THE RESEARCH PROCESS

PHASES OF NURSING
RESEARCH
1. CONCEPTUAL PHASE
2. THE DESIGN AND PLANNING
PHASE
3. THE EMPIRICAL PHASE
4. THE ANALYTIC PHASE
5. THE DISSEMINATION PHASE
 CONCEPTUAL PHASE
1. FORMULATING AND DELIMITING THE
PROBLEM
o Topic
o Research Problem
o Problem statement – articulates the problem to be
addressed and indicates the need for a study
o Research Questions – are the specific queries
researchers want to answer in addressing the
research problem
o Research Hypothesis – predictions that are tested
empirically
o Null hypothesis
o Research or alternative hypothesis
 Term Example
Topic Side effects of Chemotherapy
Nausea and vomiting are common side effects among
patients on chemo; interventions have been moderately
Research Problem
successful. New interventions that can reduce or prevent
these side effects need to be identified
Purpose is to test an intervention to reduce chemotherapy-
induced side effects – specifically to compare the
Statement of purpose
effectiveness of patient-controlled and nurse-administered
antiemetic therapy
What is the relative effectiveness of patient-controlled
antiemetic therapy versus nurse-controlled antiemetic
Research question therapy with regard to (a) medication consumption, and (b)
control of nausea and vomiting in patients on
chemotherapy?
There is no difference on the effectiveness between
patient-controlled and nurse-controlled antiemetic therapy
Hypothesis
with regard to medication consumption and control of
nausea and vomiting of patients on chemotherapy.
 CONCEPTUAL PHASE
1. FORMULATING AND DELIMITING THE
PROBLEM
o Evaluating research problems
o Significance of the problem – research problem should
have the potential of contributing meaningfully to the
nursing knowledge
o Researchability of the Problem
o Time and timing
o Availability of study participants
o Facilities and equipments
o Money
o Experience and interest of the researcher
 CONCEPTUAL PHASE
2. REVIEWING THE LITERATURE
 Done to familiarize researchers with the
knowledge base
 PURPOSES:
 Orient of what is known and not known regarding
the topic
 Replication of study
 Identifications of relevant theoretical and
conceptual framework
 Assistance in interpreting study findings and
developing implications and recommendations
 SOURCES OF LITERATURE
• PRIMARY SOURCES
– Research reports/studies

• SECONDARY
SOURCES
– Books
– Literature review
summaries
THE DESIGN AND PLANNING
PHASE
1. Selecting a research design
2. Identifying the population
to be studied
3. Sampling plan
4. Methods to measure
research variables
5. Finalizing the research
study
 RESEARCH DESIGN

Based on:
– Time Frame
– Control over
independent variable
– Measurement of
independent and
dependent variables
 TIME FRAME
DESIGN FEATURES EXAMPLE
CROSS-SECTIONAL  Data are collected at Mindell and Jacobson
one point in time (2000) assessed sleep
 Practical, easy to do, patterns and the
economical prevalence of sleep
disorders during
pregnancy. They
compared women who
were at 4 points in
pregnancy: 8-12wks,
18-22wks, 25-28wks,
35-38wks. They
concluded that sleep
disturbance is common
in late pregnancy.
 TIME FRAME

DESIGN FEATURES
LONGITUDINAL  Data are collected at two or
more points in time over an
extended period

TREND STUDIES  Investigations in which

samples from a population are
studied over time
 Different samples are selected
but drawn from the same
population
 Based on surveys
 CONTROL OVER
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE
DESIGN FEATURES
EXPERIMENTAL  Manipulation of independent
variable
 Control group
 randomization

QUASI -EXPERIMENTAL  Manipulation of independent

variable
 No control group
 No randomization

NONEXPERIMENTAL  No manipulation of independent

variable
 Is there an intervention?

No Yes

NONEXPERIMENTAL Is there randomization?

No Yes

QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL EXPERIMENTAL
MEASUREMENT OF INDEPENDENT
AND DEPENDENT VARIABLES
DESIGN FEATURES EXAMPLE
RETROSPECTIVE Study begins with Heitkemper, et. al. (2001),
dependent variable and used a Retrospective
looks backward for cause design in their study of
factors contributing to the
onset of irritable bowel
syndrome. They compared
samples of women with
and without IBS in terms of
their history of sexual and
physical abuse and found
that abusive experiences
were more prevalent among
women with IBS.
 MEASUREMENT OF
INDEPENDENT AND
DEPENDENT VARIABLES
DESIGN FEATURE EXAMPLE
PROSPECTIVE Study begins with Brook, et. al. (2000)
independent variable and conducted a prospective
looks forward for the study to examine clinical
effect and cost outcomes of
early versus late
tracheostomy in patients
who require prolonged
mechanical ventilation.
Early tracheostomy was
found to be associated
with shorter lengths of
hospital stay and lower
cost.
IDENTIFYING THE POPULATION
TO BE STUDIED
• POPULATION –
aggregate or totality
of those conforming
to a set of
specifications.
– Nurses
– Students
– Children
– Etc.
 DESIGNING THE SAMPLING
PLAN
• SAMPLE – subset of a population
– Sampling techniques:
• Probability sampling
– Systematic sampling
– Fish bowl method
• Nonprobability sampling
– Purposive/Judgmental sampling
– Snow ball technique
– Convenience/accidental sampling
 METHODS TO MEASURE
RESEARCH VARIABLES
• Different methods of data collection
– Biophysiologic measurements
– Self-reports
– Observation
– Use of a research instrument
• Questionnaires
• Survey forms
 FINALIZING THE RESEARCH
PLAN
• Pretesting of
questionnaires

• Conducting a Pilot
study
EMPIRICAL PHASE

• DATA
COLLECTION
• DATA ENCODING
 THE ANALYTIC PHASE

• DATA ANALYSIS
– Statistical analysis

• DATA INTERPRETATION – is the process

of making sense of the results and
examining their implications

• CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

 DISSEMINATION PHASE
• RESEARCH REPORT
– Research Abstract
– Research published in journals
– Term papers, theses, dissertations

• UTILIZATION OF FINDINGS
– Application to nursing practice and nursing
education