STUDENT INSTRUCTIONS

1.    Research topic

1.1          In order to complete this assessment, you will need to identify a research question/hypothesis related to a specific topic, such as:

                   Infection control

You may choose a different topic, but your educator must agree with the topic you have chosen.

Your nursing research question or hypothesis may include:

½      Nursing interventions applicable to the topic

½      Client perceptions of the provision of this topic

½      Models of nursing care that utilise the topic

½      Political issues confronting nursing practice and health care provision in relation to the topic

An example of a question (the student can NOT use this example), would be:

Does hand washing among healthcare workers reduce hospital acquired infections? 

An example of a hypothesis (the student can NOT use this example), would be:

It is the hypothesis of this experiment that bacteria will be best cleaned off when they are washed with chemicals like soap or hydrogen peroxide and the hands are then drying on a sanitary object like clean paper towels.

It is necessary to apply critical thinking skills to formulate a research question/hypothesis. In order to do this:

½      Have a sound understanding of what best practice is

½      Consider if best practice is being applied. If not, identify the specific areas where best practice standards are not being met

½      Drawing upon your knowledge, identify the impact of these gaps on healthcare outcomes for the client

½      Formulate a question/hypothesis based on your considered approach to minimise the impact on the client and improve knowledge/skills of the healthcare professionals.

2.    Definition of key terms

2.1          THIS IS AN OPTIONAL STEP INTENTED TO HELP YOU RESEARCH YOUR ARTICLES. NO MARK ALLOCATED TO THIS TASK. Identify the key terms of your research topic. Give a synonym or variation of the term and provide a definition for each using the table below.

3.    Research question/hypothesis and its purpose

3.1       Write a clear statement highlighting your research question or hypothesis, e.g. “is there a difference between hand washing protocols and actual practice”.

3.2    Identify the role and the six (6) steps of the evidence based process. You may refer to   http://guides.mclibrary.duke.edu/c.php?g=158201&p=1036021

3.3          Explain whether or not the future results of your study might contribute to evidence based practice.

3.4          Briefly explain how your research will contribute to nursing practice and continuous improvement programs, e.g. better enforcement of hand washing protocols leading to decreased number of nosocomial infections.

3.5          Identify ONE (1) member of the multidisciplinary healthcare team who would contribute to your research. Briefly explain his/her participation in the study.  

3.6          Contact your educator and discuss your Research Topic and verbally gain confirmation that you and your partner are on track.

4.    Literature review  

4.1          You are now to conduct a literature review.

½      The aim of your literature review is to ‘demonstrate in a rigorous way the background of the subject under discussion, and in many cases establish a justification for the need to research the particular topic.’ (Richardson-Tench et al. 2014, p. 46)

½      Include three (3) articles in your literature review.

½      Articles must be published in professional journals. Please find below the pyramid of evidence – this is a guide that may help you throughout your project. You may also refer to your learning activity (session 2, activity 5).

½      Hierarchy of nursing research evidence:

1.    Systematic reviews and meta-analysis

2.    Randomised controlled trials

3.    Cohort studies

4.    Case-control studies

5.    Cross-sectional surveys

6.    Case reports

½      To determine the quality of a research article:

1.    Ensure authors/researchers are credible

2.    The methodology or study design must be appropriate for the study

3.    Clear data collection and data analysis processes

4.    The findings should be effective and feasible

5.    No breech of ethical guidelines

6.    Limited/no financial or commercial bias

½      You may use the suggested articles found in your learning activities.

½      You may access the JBI and EBSCO databases from your Blackboard page.

4.2          Provide the reference for each article following Harvard System of Referencing. The reference list must be at the end of your project. Use Appendix C.

4.3          For each article, highlight the main hypothesis or research question raised by the authors.

4.4          For each article, write a brief analysis of how your study will build on these results or further contribute to literature surrounding your topic.

4.5          Contact your educator and discuss your Research Topic and verbally gain confirmation that you and your partner are still on track.

5.    Methodology, data collection and analysis method

5.1          Describe the data that will be collected, e.g. blood pressure, blood samples, etc.

5.2          Identify the most appropriate research method you would use to address your research topic. Indicate whether you choose to undertake a mostly quantitative or qualitative study. Explain your response.

5.3          Briefly describe the type and the size of your study population including inclusion and exclusion criteria, e.g. 200 women aged 60 or above (excluding men).

5.4          Identify the most appropriate method(s) of data collection for your research, e.g. survey, questionnaire, interview, etc.

5.5          In contribution to improving health promotion programs and best practice in nursing, your participation in this study is to identify THREE (3) questions you would include in the questionnaire or interview designed to gather the data required for your study.

5.6          Identify the method you will use to analyse your data, e.g. statistical analysis. Briefly explain why.

5.7          Identify TWO (2) potential uses of the data, e.g. updating hand washing guidelines in your workplace.

5.8          Name ONE (1) document you would study to ensure you are following the statutory requirements for data collection and documentation.

6.    Validity of the research

6.1          Identify and list the dependant and independent variables of your study. Include social, personal, socio-economic, physiological, emotional or physical variables.

6.2          Identify TWO (2) obstacles to your study and provide ONE (1) solution for each.

Obstacle 1:

Solution:

Obstacle 2:

Solution:

6.3          Identify ONE (1) strength of your research tools or methods in relation to validity, e.g. large sample size.

6.4          Identify ONE (1) weakness of your research tools or methods in relation to validity, e.g. lack of accuracy of measuring tools.

6.5          Identify and briefly outline ONE (1) strategy you could use to strengthen the validity of your study, e.g. applying for authorisation to access latest measuring tools.

6.6          List TWO (2) questions that can be used to help evaluate the quality of the study.

7.    Ethical, cultural and religious considerations

7.1          Identify ONE (1) physical and ONE (1) emotional effect the study may have on the life of the participants’ relatives and loved ones. Provide ONE (1) solution for each of their need.

·       Physical need:

·       Solution:

·       Emotional need:

·        Solution:

7.2          You are proposing to collect data from participants during the study. Discuss the potential cultural and/or religious considerations you need to anticipate to ensure you always follow ethical guidelines, e.g. special considerations for specific ethnicity.

7.3          While researching and participating in the study, it is absolutely necessary that you apply the Professional Standards of Practice. They include:

□     ANMC Code of Conduct

□     ANMC Code of Ethics

□     NMBA Enrolled nurse standards for practice

□     State/territory Nurse Regulatory Nurses Act

□     State/territory Nursing and Midwifery Regulatory Authority Standards of Practice

□     Scope of nursing practice decision making framework

□     All of the above

7.4          Identify (TWO) policies and/or procedures you need to be familiar with while applying for and conducting research according to: https://research.unsw.edu.au/policies-and-procedures .

7.5          Obtaining ethic approval before you start your research is a compulsory step of the process. Identify the institution that would ensure your study has received ethical approval.

7.6          Briefly discuss how you would ensure all research staff apply their duty of care throughout the study.

7.7          Briefly discuss how you will maintain the confidentiality and privacy of the participants.

8.    Schedule, funding and dissemination of research

8.1          Develop a summary of your study timeline. Use the table provided in Appendix A.

8.2          Elaborate a simplified budget for your research. Use the table provided in Appendix B. Explain where you would apply for funding.

8.3          As you are participating in research in order to work toward continuous improvement programs, you will need to share your findings within the workplace / industry. Briefly describe the method(s) of dissemination of your findings, e.g. articles, newsletters, conference, etc.

9.    Reflection

9.1          You are now at the end of your research proposal. You have been working on this project with another person as a team. Discuss how you planned and executed equitable team work and collaboration.