Qualitative Research

You will be conducting a participant observation study for this TD. The research question is: What are the health and safety issues in Ironridge compared to Summerville? Record the health and safety issues you find in Ironridge and Summerville. Describe one health issue and one safety issue in each city (Ironridge and Summerville). Try to avoid repeating an issue identified by another student if possible.

Why is this participant observation an example of qualitative research? What are other ways, both qualitative and quantitative, that you could research this question? Finally, how are theory, research, and practice advanced by the combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches?

Ask a PICO(T) Question

Conduct a search of the literature on one of the problems you have identified, using the PICO(T) format. How many "randomized, controlled trials (RCTs)" have you found in comparison to other types of studies? What are the advantages and disadvantages of RCTs in comparison to other types of studies? Generally, how would you summarize your articles?

Purposes of research

This week the instructor will divide the class into four (4) collaboration committees so that each committee can discuss a different top priority issue from Week 1 that the instructor has identified.THIS IS NOT A GROUP PROJECT OR GROUP ASSIGNMENT. Each student will be graded individually based on their performance. Since we usually participate in collaborative committees in the practice setting to discuss priority issue, this format will allow our class to discuss four priority issues within the same discussion board.

Each student will need to post twice (once by Wednesday deadline at 11:59 p.m. MT and a peer response to someone in your collaborative committee). In your collaborative committee, discuss what information you will need to know about the issue? What types of research would be most useful (descriptive, explanatory, predictive, prescriptive)? What databases are the most helpful? Please place all committee discussion in the discussion thread forum so everyone can benefit from the discussion.

Theory and Variables

Review the differences in descriptive, explanatory, predictive, and prescriptive studies and select one of the predictiveor prescriptive articles you find. What are the independent variables (IV), dependent variables (DV), and mediating variables (MVs) you find in the article? How do determining IVs, DVs, and MVs help you discern the theory tested in the research? In your particular article, what risk factors are identified or what recommendations are provided?

Assignment Research Summary Table

(Rodents & Associated Health Risks to Humans)

(Injuries of Children with Non-Helmet Use)

 Plan a Quantitative Study

You will continue to work with the priority issue from your Week 2 committee discussion. First look at your priority issue from Week 2 and describe a quantitative study to address the issue. What would be your research question? How will you select your sample to make sure that your study has external validity? What factors would affect the internal validity of your study? Remember to pick an article that is different from someone else in your committee. You should each have a quantitative study article for this discussion board.

 Plan a Qualitative Study

You will continue to work with the priority issue from your Week 2 committee. First look at your priority issue from Week 2 and describe a qualitative study to address the issue. Which qualitative design would you use? How will you make sure that the information you obtain is trustworthy? How is trustworthiness in qualitative research similar and different from reliability and validity?

Sampling Issues

Staying in discussion with your fellow consultants, what type of sample would you need to examine your question and learn more about your issue? What are the various types of sampling you could use, along with their advantages and disadvantages?

 Ethical Issues

Read these two documents on ethical issues in research:

o Tuskegee syphilis study at

http://www.cdc.gov/tuskegee/.

o An overview of questionable studies - Milestones in the history of human subjects protection

Critique of a Systematic Research Review

Descriptive Statistics

Complete a PICO(T) search on bicycle safety. What does the research say about this issue? Select one of the articles from your search. Identify the descriptive statistics. Is anything missing? To what extent are minorities included in the study (or is that demographic information available?)? How does the descriptive data help you understand the research?

Inferential Statistics

Describe the inferential tests that were used (e.g., t-tests and chi-squares). Given the p-values related to the tests, how do you interpret the results? Are statistically significant findings also clinically significant? What are the recommendations, based on this paper? Share some alternate explanations (mediating or intervening variables) for the results of the study.

Research Summaries

Preliminarily, you need to help the staff understand the differences between various translation documents. Therefore, in this TD, compare and contrast two of these five types of research summaries: Meta-analysis, meta-synthesis, systematic research reviews, clinical practice guidelines, and care protocols. What are the differences in their purposes, audiences, and authors?

Evidence-based(EBP) Models

Compare and contrast two of the models. Which would you recommend in this situation and why?

Assignment Analysis and Application of a Clinical Practice Guideline

Quality, Safety, and Costs

Cuts is healthcare is a current concern for patients, clinicians and insurances. All entities are challenged daily to provide cost effective, safe and quality care for our patients.

Patient and Family Concerns

What does the literature say about patient and Family engagement and what would you recommend?

(Hint: Use that phrase in your search.) How are patient and Family concerns related to clinical significance?