INTRODUCTION

TO RESEARCH
Melita Alva,
Senior Trainer, ONI
RN, MSN, MPhil(N).

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OVERVIEW
By the end of this class session the students will be able
to:
1. Define research.
2. Describe nursing research and its methodologies.
3. Describe the significance of nursing research.
4. State the steps of the research process.
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NURSING RESEARCH

Research to search again or examine carefully

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NURSING RESEARCH
Research is diligent or systematic assessment,
validation and refinement of the existing
knowledge to generate new knowledge (Burns &
Grove, 2005).

Planned, organized and persistent.

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Research Process
A series of action and
functions implemented to
carry out a research.

2
3

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Re-Cap.Definition of Health
NURSING the protection, promotion and
optimization of health and abilities, prevention of
illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through
the diagnosis and treatment of human response,
and advocacy in the care of the individuals,
families, communities and populations.(ANA 2003)

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Nursing Research
Focused on understanding human needs, prevent
illness, promote health and manage diseases.

Focus on nursing education, nursing administration,

nursing roles and clinical situations.
To improve nursing practice.

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Nursing Research
Definition:
A scientific process that validates and refines existing knowledge and
generates new knowledge that directly and indirectly influences nursing
practice (Burns & Grove, 2005)

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NURSING RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES

Quantitative
Qualitative

Outcome research
Intervention research
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NURSING RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES

Quantitative Research

Qualitative Research

Definition

A formal, objective,
systematic process for
obtaining information
about the world.

A systematic subjective
approach used to describe life
experiences and give them
meaning.

Data

numbers

words

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Cont
Outcome research evaluates the care given and
measures the change in patients health.
Intervention research evaluates effectiveness of
a nursing intervention in achieving the desired
outcome.

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SIGNIFICANCE OF NURSING RESEARCH

Goal promote health, prevent illness & improve
nursing practice.
important for nurses to provide
high quality,
advanced &
cost effective care

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Individuals, families &

communities.

Significance of Nursing Research

1. Description

4. Control

2.Explanation

3.Prediction

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Significance of Nursing Research

1. Description. This includes understanding a phenomenon or the
relationship between phenomena.

Describe situations/ events

Enhance understanding of situations and

Classify the information for making them useable in practice.

Used as basis for explanation, prediction and control research.

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Significance of Nursing Research

2.) Explanation explains the relationships among phenomena and the

etiology of why an event occurred.
Useful as a basis for control and prediction research.

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Cont
3.) Prediction one can estimate the likely hood of
an outcome in a specific situation.
Example: effects of position and mattress type on
skin pressure of persons lying in bed.

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4.) Control achieved by manipulating the situation

or controlling it in order to produce an outcome.
Example : use of nursing intervention to increase
the use of hearing protection devices by factory
workers

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STEPS IN RESEARCH PROCESS

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STEPS IN RESEARCH PROCESS

Process
Follow from the beginning to the end in a fairly logical progression.
Meeting the specified purpose.
Each steps builds on the one preceding it.

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STEPS IN RESEARCH PROCESS

Step
1

Formulate a Research Problem

Develop Research Purpose

Review Relevant Literature

Develop a Frame Of Reference

Select a Research Design

Define the Population and Sampling

Define Research Variables

Obtain Informed Consent

Conduct Pilot Study

10

Collect Data

11

Analyze Data

12

Interpret Findings

13

Communication of Research Findings

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1) FORMULATE A RESEARCH PROBLEM

A question or statement that describes the focus of a

study.
general area of personal interest the researcher wishes
to study.

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2)DEVELOP RESEARCH PURPOSE

-Developed from the problem

-Clarifies and focuses the research
-Population, setting and major variables to be studied
are identified

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3) REVIEW OF RELEVANT LITERATURE

- To determine the knowledge that currently exists

concerning a selected problem.
- Relevant theories and studies.

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4) DEVELOP A FRAME OF REFERENCE

- A theory or set of concepts that are used to give
meaning to the study.
- The structure within which a study is developed
and links all components of a study together.
- Theoretical or conceptual

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5) SELECT RESEARCH DESIGN

It provides guidelines for investigating specific research
objectives, question or hypothesis.
It directs the selection of population, a sampling
procedure and a plan for data collection and analysis.

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6) DEFINE POPULATION & SAMPLING

Population all elements (individuals, objects or
substances) meeting certain criteria for inclusion in the
study.
Eg; All patients with abdominal surgery(individuals),

all types of thermometers (objects),

all types of creams used in burns(substances)

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6) DEFINE POPULATION & SAMPLING

Sample a subset (small group) of the population that

is selected for a particular investigation;
Representative of the population.

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7) DEFINE RESEARCH VARIABLES

Concepts to be investigated in a study are research

variables.
Research variables: Characteristics, Properties or
attributes of persons events or objects that are
examined in a study.

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8) OBTAIN INFORMED CONSENT

Agreement of the human subjects to participate in the research and the

approval of the institution where the study will be carried out.
Subjects are asked to sign a consent form,

Promises the subjects confidentiality

Indicates that the subject can withdraw at any time.

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9) CONDUCT PILOT STUDY

Smaller version of a proposed study.
It should be as similar to the proposed study as
possible(subjects, setting and data collection and
analysis techniques).
Purpose:

To determine what problems might occur in the

proposed study.

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10) COLLECT DATA

Precise, systematic gathering of information
relevant to the research problem.
Methods of data collection:
Self-report: Interviews, Questionnaires

Observation
Measurement: Research tools or instruments.

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11) ANALYZE DATA

To reduce and organize the data to produce findings

Interpreted by the researcher.

May involve simple descriptive procedures or

sophisticated mathematical computations.
Maybe performed by computer: Requires extensive
knowledge and skills.

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12) INTERPRET FINDINGS

Interpreted in terms of the research problems,
research design and the study framework.
Drawing conclusions from the findings and making
recommendations for changes in practice or for further
research.

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13) COMMUNICATION OF RESEARCH FINDINGS

Dissemination of study findings to appropriate populations through

Conferences and Journals.

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