DNP 830 Topic 1 Assignment Examination Methods and Designs

• DNP 830 Topic 1 Examination Methods and Designs.

Examination Methods and Designs

Research methods and designs are the basic structural parts of any study since they characterize how data will be gathered, analyzed, and deciphered. In this manner, information on such methods and designs is essential for assessing the validity and believability of the outcomes in the healthcare domain and comparing results obtained from various investigations (Battisto et al., 2022).

The emphasis is placed on the nature of the methods and designs utilized in each of the examinations, the statistical methods used, and issues of reliability and validity in these methodologies. As discussed in DNP 830 Topic 1 Assignment Examination Methods and Designs, understanding these research approaches is crucial for evaluating their effectiveness and applying them in healthcare practice.

Methods of Each Article

Article 1: A mental health home visit service partnership intervention on improving patients’ satisfaction.

The principal article applied the time series quasi-experimental quantitative research design. This approach enabled the researchers to assess the dynamic responses of patient satisfaction with time within a study on the partnership between local area-based and hospital-based home visits. The method included comparing two gatherings: An intervention bunch that offered the treatment and a no-treatment bunch that continued with the normal home visits. Patient satisfaction was assessed three times, namely pre-intervention, six months after the intervention, and 12 months after the intervention to guarantee that a longitudinal comparison was achieved (Cheng et al., 2018).

Article 2: Chronic drug treatment among hemodialysis patients: A qualitative study of patients, nursing and medical staff attitudes and approaches.

The second article utilized a qualitative research method grounded on grounded theory research reasoning. In this study, the research question was to establish patients’ and staff’s understanding and perception of medication care in a dialysis unit. The data collection was done through interviews with the patients and the staff where meetings were semi-organized and inside and out. The participants were consulted and the data gathered was analyzed with the utilization of the grounded theory to establish patterns and themes regarding medication care with the perspective of comparing them with the quantitative outcomes and self-perception (Gilad et al., 2020).

Article 3: Factors Influencing Hand Hygiene Practice of Nursing Students: A Descriptive, mixed-methods Study

The third article involved both quantitative and qualitative methodologies in two distinct phases. Phase one assessed nursing students’ IPC (interprofessional collaboration) knowledge quantitatively by utilizing a standardized questionnaire, which also revealed the impacts on their practice. Phase two used qualitative semi-structured interviews with clinical facilitators to examine students’ IPC practices during clinical placements. This mixed-methods study provided a comprehensive examination of nursing students’ IPC knowledge and practice (Zimmerman et al., 2020). In line with the principles discussed in DNP 830 Topic 1: Examination Methods and Designs, this study exemplifies the value of combining quantitative and qualitative approaches. 

Design of Each Article

Article 1: Time Series Quasi-Experimental Design

The principal article utilized a time series quasi-experimental approach with repeated measurements. The lack of random assignment to experimental and control bunches recognizes this approach from actual experimental investigations. The time series component allows you to notice intervention-related patterns and changes (Cheng et al., 2018).

Article 2: Grounded Theory Qualitative Design

The second article utilized exploratory grounded theory to construct theory from data. Zeroing in on rich, qualitative data from interviews, the design analyzes themes and concepts. Iterative data gathering and analysis in grounded theory creates a theoretical framework based on participants’ lived encounters (Gilad et al., 2020).

Article 3: Two-Phase Descriptive Mixed-Methods Design

The third paper utilized a two-phase descriptive mixed-methods design. The initial segment was a quantitative cross-sectional review of nursing students’ information. The qualitative second phase investigated clinical facilitators’ perceptions utilizing a descriptive design (Zimmerman et al., 2020). Simultaneously integrating quantitative and qualitative information gave a total grasp of the situation.

Statistical Analysis Associated with the Method and Design

Article One: Statistics

In the primary paper, descriptive and inferential statistics assessed patient satisfaction over the long run. Comparing satisfaction throughout three-time focuses likely utilized paired t-tests or repeated measures ANOVA. The research zeroed in on significant changes between pre-intervention, six-month, and 12-month satisfaction scores, especially among experimental and control gatherings (Cheng et al., 2018).

