employee
surveys to help them identify areas of concern in terms of L&D. A training needs
assessment questionnaire can be a great tool. It can help you find out what areas your
employees feel they need more training, support, and resources.

You should also evaluate as much data as you can to establish if there are any
common issues that training can address. Your HR records are probably full of valuable
information. Look at your exit interviews and performance evaluations to see if you can spot
any patterns or trends.

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Define the Required Knowledge & Skills
The third step in the process is defining the specific skills you need to get where you
want to be. The more specific you can be here, the more effective your training programs
will be. And with the right training, you’ll nurture the behavior you want to see and hit your
goals in the future.

Set Training Timelines and Priorities

The final stage is to develop your training program. Aside from training content, you
also need to set training timelines and establish your priorities in line with your budget.

There are a number of techniques you can use to keep track of the progress of your
employees. You can use more traditional organizational surveys and interviews, or more
advanced analytical techniques such as data mining.

Evaluation Studies

Evaluation research, or program evaluation, is a formal process designed to assess

a program or strategy's effectiveness, efficiency, and overall value. It involves a thorough
and systematic analysis to determine whether the time, effort, resources, and money
invested in a specific initiative are justified based on the outcomes it achieves (Taylor, 2023).

In the context of nursing leadership and management, evaluation research becomes

a critical tool to assess the effectiveness of healthcare initiatives, policies, or interventions
within a nursing unit or department. Nursing leaders often implement strategies or programs
aimed at improving patient outcomes, enhancing staff performance, streamlining processes,
or addressing organizational goals like compliance with healthcare regulations.
The scope of evaluation research is shaped by the objectives of the project or program being
analyzed. Nursing leadership may use evaluation research to focus on the following key
groups:
● Employees/Nursing Staff: Feedback from the nursing team is essential for
understanding internal processes. Evaluation research can reveal gaps in training,
resource needs, or areas where staff performance could be optimized.
● Stakeholder: Key stakeholders, such as hospital administrators or department
heads, may use evaluation research to determine if nursing management initiatives
align with the broader goals of the healthcare institution, such as improving patient
satisfaction, reducing healthcare costs, or meeting accreditation standards
● Customers/Patients: The core of any nursing initiative is patient care. Patient
feedback is vital to assess whether care strategies, patient education programs, or
new care delivery models are meeting expectations in terms of safety, quality, and
satisfaction. Evaluation research can measure how well patient care initiatives impact
outcomes like recovery times, readmission rates, and overall patient experience.
● Prospective Customers/Families and SOs: In nursing care, particularly in
pediatrics or geriatrics, families and caregivers are often the ones closely involved in
patient care. Their feedback can be instrumental in evaluating whether
communication, support and the holistic care provided by the nursing staff meet the
emotional and practical needs of patients.

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 ● Hospital board members: As key decision-makers in healthcare organizations,
board members may rely on evaluation research to understand how nursing
leadership is managing resources and improving patient care. It can also provide
evidence for continued or increased investment in nursing programs or initiatives.
● Funding bodies or donors: In cases where external grants or donors fund nursing
initiatives or programs, evaluation research helps demonstrate accountability and
transparency, showing whether the nursing management is using the funds
effectively and achieving the desired healthcare outcomes.
Purpose of Evaluation Studies in Nursing Leadership and Management
In nursing leadership and management, the main goal of program evaluation is to
assess whether new processes, strategies, or interventions have successfully achieved their
intended outcomes (Taylor, 2023). This is especially important when implementing new care
models, policies, or nursing initiatives. By gathering feedback from patients, staff, and other
stakeholders, nursing leaders can pinpoint what aspects are effective and where
improvements are necessary. This helps ensure that nursing programs are aligned with
patient needs, improve care delivery, and optimize resource use without wasting time or
money on ineffective practices.

Advantages of Evaluation Research

1. Justifies time, money, and resources spent.

Evaluation research helps justify the resources allocated to programs,

whether it's a new care model or patient safety initiative. Without concrete data,
continuing costly or time-consuming strategies can be difficult to defend. Evaluation
provides evidence-based insights, allowing leaders to support decisions with
measurable results rather than relying on subjective opinions.

2. Identifies unknown impacts

Evaluation research allows nurse leaders to uncover unintended effects of

policies or interventions, whether positive or negative. For example, a staffing model
intended to improve patient outcomes may reveal unforeseen benefits in staff morale
or hidden challenges, like increased workloads.
3. Improves nursing practices

The feedback gathered through evaluation research identifies strengths and

areas for improvement. It helps refine processes, allowing nurse managers to
enhance quality care while maintaining elements that already work well.

Disadvantages of Evaluation Research

1. Can be costly.

Conducting thorough evaluation research can be expensive, especially when

using more in-depth methods like focus groups or interviews. While it may save costs
long-term by preventing ineffective practices, the upfront investment can be high for
nursing departments with limited budgets.

2. Potential for poor memory recall

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 Evaluation research often depends on feedback from staff, patients, or other
stakeholders. If feedback is gathered too long after the program’s implementation,
people may struggle to accurately recall their experiences, leading to less reliable
data and skewed findings.

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References

Bleich, C. (2018, April 18). How To Conduct A Training Needs Analysis. EdgePoint
Learning. https://www.edgepointlearning.com/blog/training-needs-analysis/
George, T. (2023, January 27). What is action research? Scribbr.
https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/action-research/
Lewis, S. (2019, September). What is Operations Research and Why is it Important?
WhatIs.com. https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/operations-
research-OR
Lok, Raj, Sharma. (2022). Dealing with Crucial Aspects of Action Research.
International research journal of MMC, 3(5):59-74. doi:
10.3126/irjmmc.v3i5.50739
Symonds, C. (2024, January 18). How to Conduct a Training Needs Analysis (with
examples) - Factorial. Factorial Blog. https://factorialhr.com/blog/training-
needs-analysis/
Taylor, E. (2023, February 20). What is Evaluation Research? Drive Research.
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Villegas, F. (2022, July 29). Action Research: What it is, Stages & Examples.
QuestionPro.
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?
Vulpen, E. van. (2020, October 12). How to Conduct a Training Needs Analysis: A
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