Quantitative or Qualitative
Making A Difference with Nursing Research
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Making a Difference with Nursing Research Rae Langford | Anne Young
Two Broad Research Traditions 4
Making a Difference with Nursing Research Rae Langford | Anne Young
Learning Objectives
• Describe the philosophical origins of quantitative and qualitative research.
• Compare and contrast quantitative and qualitative research methods.
• Trace the evolution of ethical considerations to protect human subjects.
• Explain the importance of ethical considerations in nursing research. Making a Difference with Nursing Research Rae Langford | Anne Young
LEARNING OBJECTIVE 1
Describe the philosophical origins of quantitative and qualitative research.
Making a Difference with Nursing Research Rae Langford | Anne Young
Quantitative Research and Positivism
• Positivism states that a single reality exists and is best discovered through a systematic series of highly controlled experiments.
• Investigators use quantitative research to study a narrow and specific problem to see if they can gather insight from the study’s outcome about how a phenomenon works.
Making a Difference with Nursing Research Rae Langford | Anne Young
Quantitative Research and Positivism
• Quantitative research systematically collects and analyzes numerical information.
• Multiple studies conducted over time test a theory and help to add to the body of evidence about a specific phenomenon.
Making a Difference with Nursing Research Rae Langford | Anne Young
Qualitative Research and Constructivism
• Constructivism proposes that multiple realities exist and that these realities are mediated by experiences; in other words, people generate truth from their personal knowledge and experiences.
Making a Difference with Nursing Research Rae Langford | Anne Young
Qualitative Research and Constructivism
• In qualitative research, the goal is to understand how people make sense out of their world and does this by systematically gathering and analyzing narrative information.
• Research from a constructivist perspective recognizes the diversity of perspectives and seeks to understand numerous outlooks that inform patient care situations.
Making a Difference with Nursing Research Rae Langford | Anne Young
LEARNING OBJECTIVE 2
Compare and contrast quantitative and qualitative research methods.
Making a Difference with Nursing Research Rae Langford | Anne Young
Quantitative Research Methods
Tend to have a tightly defined scope, gathering information using instruments that lend themselves to numerical ratings under situations of high control
• Example instruments: 5-item Satisfaction with Life Scale and a 20- item Positive and Negative Affect Schedule
Making a Difference with Nursing Research Rae Langford | Anne Young
Qualitative Research Methods
• Tend to have a broader scope and information is collected in a naturalistic settings
• Focus on collecting and analyzing narrative data, usually through a semi- structured interview; participants usually respond to broad, open-ended questions about their experiences
Making a Difference with Nursing Research Rae Langford | Anne Young
Qualitative Research Methods
• Some qualitative studies also use observation techniques. A researcher can observe from an unobtrusive position or serve in the role of a participant-observer who actively takes part in the setting while simultaneously collecting data.
Making a Difference with Nursing Research Rae Langford | Anne Young
LEARNING OBJECTIVE 3
Trace the evolution of ethical considerations to protect human subjects.
Making a Difference with Nursing Research Rae Langford | Anne Young
Evolution of Ethical Considerations for Human Subjects • Biomedical research at German concentration camps
• Tuskegee Studies
• Both studies emphasized the need for protection of participants Making a Difference with Nursing Research Rae Langford | Anne Young Evolution of Ethical Considerations for Human Subjects
• Subsequent to many abuses, regulations to protect individuals participating in research were enacted, including the Nuremburg Code
• 1974, Congress passed the National Research Act, appointing a special group of legal scholars, ethicists, researchers, and physicians who composed a landmark report referred to as the Belmont Report
Making a Difference with Nursing Research Rae Langford | Anne Young
Evolution of Ethical Considerations for Human Subjects
• The Belmont Report helped define boundaries between therapy and research, and outlines three key ethical principles for research involving people: respect for persons, beneficence, and justice.
Making a Difference with Nursing Research Rae Langford | Anne Young
LEARNING OBJECTIVE 4
Explain the importance of ethical considerations in nursing research.
Making a Difference with Nursing Research Rae Langford | Anne Young
Ethical Principles in Nursing Research
• Respect for persons—recognizes that individuals are autonomous human beings and have the capacity to make their own choices
• Participants should be informed about the nature of research and freely agree to be a part of the study.
Making a Difference with Nursing Research Rae Langford | Anne Young
Ethical Principles in Nursing Research
• Increased vulnerability for certain groups of people occurs when they are ill, lack education, are poor, or lack the capacity to make decisions freely on their own behalf Making a Difference with Nursing Research Rae Langford | Anne Young Ethical Principles in Nursing Research
• Beneficence consists of two parts: first, to do no harm and second, to promote the welfare of individuals by maximizing the potential for benefit and minimizing the possibility for harm.
• Investigators must design studies minimizing the risk of harm to participating individuals.
Making a Difference with Nursing Research Rae Langford | Anne Young
Ethical Principles in Nursing Research
• Justice, which is concerned with balancing the distribution of the benefits and burdens of research to those involved • Starts with questions such as, “Who should be enrolled in research studies?”, “Should studies include men and women?”, “Should children be enrolled?”