Article Two: Statistics

Qualitative research blocks statistical analysis for the second article. The analysis utilized grounded theory methods including thematic coding and constant comparison. Coding and categorizing interview data revealed themes and patterns (Gilad et al., 2020). Synthesizing these concepts delivered a theoretical explanation of pharmaceutical care contrasts and attitudes.

Article 3: Statistics

Phase One of the third article utilized descriptive statistics to summarize nursing students’ IPC information and inferential statistics to distinguish practice variables. Chi-square tests or strategic regression might have decided information influencing factor relationships. Phase Two utilized qualitative thematic analysis of clinical facilitator meetings to uncover understudy IPC themes (Zimmerman et al., 2020).

Reliability and Validity Issues Associated with Each Methodology and Design

Article One: Reliability and Validity

The lack of randomization in the primary article’s quasi-experimental design raises questions regarding internal validity and selection bias. Nonetheless, the time series characteristic works on the design by offering several data focuses to find patterns across time. Non-generalizable discoveries may decrease external validity (Cheng et al., 2018). Standardized patient satisfaction measurements addressed reliability, however, their stability after some time may be a challenge.

Article Two: Reliability and Validity

The second article utilizes qualitative grounded theory to value believability and transferability over reliability and validity. Semi-organized interviews guarantee participant consistency, supporting the discoveries. Thematic analysis is abstract, therefore researchers may decipher data in an unexpected way, affecting reliability. Triangulation — comparing discoveries with past quantitative research — increases validity, although conclusions may only apply to similar circumstances (Gilad et al., 2020).

Article 3: Reliability and Validity

The third article’s mixed-methodologies design further develops reliability and validity by joining quantitative and qualitative methods. Validated questionnaires work on internal reliability and content validity in Phase One. The sequential design, where quantitative discoveries illuminate qualitative exploration, further develops concept validity by revealing IPC practice aspects. If the sample isn’t representative of nursing students, external validity may endure (Zimmerman et al., 2020). Thematic analysis guarantees Phase Two’s reliability, while qualitative research is biased.

Methods and Designs Summary and Comparison

The three publications evaluated in this assessment utilized varied approaches and designs to address different research issues and situations. The primary article’s quasi-experimental design and quantitative method organized intervention evaluation on patient satisfaction after some time. This strategy distinguished significant upgrades without the meticulousness of a randomized controlled trial (Cheng et al., 2018). The second article’s grounded theory design and qualitative method were ideal for studying patients’ and staff’s complicated, abstract medication care encounters and attitudes (Gilad et al., 2020). 

Conclusion

The three publications’ methods and designs highlight the diversity in healthcare research. All methods—quantitative, qualitative, or mixed—have distinct advantages and disadvantages that influence their reliability and validity. Understanding these attributes is critical for researchers, especially in a DNP 830 course, where Topic 1: Examination Methods and Designs is essential for developing skills in evaluating and selecting the appropriate research approach. This knowledge enables researchers to choose the best methodology suited to their research objectives, leading to more thorough and meaningful healthcare studies. In the context of DNP 830, mastering these research designs ensures the development of evidence-based practices that can enhance healthcare outcomes.

References

Battisto, D., Li, X., Dong, J., Hall, L., & Blouin, J. (2022). Research methods used in evidence-based design: An analysis of five years of research articles from the herd journal. HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal, 16(1), 56–82.

https://doi.org/10.1177/19375867221125940

Cheng, J.-F., Huang, X.-Y., Lin, M.-C., Wang, Y.-H., & Yeh, T.-P. (2018). A mental health home visit service partnership intervention on improving patients’ satisfaction. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 32(4), 610–616.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnu.2018.03.010

Gilad, L., Haviv, Y. S., Cohen-Glickman, I., Chinitz, D., & Cohen, M. J. (2020). Chronic drug treatment among hemodialysis patients: A qualitative study of patients, nursing and medical staff attitudes and approaches. BMC Nephrology, 21(1).

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12882-020-01900-y

Zimmerman, P.-A. P., Sladdin, I., Shaban, R. Z., Gilbert, J., & Brown, L. (2020). Factors influencing hand hygiene practice of nursing students: A descriptive, mixed-methods study. Nurse Education in Practice, 44, 102746.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2020.102746